For the past two weeks, we (Nicolas and the Sams) have been talking with biographers to better understand how personal story writing works. It has been a fascinating experience. Nicolas, surprised to learn that an in-depth six-month collaboration to write 100 A4 pages could cost less than €2000, immediately thought of a family project: offering his mother, Marie, the opportunity to share her childhood and teenage years in Cameroon between 1950 and 1962, during the final years of colonization.
Marie has often mentioned these years, but always in fragments, never telling the full story. Yet these memories are a vital part of our family’s history: stacks of photos, cherished objects, and countless anecdotes… but no cohesive narrative.
When Nicolas proposed the idea to his mother in November, her reaction was as surprising as it was enthusiastic: Marie immediately vowed to start writing and promised we could read the first pages by Christmas—just six weeks later! Since then, her energy has been boundless. She spends hours digging through her archives and photos, as well as browsing encyclopedias and newspapers to refresh her memory about the places and circumstances of that time. After all, she was young, and this was 65 years ago!
And what about the biographer’s help? For now, Marie doesn’t feel it’s necessary. Passionate and dynamic, she has always loved carrying out her projects independently. With her background in French literature and her love for writing, she is confident she can handle it on her own. Meanwhile, the whole family is rallying to support her: her husband François, her two other sons, and even her grandchildren are enthusiastically involved in the project.
For now, this adventure is clearly a source of joy for everyone. Marie is thriving in her writing, and we can’t wait to read the first pages. Stay tuned!