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A decade of heartwrenching moments preserved through StoryCorps

StoryCorps
Justina Mejias (L) of StoryCorps assists Anaisha Rivera (L) and Art Smith prior to their interview session in the StoryCorps sound booth December 18, 2003 at Grand Central Station in New York City. Smith, 89, was abandoned in Gimbles department store in 1918 and was placed in foster care by the Children's Aid Society. Rivera, who is also a foster child, interviewed him.
Stephen Chernin/Getty Images

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Public radio listeners who tune into pieces produced by StoryCorps are reminded "that if we take the time to listen, we'll find poetry, wisdom and magic in the stories of the people we find all around us," says StoryCorps Founder Dave Isay.

'Ties That Bind' by Dave Isay
'Ties That Bind' by Dave Isay
Book cover courtesy of publisher

"StoryCorps grew out of a very a simple idea: we wanted to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record their life stories," Isay told PBS. "We built a soundproof booth in Grand Central Terminal and invited people to come in pairs and interview each other about their lives, with the help of a trained StoryCorps facilitator. Soon after starting the project, I knew we had created something pretty powerful. Many StoryCorps participants tell us that the forty minutes they spend inside our booth are among the most meaningful minutes of their lives."

Since 2003, StoryCorps has recorded 45,000 interviews with 90,000 participants. The interviews are archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

Isay joins The Daily Circuit to discuss his new book, "Ties That Bind: Stories of Love and Gratitude from the First Ten Years of StoryCorps."

To get a taste of StoryCorps' work, listen to these pieces: