good questions for biography interview

Writing a Bio: My 20 Favorite Questions to Ask

Writing a concise bio for a business website may seem like a no brainer. A few paragraphs, hit all the usual points like schools, charity work, career highlights and then, BAM! Bio, check.

The problem with that approach? There’s a high likelihood you’ll churn out super boring bios, fast. When I think of old school bios, I think of a stuffy headshot accompanied by a few paragraphs of text that no one wants to read. But the days of stale bios are over. Believe it or not, people actually want to learn about you and your company, and they’d rather not fall asleep while doing it.

A well-written bio will combine the overall company culture and voice with that of the profiled team member. While website bios are generally concise—anywhere from Twitter-short to a few paragraphs—choosing the particulars to highlight can be tricky. Gathering the right information up front, in a 15-20 minute interview, is key.

Here are my favorite questions to ask when writing a bio. Note: these don’t include the usual slew, like general career experience and education.

1. Who is someone you admire, and why?

2. Tell me three pet peeves.

3. What’s a typical day like for you?

4. Do you have any skills or talents that most people don’t know about?

5. If you could be anywhere other than here, right this minute, where would you be? (Don’t overthink it!)

6. Flashback to when you were 10 years old. What do you want to be when you grow up?

7. If we went to happy hour, what would you order?

8. Finish this sentence. On Sunday mornings, you can usually find me...

9. How do you want people to remember you?

10. What do you think are the best skills that you bring to your job?

11. Name three words that you describe you.

12. How do you think your colleagues would describe you?

13. What do you want to make sure you do before you die?

14. What’s a goal you have for yourself that you want to accomplish in the next year?

15. Name a few of your daily habits (other than a shower and brushing your teeth).

16. What publications do you regularly read?

17. What are you happiest doing, when you’re not working?

18. What are some causes you care about?

19. What do you do with friends in your spare time?

20. What would be your personal motto

Joanna Furlong

120 Questions to Ask When Interviewing Someone About Their Life

When embarking on the journey of interviewing someone about their life, we delve into the rich tapestry of their experiences, beliefs, and lessons learned. This collection of questions serves as a key to unlocking the treasure trove of stories that every individual carries.

These queries are designed to navigate through the chapters of one’s existence, from the innocence of early childhood to the wisdom that comes with reflecting on the future. Engage with these prompts to discover the essence of a person’s life story and craft a narrative that is both profound and enlightening.

Table of Contents

Early Life and Family Background

Can you share where and when you were born?
What memories do you have of your childhood home?
How would you describe your family dynamic as a child?
Do you have any siblings, and what were your relationships like with them?
What were your parents’ professions, and how did they influence you?
Are there any particular family traditions that influenced your upbringing?
What is your earliest memory?
Did you have any pets growing up?
What activities or hobbies did you enjoy as a child?
How did your family celebrate holidays or special occasions?
Who were your role models within your family, and why?
Was there something unique about your family’s cultural background?
What was your favorite thing to do with your family?
Did you face any hardships during your early years?
How do you think your upbringing has shaped the person you are today?

Education and Career Development

What was your favorite subject in school and why?
Did you participate in any extracurricular activities or sports?
Who was your favorite teacher, and what impact did they have on your life?
What level of education have you achieved, and how did you decide on that path?
How did you get into your current profession or line of work?
What jobs have you held, and what lessons did you learn from them?
Have you had any mentors in your professional life?
What are you most proud of accomplishing in your career?
Did you have a career plan, and how did you follow or deviate from it?
How do you balance your work life with your personal life?
What’s the most challenging aspect of your career?
Have you worked abroad, and if so, what was that experience like?
In your view, what constitutes success in a career?
Have you ever had to make a significant career change?
What advice would you give to someone starting in your field?

Personal Philosophies and Values

What personal values are most important to you?
Have your values changed over the years, and why?
What life philosophy do you live by?
How do you define happiness?
What do you believe is the purpose of life?
How important is spirituality or religion in your life?
How do you approach making difficult decisions?
What have you learned about yourself through your relationships with others?
In terms of legacy, what do you want to be remembered for?
How do you deal with regret or mistakes?
What does success mean to you outside of your career?
How do you handle stress or anxiety?
What practices do you follow to maintain mental and emotional well-being?
What role do politics or social issues play in your life?
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Major Life Events and Turning Points

Can you describe a pivotal moment in your life?
How did a significant loss affect your life perspective?
What life event has brought you the most joy?
Has there been an unexpected turn in your life that you now see as a blessing?
Were there any historical events that significantly impacted your life?
Can you talk about a major accomplishment and how you achieved it?
How did becoming a parent (if applicable) change your life?
Was there a point when you had to make a tough choice that altered your life’s direction?
How has your life been different from what you imagined as a young person?
Can you share a time when you took a big risk?
What has been your most significant career milestone?
Have you ever moved to a new place and started over? What was that like?
Can you tell me about a time when you overcame a major obstacle?
Have you ever pursued a dream or goal against all odds?
What is one event you wish you could relive, and why?

Relationships and Community Connections

Who has been the most influential person in your life outside of your family?
Can you describe a friendship that has greatly impacted you?
How do you contribute to or participate in your community?
What role have your friends played throughout your life?
Have you been involved in volunteer work or activism?
How has your perspective on relationships changed over time?
What is the key to maintaining long-lasting relationships, in your opinion?
Can you talk about a time when a community came together to support you or others?
Have you ever felt isolated or disconnected? How did you overcome that?
How do you nurture new relationships?
What do you treasure most about your community?
How do you resolve conflicts within your personal relationships?
Is there someone you’ve lost contact with whom you’d like to reconnect?
How do you decide who to trust?
Can you share a story about a personal connection that taught you a valuable lesson?

Challenges and Overcoming Adversities

What was the most challenging period in your life?
How have difficult times shaped who you are today?
Can you tell me about a time when you failed at something important to you?
What was the biggest risk you’ve taken that didn’t pay off?
How do you cope with setbacks or disappointments?
Can you share a personal challenge that you’re proud to have overcome?
Who or what gave you strength during tough times?
Has there been a challenge that you’ve faced repeatedly, and how have you approached it?
How do you manage to keep a positive outlook during times of crisis?
What strategies do you use to regain motivation after a setback?
Have health issues ever been a major challenge for you?
What was a crucial turning point in overcoming a particular adversity?
What is the hardest lesson you’ve had to learn in life?
How have difficult experiences contributed to your growth?
In what ways have your struggles brought about positive changes in your life?

Creativity and Passions

What hobbies or activities do you feel most passionate about?
How do you cultivate your creative side?
Can you share an example of a project you worked on that was driven by passion?
Was there ever a time when you had to fight for your creative ideas?
How do you find inspiration for your creative endeavors?
What does creativity mean to you, and why is it important in your life?
Are there any creative pursuits you wish you had the time or resources to explore?
How do you overcome creative blocks?
What’s a passion project you’ve always wanted to start?
How do you integrate your passions into your daily life?
Can you describe a time when you shared your passion with others?
What creative achievement are you most proud of?
Has your creativity ever been misunderstood or undervalued?
How have your passions changed or evolved over the years?
What advice would you give to someone trying to pursue their creative interests?

Reflections and Look to the Future

Looking back, what piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
What are you most looking forward to in the future?
Are there any dreams or goals you still wish to accomplish?
What are your hopes for your family and loved ones?
How do you want the next generations to remember this time period?
What changes do you hope to see in the world within your lifetime?
How do you plan to spend your retirement or later years?
Is there anything you want to change about your current lifestyle?
What legacy do you hope to leave behind?
How do you stay informed and plan for the future in a rapidly changing world?
Do you have a bucket list, and if so, what’s on it?
What role do you think technology will play in shaping the future?
How do you keep a forward-thinking mindset?
What innovation or advancement are you most excited to see develop?
How do you envision your community or society evolving?

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i make the interviewee feel comfortable when discussing their life.

Establish a rapport with the interviewee before diving into deeper questions.
Be empathetic and respectful, giving them control over how much they wish to share.
Ensure a private and quiet setting for the conversation where the interviewee feels at ease.

What should I avoid when asking questions about someone’s life?

Steer clear of intrusive or sensitive topics unless the interviewee has expressed a willingness to address them.
Avoid yes or no questions that might limit the depth of the conversation.
Do not push for details if the interviewee is reluctant to share certain aspects of their life.

How do I know if a question is appropriate or not?

Consider the comfort and cultural background of the individual.
If in doubt, ask the interviewee if they are comfortable answering a particular type of question.
Observe body language and cues to gauge if the interviewee might feel uneasy.

Final Thoughts

Interviewing someone about their life is akin to painting a portrait with words. The questions I have curated for you will help to reveal the subject’s deeper layers, highlight pivotal moments, and honor the unique journey of the individual.

Through this discerning exploration, you’ll not only have a series of responses but a narrative that resonates with the authentic human experience. The stories uncovered may surprise, inspire, or even challenge us, but they will certainly enrich our understanding of the diverse tapestry of human life.

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Bea Mariel Saulo

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professional bio interview questions

A professional bio can help you stand out from the crowd by showcasing a little about who you are and what you strive for in your work if you’re trying to get noticed by clients or hiring managers. However, writing a professional biography is easier said than done. Here are a few pointers to get you started on writing about yourself and expressing your value in a confident manner because it can be uncomfortable.

What is your name?
Do you have any nicknames?
When and where were you born?
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Where have you lived?
How would you describe your cultural identity?
What is your favorite hobby?
What is your favorite travel destination?

Bio Interview Questions and Answers 2019 Part-1 | Bio Interview Questions | WisdomJobs

Biography Interview Questions: What Is Special about Them?

When it comes to creating bios that sound impressive, most people don’t actually understand one thing. This is due to the fact that there should be a guideline to adhere to in order to keep them on track when creating content for their intended audience. Find out how we can help you write a company profile.

Perhaps for this reason, when writing your own biography, it has always been crucial to pay attention to the interview questions. You may be wondering why you need this. Make sure you have a blueprint to work from because that is one of its most important goals. The majority of biographies don’t convey the right messages, and there is every reason to suspect that the authors or owners have fallen short of a specific standard that will set them apart.

This post will be able to assist you if you have been struggling to write an impressive biography because you don’t have a good guide. This is so that it can demonstrate some of the intriguing interview questions for biographies. These are expert questions for a biography that will help you understand how to properly format yours. Just be sure to read them thoroughly, choose the ones you believe are most appropriate for your field, and use them right away to wow your target audience.

The Professional Biography Interview Questions

To properly respond to this, you’ll need to engage in some reflective thinking. You can only provide a meaningful response by considering the various instances in which you have had the most positive impact on people’s lives. This has a significant place in your biography and cannot be disregarded in any way.

As you write your biography in an effort to impress your audience, this is yet another query that may inspire your level of creativity. You need to sit down and think about your career, including how it began, the various highs and lows you’ve experienced, and the factors that have really shaped who you are today. Click and see bio for Facebook examples.

To respond to this question right away, you must be as original as you can. What you believe in and the legacy you want to leave behind will determine whether you are someone who adds value or someone who uses his time wisely. The quote “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy” from the book Strength to Love is a good example of how this is explained.

Choose the accomplishments that you feel most proud of and list your accomplishments in order of importance on a piece of rough paper.

Analyze your most valuable abilities and how they contribute to the work you do to provide an answer to this question. Keep in mind that it is these that will set you apart from the competition. As a result, you must make sure your writing is original and that it is thoroughly explained using examples or personal anecdotes.

This query will assist you in adding unique and individual information to your bio. You can respond to this question with three words that you believe best describe you or with a slightly longer response. If answering this question presents a challenge for you, you can always ask your friends and family for assistance. Use the words that are repeated in your selection in your biography.

Make sure to relate your response to the subject of your bio when responding to this question. For instance, if you want to concentrate on your career, pick hobbies related to your line of work.

This query will enable you to give your biography a more humanitarian tone. You’ll feel more connected to the readers and they’ll get a fuller picture of who you are as a person. Someone who cares about social and/or environmental causes in addition to possessing the abilities and experience necessary to be a strong candidate

Give a succinct response to what you hope to accomplish in the future. Explain why and how would you do it. To give a thorough response, connect your answer to your top abilities, educational background, and career aspirations.

How to Start a Biography

Even though you may be aware of who you are professionally, it can be challenging to put this into writing. Create an outline of your desired bio using the aforementioned components to get started. You can use your resume and other records of your professional achievements to your advantage, but refrain from copying and pasting directly from them.

You can also look up the resumes of accomplished individuals you respect. While you don’t want to copy their bios, you can take note of the elements that speak to you and then try to emulate that in your own bio. What do they include? What impresses you about their bios.

Think about what you would say aloud to someone if they asked you about the things on the list above to help you sound genuine in your bio. Write down what you would say to someone who asked you to describe, for instance, what you do for a living or your mission statement. This can help you to “see” your voice on paper.

Remember that a professional bio should typically be written in the third person, especially if it is intended for a company website. However, there are exceptions to this. You should write in the first person when writing your LinkedIn “about” section, for instance.

How to adapt your bio for different situations

You should adapt your “master professional bio” for various circumstances now that you have one.

Imagine a specific reader and what they would want to know about you before writing for them in each iteration of your bio. For illustration, suppose you serve on your college’s alumni panel. Students in attendance will want to know what they can do right away to obtain your career. In this situation, your bio should emphasize your earlier campus activities, classes, early-career internships, and jobs rather than your current day-to-day work obligations.

Below, we’ve provided examples and detailed advice for some of the most typical situations in which you’ll need to write a professional bio.

What should a professional biography include?

Job title or workplace.
University degree and other qualifications.
Hometown or city of residence.
Personal or professional goals.
Mission statement and values.
Skills and expertise.
Interests and hobbies.

How do you write a biography for an interview?

Your current job title.
Your company name or personal brand statement.
Your hometown.
Your alma mater.
Your personal and professional goals.
A relevant achievement or accomplishment.
Your hobbies.

What is a biographical question?

Examples of biographical questions: Describe yourself, what you can bring to the company, why this position in particular appeals to you, and what your strengths and weaknesses are.

How do I write a bio about myself?

Your current role or professional tagline.
Your company or personal brand.
Your goals and aspirations.
Your 2-3 most impressive and relevant achievements.
One interesting fact about you, if applicable to the website

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Great Interview Questions

Great life story interviews start with great questions. Photo of a senior man being interviewed.

Great interviews start with great questions. We do professional oral history interviewing for families, as part of bigger history projects, and books and have done thousands, so we have learned a thing or two. Here are some question lists and other resources to get you started.

Related: Why oral history is important

It’s a good idea to go into an interview with a few questions prepared , and especially highlight any that you want to make sure you ask. However, often an ice breaker and a well-chosen question here and there will keep the conversation going. It’s a positive sign when not all your questions are used in an interview (they rarely are).

Also, most interviewees appreciate receiving a few questions in advance. When sending, indicate that they are simply food for thought and the interview will not follow a rigid format. If only one interview is done with a subject, ask a variety of questions on different topics. You might check out our top 10 list as a handy reference, listed below. If a series of interviews is envisioned, it’s helpful to focus on themes in each interview.

If you are interested in preserving life stories , our online course contains an excellent segment on oral history. You can complete this fun and engaging self-paced course over a weekend, or spread it out through a month. (Course access remains open for a year). Click here to preview.

Categories of Questions

10 Universal questions for anyone
Childhood, school and hometown
Relationship questions
Family life as an adult
Work and profession
Spirituality, religion and values

Questions for Veterans

10 universal interview questions.

This is a great list for a stand-alone interview and is a handy grab-and-go cheat sheet. Some of the questions are repeated in other categories.

Where were you born?
Tell me about your childhood, what was the best part? Worst?
Who was the most influential person in your life?
What is your profession and why?
What was the happiest time of your life?
Tell about a time when you didn’t know if you would make it.
Who is the love of your life and how did you meet?
What is your passion (or a favorite hobby?)
What is your favorite memory of me?
What do you value most and why?

Get our free printable:

Quick interviewing resources

Before we continue with more questions, we want to make you aware of other resources we have compiled to help you.

Oral history mini course online : video tutorials and checklists will help you feel confident with audio, transcribing and especially listening. It takes less than 2 hours to complete but will save you so much time!
If you would like help getting started with interviewing, sign up to receive our free 7-day interviewing mini tutorial
You can click here to get a free printable of our favorite questions
Here is a landing page of our many interviewing resources
In our professional work, we give a pretty booklet of questions to people in advance. Click here to get the booklet on Amazon .
If you are writing a memoir or family history, hre is a landing page of writing tools
Finally, we do this work professionally and offer gift certificates to interview you or a loved one. Click here to see our oral history services .

Childhood, School and Hometown

What is your earliest memory?
Who are your parents? Where did they grow up?
How many siblings do you have and where do you fall in your family?
What were your chores?
What is your hometown, and what was it like when you were young?
Did you like school?
What did you do for fun?
How did you celebrate holidays?
How did you celebrate holidays? Did your family have some special holiday traditions?
What were your favorite meals?
What were some memorable trips or outings?
Can you think of any funny stories from your youth?
What is an object you still have from your childhood and what is the story behind it?
What is a moment from your life that you wish you had a photograph?

Related: The best affordable microphones we have tried

Family Life as an Adult

Are you or have you ever been married?
Do you have children?
What are traditions you established in your family?
What were your favorite trips or outings?
Where do you live now and why?
Who is your best friend?
What was the happiest time in your adult life so far? Why?
What was the hardest time? How did you get through it?
What were the most important values you wanted to teach your family?
How would you want your loved ones to remember you?

Related: Our favorite digital recorder – a review

Relationship Questions

Editor’s note: This category is not limited to marriage or intimate partner. These questions can also apply to a great friend or business partner.

How did you meet? (Note: This is such a simple question yet it is an effective ice breaker)
What are some of your early and best memories together?
Do you have a song, “our song?”
Did you ever break up?
Was there ever a time or times when you didn’t know if your relationship would make it?
When and how did you know it was meant to be?
What are the challenges in your relationship?
How do you work through disagreements or differences?
What are some of your best fun memories together?
Do any trips or vacations together especially stand out?
Can you think of a low point in your life when the other person was there for you?
How do you keep your relationship strong?
How are you alike, and how are you different?
What do you admire most about the other person?
What are the other person’s quirks or personality traits that you love?
How are you better together than without the other person?
Thinking of your relationship, what advice would you give a young person, such as your children?
Can you think of long-standing inside jokes, or phrases you tell each other?
What are some of the activities that you share, that maybe other people wouldn’t understand or that are unique to your relationship?
What are your dreams for the future together?
Would you say that this person is the love of your life?

Professional interviewer’s note: starting any interview by asking how two people met is a great way to break the ice!

Related: Become a master business storyteller with these 5 questions

Work and Profession

What was your first job?
What is your profession or job?
Do you like your job?
What did you want to be when you grew up?
How did you get into this line of work?
Have you belonged to any civic or professional organizations?
Have you ever been involved in politics or a political cause?
What are you proudest of in your career?
Who was your greatest mentor?
What is your passion and how did you get started with it?

Related article: How to inspire others with your canon of business stories

Spirituality, Religion and Values

Have you ever experienced a miracle or an answer to a prayer?
Do you believe in God?
Do you associate with a religion or spiritual practice?
If you attend religious services, where do you attend? Why do you choose worship with that particular congregation or community?
What was the most powerful spiritual experience of your life?
What are you proudest of in your life?
What do you regret?
If you could share with your family your most important values, what would you say?
What experiences in your life that taught you these values?

Related: Is yours a redemption story?

Did you enlist or were you drafted?
Why did you choose that branch of the service?
When and where did you serve?
What were your job duties?
If you saw combat, how did you feel when witnessing casualties and destruction? ( For help with sensitive subjects, click here. )
What kinds of friendships and camaraderie did you form while serving, and with whom?
How did you stay in touch with family and friends back home?
What did you do for recreation?
What did you learn from your time in the military?
What would you want to share with future generations your service , and your feelings about our country?

Related: Here is a comprehensive list of Questions for Veterans (published by the Library of Congress Veteran History Project)

Other resources for you

We do this work for a living and can use our experience to help you get it done! We conduct oral history interviews in person, which can make a great gift . We regularly teach classes in person and online for the DIY personalities and natural writers. We also write life stories and help others write theirs through our writing groups and educational emails. Do you have a question? Let us know! Click here to reach out.

Index of interviewing resources

You might want to check out our index page of interviewing resources .
Want great audio? Read our article with 12 steps for the best audio and how to save it.
Need to transcribe your interview? Click here for a detailed article on how to efficiently transcribe audio .

Free Interviewing Mini tutorial PDF

To motivate and help you do great interviews, we created a free 7-day interviewing mini course that’s printable and self-paced. Click on the link for a free download. We hope you find it helpful!

How to do oral history interviews course

By completing this short course, you will feel confident and prepared to conduct life story interviews. Receive thorough, yet easy-to-understand answers to questions such as: What is the power of voice to evoke memories and inspire others? Should you use a digital recorder, or app on your phone, or both? What are best practices for doing interviews by Zoom/Teams/Google Meet? Which microphones are worth the money? What are the most efficient methods for transcribing audio? Why is oral history the easiest, and most powerful way to capture a life story?

Click here to preview or enroll. I’m so happy to say our students have loved it! You can see their thoughts on our courses, printables, and services here .

We hope that these resources help you do engaging and meaningful interviews. We know this work is worth it, and you can do it. Do it now and it will be enough.

Best questions for biography

Home » Questions » Best questions for biography

Writing a biography is an incredible way to preserve someone’s life story and share their experiences with the world. Whether you are writing a biography for a loved one, a historical figure, or a notable personality, having a list of well-thought-out questions is essential to gather all the necessary information. These questions serve as a guide to help you dig deeper into the person’s life, understand their journey, and showcase their accomplishments. In this article, we have compiled a comprehensive list of questions for biography that will assist you in creating a compelling narrative.

Before diving into the list of questions, it is crucial to understand that every biography is unique, and the questions you ask will depend on the individual you are writing about. It is essential to tailor the questions to suit their background, achievements, and the purpose of the biography. However, the following list provides a solid foundation to explore various aspects of a person’s life, including their childhood, education, career, relationships, and significant events.

Remember, a biography should not only focus on the person’s achievements but also provide insights into their personality, motivations, and struggles. These questions will help you create a well-rounded biography that captures the essence of the individual and leaves a lasting impact on your readers.

See these questions for biography

What is your full name?
Where and when were you born?
Can you share some details about your childhood?
What was your family background like?
Who were your role models growing up?
What were your favorite hobbies or activities as a child?
Did you have any siblings? If so, how did they influence your life?
What is your educational background?
Who was your favorite teacher and why?
What were your academic interests and strengths?
Did you face any challenges or obstacles during your education?
Can you recall any memorable experiences from your school days?
How did your career journey begin?
What motivated you to pursue your chosen career path?
Did you face any setbacks or rejections while establishing your career?
What were some significant milestones or achievements in your professional life?
Who were your mentors or influencers in your career?
What were some valuable lessons you learned from your professional experiences?
How did you balance your personal and professional life?
What led you to become involved in your community or charitable work?
What are some of your most memorable moments in your career?
Who are the most important people in your life?
Can you share any stories about your relationships with family and friends?
What are your core values and beliefs?
What are some defining moments or turning points in your life?
How do you handle challenges or adversity?
What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
How do you define success?
What are your goals and aspirations for the future?
What advice would you give to others aspiring to follow a similar path?
Can you recall any funny or memorable anecdotes from your life?
What are some of your favorite books, movies, or music?
How do you unwind and relax?
What are some of your favorite travel destinations?
Have you ever faced any moments of self-doubt or imposter syndrome?
What is the most valuable lesson you have learned in life?
How do you want to be remembered?
What legacy do you hope to leave behind?
Is there anything else you would like to share about your life?

These questions for biography provide a starting point for your research and interview process. Remember to be respectful, empathetic, and open-minded while gathering information about someone’s life. A biography is an opportunity to honor and celebrate an individual’s journey, so approach it with care and curiosity. Good luck in creating a captivating biography that will inspire and educate readers for years to come!

Best loaded questions adults sample questions

38 Smart Questions to Ask in a Job Interview

And a few to avoid.

The opportunity to ask questions at the end of a job interview is one you don’t want to waste. It’s both a chance to continue to prove yourself and to find out whether a position is the right fit for you. In this piece, the author lists sample questions recommended by two career experts and divides them up by category: from how to learn more about your potential boss to how to learn more about a company’s culture. Choose the ones that are more relevant to you, your interests, and the specific job ahead of time. Then write them down — either on a piece of paper or on your phone — and glance at them right before your interview so that they’re fresh in your mind. And, of course, be mindful of the interviewer’s time. If you were scheduled to talk for an hour and they turn to you with five minutes left, choose two or three questions that are most important to you. You will always have more time to ask questions once you have the job offer in hand.

“So, do you have any questions for me?”

Amy Gallo is a contributing editor at Harvard Business Review, cohost of the Women at Work podcast , and the author of two books: Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People) and the HBR Guide to Dealing with Conflict . She writes and speaks about workplace dynamics. Watch her TEDx talk on conflict and follow her on LinkedIn . amyegallo

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10 Great Tips for a Life Story Interview

Capturing someone’s life story is a great and worthwhile endeavor. My grandmother was a very influential person in my life. Unfortunately, my son will never know her as I did. Fortunately, I have done life story work with her. Through her life story, one day my son can connect with her personality, her memories, and gain an understanding of the broader historical context in which she grew up.

Start Preserving Family History Today

For a simple, guided way to digitally record and store life histories for yourself or a loved one, check out Storii .

Storii offers a Life Story Gift Box, which makes a great gift for grandparents . Your loved one doesn't need WiFi or a smartphone - Storii works with landline phones too! They receive calls on selected days and times asking meaningful life story questions. Their answers are recorded, transcribed and stored on their secure Storii profile, where they can be downloaded as a book or an audiobook. Recordings can be shared with other family members who would enjoy hearing them too!

Don't miss the opportunity to have your loved one's personal history preserved. Check out how simple and easy Storii's Life Story Calls makes it to capture your friend or family member's memories and stories. Storii makes a great gift and enables people to build up a legacy over time to be cherished for many lifetimes.

Benefits of Life Story Interviews

Life stories are not just a gift to future generations. Life story interviews, or even casual reminiscing, have positive outcomes for both the person asking questions and the person being interviewed. Benefits of conducting life story interviews may include:

Builds self-confidence for both participants
Meaningful conversations combat feelings of isolation and loneliness
Helps elderly people resolve conflicts and fears as they reflect on their life
Preserves family stories and traditions
Promotes intergenerational connection and understanding

Tips for Carrying Out Life Story Interviews

If you are planning to record a loved one’s life story, it is a good idea to prepare ahead of time. Here is some helpful best practice advice when it comes to a life story interview.

Have a pre-interview meeting. Before you start your interview it’s a good idea to ask the person you’re interviewing what they hope to get out of this. What do they want people to know or remember about them? What is the legacy they want to leave behind? Do they want to go over their entire life or focus on a specific aspect or part? Is anything off-limits or are they an open book? This will set you up for success, help guide your interview questions and give you a little bit of structure, to begin with.
Record in multiple formats . Where possible, record the interview on audio and video. If something goes wrong with one file, you have the other as a backup. Additionally, it enables you to sit hands-free and give undivided attention to the person you’re interviewing. Finally, it gives you more material to work with and allows you to experiment with using multiple formats in finished life story you create. Please note, if using a video camera, set it up out of your interviewee’s line of vision. This way, the conversation will feel more natural and there won’t be an obvious distraction.
Start with easy questions. Naturally, there can be some nervousness at the beginning of an interview. Therefore, it’s best to ease in with some easy, non-intrusive questions and work your way to more difficult or personal ones.
Don’t do it all at once . It can be hard to answer questions on the spot. We may get asked a question that we churn over and over in our mind, only to come up with an answer or memory days later. If you can, consider taking breaks and doing this interview over a few days, weeks or months. Your loved one may recall memories in the time between your conversations that end up contributing rich reminiscence material to their life story.
Seek out memory stimulation . We all know that memories are generally ‘triggered’ by external factors like a hearing a song or seeing a photograph. To help your loved one jog memories and connect with their past, have conversations on walks, drive to places that were significant to your loved one, go through boxes of photos and keepsakes, etc.
Stick to asking open-ended questions (e.g. “Tell me about…”, “Describe what it was like…”, “How did you feel when…”, “Why do you think…”). As you listen to their answers be thinking of immediate follow-up questions that help you dive deeper into the story.
Practice active-listening techniques .
Don’t exclusively ask about life events. Reading or listening to a story that is simply recounting a chronological list of life experiences isn’t interesting or engaging. A life story should convey who that person was, not just what happened to them or what they did. When you’re interviewing, ask about their motivations, their fears, their values, beliefs, and personal ideologies.
Embrace the emotions that come . When reflecting on one’s life it is common for there to be moments of silence, tears of sadness, and topics too painful to speak about. Be sensitive and understanding. Never pressure someone to continue discussing something that is making them uncomfortable. Always show empathy by affirming their emotions and offering a gesture of support like holding their hand or offering a tissue.
Consider speaking with people who are close to your interviewee. If you have access to the spouse, siblings, friends, or children of the person you’re interviewing, consider speaking to them. You can ask them to tell you about their favorite memories with this person, what he or she has meant to them, what they were like, etc. Having these supplemental stories and perspectives can enhance the whole picture you create of who this person is and what he or she meant to those around them.

