Why You Should Interview Your Parents
Author Kyle Thiermann joins Neil Pearlberg to talk story, memory, and the gift of asking
Santa Cruz has a habit of growing storytellers. In this twenty-minute conversation, Neil Pearlberg sits down with author and longtime local Kyle Thiermann to talk about his new book, One Last Question Before You Go, and the simple practice that can change a family forever, recording a real interview with your parents.
What you will get in twenty minutes:
A clear why. Kyle explains how one long, focused conversation can reshape how you see your parents, and yourself.
How to start. Practical tips for setting up a low-stress interview, from picking a time to bringing a few photos as prompts.
Questions that work. Examples you can ask tonight, the kind that open doors instead of shutting them with yes or no.
A reminder about time. Most of us will spend the majority of our days with our parents before we turn eighteen. The rest is precious.
Stories. A magician dad with a dove up his sleeve. A Berkeley mom in the sixties. The kind of details you never hear unless you ask.
Why watch:
Because memory fades, and silence does not save us. Because the people who raised us had full lives before we arrived, and hearing those stories can mend things we thought were unfixable. Because the holidays are coming, and you could bring a mic, a phone, or just a notebook, and leave with something that outlasts you.
If you have parents, guardians, or elders, this is for you. If you have lost them, this is still for you, the same questions work for mentors, teachers, and the people who made you who you are.
Watch the 20-minute interview on YouTube:
Then tell us what you learned. Share your best first question in the comments, so another reader can start.
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Independent arts and culture journalism from the Central Coast. The 831 amplifies local authors, artists, and storytellers keeping creativity alive in our coastal towns. Support human storytelling — subscribe, pledge, and share what moves you.