When you've finished your interviews, be sure to read our guide on How to Start Writing a Life Story. ‍

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351 Life Story Questions to Ask People (Storytelling)

Categories: Family Storytelling , Interviews & Questions
Tags: Questions to Ask

Ask people these 351 life story questions for storytelling.

What questions do you ask people when interviewing them about their life stories? What writing prompts do you use to write their story? In this article, I have included 351-plus writing prompts and questions to interview others and write their stories. They are a little random, but you get an idea of what you can discuss. I would encourage you to add questions that come to you.

Using Open-ended Questions

You will note that many of the questions are open-ended questions. I believe open-ended questions are the best type of questions to ask others. Open-ended questions allow people to tell stories they want to share. An example of open-ended questions are:

What did you like to do when you were a little girl?
What did you do on your first date?
Where do you like to go for a vacation?
Who is your favorite author, and why?
What some of your favorite experiences with your mom and dad?

When I interviewed my dad, I lived in a different state. I asked my dad if I could set up a series of telephone interviews that I could record. I chose to break up the interview into 10 60- to 90-minute sessions over six weeks. Each talk focused on a different time period or topic of his life. At the end of each interview, I outlined what I wanted to cover in the following interview to give my dad time to ponder what stories he wanted to share. During our interviews, he shared many personal stories that I had never heard. We laughed, cried, and shared many precious and tender moments.

I have prepared a couple of other resources that will provide value in interviewing for and writing individual, personal, and family narratives: “ Complete Guide for Conducting Oral History Interviews ” and “ Complete Guide to Writing A Personal Narrative .”

351 Life Story Questions to Ask Others

These 351 writing prompts and questions are part of a 28 article, 108 category series entitled “ 7,500-plus Questions About Life to Ask People When Writing Narratives .” I have divided the writing prompts and questions to ask others into the following categories. Click on the category to be taken to the questions.

Early Years

School years-elementary school, school years-jr. high school, school years-high school, school years-college/university/trade school, grandparents, spouses parents, professional/career, military and war, personal experiences, request for artifacts.

What is your full name, and why were you named that? (Maiden name for females)
Who are your parents and your grandparents? a. Your parents? Please give full names. b. Your grandparents? Please give full names.
What is your place of birth?
What are your birth date and year?
Were you named after someone?
Where did you live during your early years?
What are the earliest memories of your home?
Did you have any nicknames as you were growing up? a. If yes, what would you like to share about the nickname?
What chores did you have as a child? a. What memories do you have about your chores? b. Which chore did you dislike and why?
What kind of books did you like to read? a. Did you have a favorite book or books series? b. Why did you like the books?
What was your nighttime routine for going to bed? a. What memories would you like to share?
Did you have favorite songs that you liked to sing?
Why type of toys did you like to play with as a child?
What types of games did you like to play? a. Indoors? b. Outdoors? c. Boardgames?
What were your favorite foods as a child? Explain. a. Was there ever a time when you did not have enough to eat? Explain.
What did you want to become when you grew up? (e.g., policeman, fireman, nurse, doctor)
Who was the oldest person you remember as a child? a. What do you remember?
Did you ever have any childhood diseases (e.g., measles, mumps, chickenpox) growing up? What do you remember?

Return to questions list.

Where did you go to elementary school?
What was the school like?
Who were your friends in elementary school?
What are your favorite memories about your friends?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
Were you ever bullied in elementary school? Explain.
What memories do you have about elementary school?
How did you go to school?
Did you eat lunch at school or go home?
What did you like to play?
What did you like to do after school?
What other memories would you like to share?
Where did you go to school in Jr. High or Middle School?
Who were your friends in Jr. High school?
Were you ever bullied in Jr. High? Explain.
What memories do you have about Jr. High school?
What classes did you like most and why?
What type of classes did you take for your elective classes? (e.g., band, shop, home education)
Did you participate in after-school activities like sports, marching band, cheer or other activities? What are your memories?
Were there any dress fads during your school years?
What other memories about Jr. High would you like to share?
Were you ever given any special awards for your studies or school activities?
Describe yourself in High School.
Where did you go to school in High School?
Who were your friends in High school?
Were you ever bullied in high school? Explain.
What memories do you have of High School?
What classes did you like most and why? Least, and why?
What type of classes did you take for your elective classes?
What kind of grades did you get in your classes?
Did you participate in after-school activities like sports, marching band, cheer or other activities? What memories do you have?
Did you date during High School? What were their names? What memories would you like to share?
What did you wear to school? Describe it.
What other memories about High School would you like to share?
Did you and your friends have special hang-outs where you liked to spend time?
How many years of education have you completed?
Did you attend any school or training after high school?
What can you tell me about your education?
Why did you choose it as your field of study?
Did you graduate? What memories would you like to share?
Describe yourself as a young adult.
Did you date as a youth? a. How older were you had your first date? b. What do you remember about your first date? c. Who was your first date?
When did you first meet your spouse? a. Where was it? b. What do you remember about the first meeting? c. Describe your time dating? d. What attracted you to that person? e. Describe your time together. a. Describe them. f. How long did you know them before you got married? g. Describe your wedding proposal.
Where and when did you get married? (Include date, place, church, etc.)
Describe your wedding day and ceremony.
Who was there? Best Man, Bride’s Maid, other wedding party members?
Did you have a honeymoon? a. Where did you go?
How would you describe your spouse(s)?
What do (did) you admire most about them?
How long have (were) you married?
When and where did your spouse die? a. How died? b. Where buried?
What advice would you give to your child or grandchild on their wedding day?
Have you ever been divorced? What can you share?
Do you have children?
What are their names, birth dates and birthplaces?
What is the story behind each name you gave your children?
Did you adopt any children? a. Can your share your experiences of adoption?
Describe the memory about learning you were going to be a parent for the first time?
What memories do you have about each child?
Describe the personalities of your children.
What are some of the most memorable experiences you had with your children/family?
What memorable experiences did you have with each child?
What is some funny, humorous experience you had with your family?
What were some trying times as a family? Explain? a. What did you do to overcome the time? b. How did it affect your family?
What did you find most challenging about raising children?
What do you consider to be rewarding about being a parent?
How would you describe your parenting style as a parent?
What are the lessons you learned as a parent?
What were your happiest moments as a parent?
Where were your saddest moments as a parent?
What would you like to do over if you could as a parent?
How did you treat each child?
What do you consider to be the most complex decisions you made as a parent?
What do you regret most as a parent?
Who influenced you most as a parent?
What were your happiest moments as a family?
What were your tragic moments as a family?
Did you move as a family? Why and where? a. How did the move affect your family?
How did you first hear that you were a grandparent, and how did you feel about it?
What advice would you pass on to your children/grandchildren?
What can you tell me about your parents? a. What memories would you like to share about your mother? b. What memories would you like to share about your father? c. What memories would you like to share about your parents together?
Did your parents stay together, divorce or pass away? If yes, did they remember? a. What memories would you like to share? b. Did you have any stepparents? c. What memories would you like to share?
Do you remember hearing your parents describe their lives? a. What did they say?
When and where did your parents die? a. What do you remember about it? b. How they died, were hospitalized, buried?
Did your family belong to a religion? If yes, a. Did your parents and grandparents belong to the religion? b. Did you attend a church? c. What do you remember? d. Do you have any experiences you would like to share?
What can you remember about your grandparents? a. What memories would you like to share about each of your grandmothers? b. What memories would you like to share about each of your grandfathers? c. What memories do you have about your grandparents together?
Do you remember hearing your grandparents describe their lives? b. What did they say?
Do you remember your great-grandparents? a. What do you know about them?
Did you have any brothers and sisters? What were their names? a. What memories do you have about your brothers and sisters that you would like to share?
How did your family have fun when you were a child?
Where did your spouse’s parents live? a. What memories do you have about your spouse’s parents?
When and where did your spouse’s parents die? c. What do you remember about it? d. How did they die, were hospitalized, buried?
What details can you remember about the death of your spouse’s parents?
What was your chosen career?
Where did you receive training/education for your career?
How did you decide on a career?
What do you remember about your first job?
Where have you worked? City? Company? a. What were the jobs? b. What do you remember about each job? c. Has work provided a good living? d. Describe a typical day at work? e. What did you like most/least about work?
Did you have more than a career? Explain.
What are some of your most memorable experiences/projects? • Have you retired? When would you like to retire?
Did you serve in the military? a. What branch of the service did you serve? b. Why did you decide to join the military? c. When and where did you serve? d. Where were you trained? e. What was your training?
Where were you stationed during active military duty? a. Describe each post and what you did? b. What are your memories of active duty? c. Do you remember your units? If yes, what were they?
What was your highest rank?
Did you ever serve in the war? Which one (s)? a. WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan, or other? a. What were the circumstances? b. Were you in a combat or support role? c. What campaigns were you in? What was your role in the campaign?
Would you be willing to share your experiences and memories of war? a. If yes, where would you like to begin? b. Were you injured in war? Explain.
How did your time in the military affect you? Explain.
By what name/nickname do your friends call you? Does the name have a special meaning?
What name are you known by among family?
As you look back on your life, what would you consider to be the most important ____? Why? Explain your memories. a. Inventions? News events? World events? Politics? Technology advances?
Talk about the differences in today’s life compared to the time as a child?
Did you or your family experience events like prohibition, the depression, war? Explain. What do you remember?
Have you had any health problems over the years? a. What were the health issues? b. When did the health issue arise? c. How did they affect your life? d. Where they heredity? e. What are they?
What do you do regularly for exercise?
Have you ever been hospitalized? If so, what for? a. Have you ever had surgery? b. What for? c. Do you or have you ever had habits that you would consider wrong? Explain? d. Do you still have them, or did you overcome them? Explain.
Have you been a victim of crime? a. What happened? b. How did the incident affect your life?
Have you ever been in a severe accident?
Has anyone ever saved your life? a. Describe.
How would you describe yourself politically? b. Are you Conservative or Liberal, and why?
Who would you consider to be your good/best friend (s)? a. What are their names? b. How long have you known them? c. What do you like about them? d. What do you do together? a. What would your friend say about you?
Have you ever met anyone that you would consider being a soul mate or kindred spirit? a. Who were they? b. Explain why you felt a special bond with them?
What were the most (i.e., challenging, meaningful, troubling) decision(s) you have made in your life? Explain. a. What was the outcome? b. Do you consider the outcome to good or bad? Why?
Who do you consider the most influential individuals in your life? a. Who were they? b. What did they do that influenced your life?
What do you consider to be the essential advice you have received in life? a. Did you take that advice? b. What was the outcome? Explain.
Is there anything you would change about yourself? Why? Explain.
Describe moments/memories in your life when you were most stressed?
What do you consider to be the tough times in your life? Why? Explain. a. What helped you get through the period? b. How did the experience affect you for good or bad?
Describe times when you were scared? What happened?
Have you ever played a musical instrument? a. If yes, what kind? Describe your experience.
Are you or would you consider yourself to be creative? Explain.
Have you ever made something for someone else? Explain?
What types of service have you provided others? a. How does it make you feel? b. What were the outcomes of your service?
What are moments in life when others served you? a. What was the most memorable time? b. What were the outcomes of the service?
How would you describe your sense of humor?
Have you ever played a practical joke on someone? a. Describe that experience and what you did.
What type of activities have you enjoyed as an adult? a. Recreation? Hobbies? Personal enrichment? Relaxation? b. What did you like about each activity? c. A most memorable experience with each activity?
When you were not working, what did you like to do?
What would you consider to be the most exciting/wonderful experience in your life?
Did you ever meet anyone famous? Who? a. Describe the experience.
Have you ever belonged to any organizations or groups? a. What the group about? b. What drew you to join the group? c. What are your memorable experiences in the group? d. Are you still a member? If not, explain.
Have you ever been awarded a price or award as an adult? Explain. a. What did you have to do to earn the award?
Describe a time in your life when you felt most happy or at peace? a. Where were you, and what were you doing?
Describe the beautiful place you have ever visited, and what was it like?
Have you ever taken an extended trip or vacation? a. Where did you go? b. What did you do?
What do you consider to be your favorite vacation? a. Where did you go, and why was it special?
Do you have a place that is special to you where you like to visit? a. Where is it? b. Why is the place special? c. Can you share your memories?
Have you ever had a pet? a. What was the animal? b. What was the name of the animal? c. How did the pet become part of your life? d. Do you have a favorite story about your pet?
What is on your bucket list of things still to do? Why?
Is there a time in your life that you would consider to be most memorable?
What or who is your favorite and why: a. Animal? Artist? Athlete? b. Author? Boardgame? Book? c. Candy? Card game? Color? d. Cookie? Desert? Drink? e. Ice cream flavor? Flower? Fruit? f. Holiday? Meal? Movie star? g. Movie? Musical group? Musical instrument? h. Painting? Poem? Poet? i. Restaurant? Season? Singer? j. Song? Sport? Style of music? k. Tree? TV program? Vegetable?
How would you describe each member of your family? a. Mother? b. Father, c. Siblings (brothers/sisters)? d. Children?
Who fits the following descriptions and why? a. Animal lover? Best cook? Best gardener? Best housekeeper? b. Best looking? Best memory? Best storyteller? Biggest tease? c. Calmest? Funniest? Hardest worker? Most athletic? d. Most colorful? Most creative? Most frugal? Most generous? e. Most mischievous? Most politically active? Most reclusive? f. Most relaxed? Most sociable? Quietest? Shortest? g. Tallest? Wildest lifestyle?
Do you have any artifacts like letters, journals, photos, movies, videos or audio recordings of older family members that can help tell your story?
Would you allow me to make copies (e.g., Photograph, scan, read)?

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We love writing stories. The mission of Begin My Story is to help and inspire you to write the stories that matter to you. Every life is a story worth remembering. We believe the stories you write will make a difference and have the power to connect, inspire, challenge, and help us not forget.

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20 Interview Questions that Guarantee a Compelling Story

Award-winning writer Kathy Widenhouse has helped hundreds of nonprofits and writers produce successful content and has gained 600K+ views for her writing tutorials. She is the author of 9 books. See more of Kathy’s content here.

Good interview questions are not a mining expedition, but rather a conversation with a caring friend. People like telling their story, especially if you show empathy with them. When you ask and then listen, you build trust.

It’s the person behind the facts that makes a compelling story.

These kinds of real-life stories are a powerful tool.

Try these interview questions to help the storyteller reveal the heart and soul behind the tale.

Questions to get started

1. Describe where you were when [event].

2. What circumstances led you to [event]?

3. What did you do when [event]?

Questions about people involved

4. Who else was involved?

5. In what ways did those involved help you/ create challenges for you?

6. How did your friends and family react?

7. Describe why [relationship] was so meaningful to you during [event].

Questions that go deeper

8. What did you do next?

9. How did you decide to [action]?

10. Tell me the biggest reason you [action].

11. How did that work for you?

Questions that pull out a life lesson

12. What was the most significant moment during [event]?

13. At what point did you realize [situation]?

14. In what way (ways) are you a different person today because of [event]?

15. How has this experience impacted the decisions you make today?

16. Name the top two or three lessons you learned from your experience.

17. What would you say to others who find themselves in a situation similar to yours?

Questions that tie story to your organization

18. How did you find out about [organization]?

19. Why are you willing to share about your experience?

20. How does your experience reveal what [organization] is all about?

More Tips for Story Writing

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Why Telling Stories Sticks, Especially for Readers: It’s Science!

12 Places to Look for Story Writing Ideas ...

7 Basic Story Plots for Powerful Content Writing ...

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Using anecdotes in your promotions: get a collection system in place ...

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More tips on our Writing Stories Pinterest board ...

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Barbara Walters forged a path for women in journalism, but not without paying a price

Tonya Mosley

The Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters, by Susan Page

In 1976, Barbara Walters became the first woman to co-anchor a national news show on prime time television. She was only in that role for two years, but her arrival changed news media.

"She's such a consequential figure for journalists, not just for women journalists," biographer Susan Page says. "The path she cut is one that many of us have followed."

Page is the Washington bureau chief at USA Today and the author of The Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters. Though they never met, Page says speaking to hundreds of Walters' friends and colleagues and watching hours of her interview tapes gave her a sense of her subject.

Page describes Walters as a fearless journalist who didn't shy away from controversy or tough questions. She battled sexism throughout her career — especially from her first co-anchor, Harry Reasoner, who, Page says, scowled at Walters' presence and tracked how many words she spoke on-air compared to him.

Trailblazing journalist Barbara Walters has died at 93

After leaving the nightly news post, Walters became known for her long-form interviews. Her conversations, which blended news and entertainment, featured a wide range of subjects, including Fidel Castro, Vladimir Putin, Richard Nixon, Monica Lewinsky, Michael Jackson and Charles Manson. In 1997, she created The View , a daily talk show with an all-women cast of co-hosts.

"One thing that I thought was interesting about Barbara Walters is that she thought all sorts of people were interesting and worth talking to," Page says. "She really expanded the world of interviews that [national] journalists were doing to include not just presidents, but also notorious murderers."

For Page, Walters' success feels personal: "It never occurred to me when I was looking at a career in journalism that I couldn't do big interviews with important people because Barbara Walters did. ... Even though I've been in print journalism, not TV journalism, I benefited from the battles that Barbara Walters fought."

Interview highlights

On her family life that drove her to work hard

Understanding the source of her drive was hard to understand and I think crucial. And I decided after doing all this reporting about her that, that there was a moment that ignited the drive in Barbara Walters, and that was when her mother called her and told her that her father had attempted suicide. Her mother didn't call an ambulance. ... [Barbara] called the ambulance. [Barbara] rode in the ambulance with her father to the hospital. And she realized almost in an instant that while she was going through her first divorce, she didn't really have a career that as of that moment, she was going to be responsible for supporting her father, who had just tried to commit suicide, her mother, who was perpetually unhappy, and her special needs sister. And that that was going to require her to get serious, to make some money and to sustain that. She always had the sense that it could all disappear in an instant.

On news co-host Harry Reasoner's hostility about working with Walters

He was so openly contemptuous of her on the air that the director stopped doing two shots. That is a shot where you could see Harry Reasoner watching Barbara Walters speak because he was always scowling. It was so bad that they got many letters from mostly women viewers complaining about how she was being treated. ... It was really an untenable situation and one that took a while to unravel, and it was one that unnerved Barbara Walters. It was the one time in her career when she thought perhaps she had made an error so great that she would not recover. She said that she felt not only like she was drowning, but that there were people trying to hold her head under the water.

On a turning point in her career, when she interviewed Fidel Castro

So this was in 1977. She was still officially the anchor [of ABC Evening News ], but things were not going well. And she landed this interview with Fidel Castro, who had been interviewed only infrequently by Western journalists. And ... she got in a boat and crossed the Bay of Pigs with him. He drove his jeep across the mountains with her sitting next to him, holding aloft his gun to keep water from splashing on. It was a great interview. A very tough interview. She asked him about freedom of the press, which didn't exist in Cuba. She pressed him on whether he was married. This was a question that he had refused to answer. ... So he finally gave up and answered it and said formally, no. So it was a great interview and it was a comeback interview for her. It both showed what she could do in an interview, and it made her feel more confident again.

On her interview with Richard Nixon when she asked him if he wished he burned the Watergate tapes

That was in a particularly difficult interview, because the only way the Nixon people agreed that she could do it was to do it live. There was no cutting out some extraneous matter to get that last question in, she had to be incredibly alert about controlling the interview so that she would have time to ask that question. And the other thing that we should know about that question is she always wanted to ask the question that everybody wanted to hear, even the toughest question possible, like would you have burned the tapes? She wanted to ask the one that people wanted to hear the answer to. That was one of [her] great gifts. And she figured out that by preparing for hours and hours and writing down proposed questions on small 3x5 cards and shuffling them and revising them, and finally having them typed on 5x7 cards to ask. She would let an interview go where it went. She didn't always follow the cards, but she always had a plan in mind for how she wanted to get the interview started. What she wanted to do in the middle and the thing that she wanted to do at the close to give it a real kick.

On her friendship with Donald Trump

They were transactional friends. She went to his wedding. He went to the celebration of her third marriage. He was often a guest on The View when The View started in 1997. He was then a real estate developer in New York. And if they were short a guest, they could call up Donald Trump and he would come over and be on the show or even do a cameo skit. ... And, in fact, one ABC executive told me, when Donald Trump got involved in politics, that there was a feeling, some discomfort, that she had given him a platform and a legitimacy that maybe he wouldn't have had otherwise.

On her preparation for her infamous Monica Lewinksy interview

Barbara Walters was working on asking the questions, but at the same time, Monica Lewinsky was working with her team on how to answer the questions. The question that gave the Monica Lewinsky team the most trouble was that question, "Do you still love him?" Because at the beginning of their practice sessions, she said yes. And then she said she couldn't say no because she did love him. And she loved him some of the time. And, they warned that that was not an effective answer to have. So you hear her, in this interview giving the answer they had worked out, which was no. But then in her follow up, she does acknowledge that sometimes she does still have warm feelings for him. On the Barbara Walters side, they worked a long time on what the closing question would be, because that's a powerful position in an interview like this, that last question. And they settled on, "What will you tell your children?"

On Gilda Radner's impression of her as "Baba Wawa," mocking the way she spoke

She was wounded when she heard this. For one thing, even though there was this exaggerated lisp that Gilda Radner used, nobody had any doubt who she was parodying. And, Barbara Walters had this speech anomaly. She called it a bastard Boston accent. Other people called it a lisp. Whatever it was she had tried, she'd gone to voice coaches early in her career to try to fix it, and it failed. So her feelings were hurt when the skit was done on Saturday Night Live . Now, it also made her famous. She came to terms with it, but I think she always found it kind of hurtful. ... When Gilda Radner died ... Barbara Walters wrote a sympathy note to her widower, Gene Wilder, expressing sympathy on her death, and signed it, "Baba Wawa."

On her reluctant retirement

She worked into her 80s. ... When she was in her 70s, she was working at a time when most women had been involuntarily retired. So she worked as long as they would keep her on the air. But as she started to sometimes miss a step, there was concern that she would embarrass herself or undermine some of the professional work she had done. ... The people at ABC convinced her it was time to retire. And then CNN came in with a secret offer to put her on the air at CNN, which she was considering when her friends came back and said, no, it's time. ... There was a grand finale on The View , where two dozen women prominent in journalism came and paid tribute to her. And on her last, big show on The View. And when she was backstage afterwards, one of them came up and said ... "What do you want to do in your retirement?" And Barbara said, "I want more time." Meaning I want more time on the air.

On if she was happy

I asked 100 people who knew her that question: Was she happy? And a few people said yes. Joy Behar of The View said "happy-ish," which is not a bad answer, but most people said while she was proud of what she had done and that she loved the money and the prominence that she had won, that she paid this huge price on the personal side — she had three failed marriages. She was estranged for a time from her only daughter. She never lost that feeling that she was always competing and could never stop and be content. So she had the most successful possible professional life, but I think she had kind of a sad, personal one.

Thea Chaloner and Joel Wolfram produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper and Beth Novey adapted it for the web.

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Biden Revisits His Past in Interview With Howard Stern

The appearance allowed President Biden to tell the stories of love and loss that have defined his public image.

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President Biden walks up a staircase to Air Force One.

By Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Katie Rogers

Sitting with Howard Stern, the nation’s best-known shock jock, President Biden on Friday replayed the deepest lows of his life story and the highs of a decades-long political career in an appearance designed to reintroduce him to an audience of millions.

In a surprise interview on “The Howard Stern Show” that lasted for more than an hour, Mr. Stern, a skilled interviewer versed in the art of oversharing, repeatedly asked Mr. Biden to revisit the stories of love and loss that have defined his public image.

So Mr. Biden spoke at length about grieving the death of his first wife, Neilia, and 13-month-old daughter, Naomi, who were killed in a car crash in 1972. He talked about meeting his second wife, Jill Biden, on a blind date, and said, as he often has, that his deceased son, Beau Biden, should be the Biden sitting in the Oval Office.

At one point, Mr. Biden — who also told Mr. Stern that he had fallen “ass over tin cup” in love with his first wife — that he had contemplated suicide after Neilia and Naomi were killed.

“I thought, let me just go to the Delaware Memorial and jump,” he said. The president then strongly encouraged those with mental health issues to seek therapy.

The appearance allowed Mr. Biden to return to some raw and emotionally vulnerable stories and highlight his capacity for compassion — in other words, he revisited for Mr. Stern’s massive audience on SiriusXM everything that had made him a compelling candidate for president in 2020. Mr. Stern’s listeners are mostly white, mostly male and mostly comfortably middle class, according to figures shared by the Howard Stern Radio Network, an advertising agency not affiliated with SiriusXM.

At another point, Mr. Biden appeared to once again stretch the truth about being arrested at a Delaware desegregation protest as a teenager. There is no evidence that he was ever arrested at a civil-rights protest.

For this, Mr. Stern, 70, lent Mr. Biden the audience he has cultivated over decades as a drive-time shock jock and lately a more ruminative interviewer on satellite radio. SiriusXM has about 34 million subscribers, many of whom tune in for Mr. Stern’s mix of empathy and vulgarity.

By hosting Mr. Biden, Mr. Stern was also slighting his old and estranged friend, former President Donald J. Trump. Mr. Trump was a frequent guest on Mr. Stern’s show in the 1990s and 2000s. During the 2016 campaign, Mr. Trump invited Mr. Stern to be a speaker at the Republican National Convention.

But Mr. Stern, whose politics have become much more left-leaning over the years, declined the offer. Now he routinely ridicules the former president on his show and criticizes his decisions, such as appointing the Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. Mr. Trump has responded by calling his former friend “a broken weirdo.”

Mr. Stern broke little new ground with Mr. Biden, except for the president saying at one point that he would debate Mr. Trump .

Otherwise, Mr. Biden spent much of the time rehashing material from his memoirs, revisiting Mr. Trump’s actions surrounding the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, and criticizing the former president for his behavior toward military veterans.

“Here’s what bothers me most,” Mr. Biden said. “We have a fundamentally different value set.”

Mr. Biden said his predecessor had refused to visit American soldiers from World War I buried in France, during a trip there in 2018, because the fallen were “losers.” (Mr. Trump has denied saying this, though several officials in the Trump White House later said that he had.) Mr. Biden also cited Mr. Trump’s history of disparaging Senator John McCain of Arizona, who was captured and held for years during the Vietnam War. Mr. McCain died of brain cancer in 2018.

“I just I’m glad I wasn’t there because, I think I would have — my son’s one of those graves,” Mr. Biden said. “The graves back here, and not there.” Beau Biden, Mr. Biden’s son, died in 2015 of brain cancer.

When the conversation turned glancingly to policy, Mr. Stern focused on work the Biden administration has done to finalize a policy requiring airlines to automatically issue cash refunds for problems like delayed flights.

The appearance allowed Mr. Biden to strike a contrast with Mr. Trump, who went on Mr. Stern’s show many times before he was elected.

In 2004, Mr. Trump told Mr. Stern that he could refer to his daughter Ivanka with a lurid term. In 2010, he and Mr. Stern talked at length about the sexuality of the golfer Tiger Woods — definitely “not gay,” Mr. Trump said — before discussing the attractiveness of Mr. Woods’s wife at the time. In 1997, Mr. Trump appeared on the show and talked about losing his virginity at “about age 14.” Mr. Stern told The Hollywood Reporter in 2019 that he’d tried to dissuade Mr. Trump from running for the presidency, and their relationship soured during the 2016 campaign.

“It was a difficult thing because there’s a part of me that really likes Donald, but I just don’t agree politically,” Mr. Stern said. “A more self-serving person would have gone all in on Donald because I’d probably be the F.C.C. commissioner or a Supreme Court justice by now.”

At the end of Friday’s sit-down, Mr. Stern praised Mr. Biden, listing off the president’s policy wins and praising his ability to overcome tragedy.

“I know you’d be a good father to the country, and I want to thank you for providing a calming, influential and organized administration,” Mr. Stern told Mr. Biden.

Jeremy W. Peters , Reid J. Epstein and Benjamin Mullin contributed reporting.

An earlier version of this article misstated which war certain American soldiers who are buried in France had fought in. It was World War I, not World War II.

How we handle corrections

Zolan Kanno-Youngs is a White House correspondent, covering President Biden and his administration. More about Zolan Kanno-Youngs

Katie Rogers is a White House correspondent. For much of the past decade, she has focused on features about the presidency, the first family, and life in Washington, in addition to covering a range of domestic and foreign policy issues. She is the author of a book on first ladies. More about Katie Rogers

Our Coverage of the 2024 Election

Presidential Race

No major American presidential candidate has talked like Donald Trump now does at his rallies — not Richard Nixon, not George Wallace, not even Trump before.

President Biden joked about Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. Biden’s comments came as he has ramped up his attacks on Trump .

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s independent campaign has deployed a multipart strategy to get him on the ballot in all 50 states: aggressive legal action, shrewd political alliances and surprise filing tactics meant to slow or prevent challenges.

A Match Made in MAGA: Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio and Donald Trump Jr. have bonded politically and personally . It’s a relationship that could factor into the former president’s search for a running mate.

A 2024 Political Hothouse : In Arizona, a battle over abortion bans and criminal charges against allies of Trump continue to raise the state’s election-year profile .

Andy Kim’s Rise: The New Jersey congressman has become the odds-on favorite to win Robert Menendez’s Senate seat. His strategy? Don’t ask anyone for permission .

Inspiring a Senate Bid: Sam Brown, a veteran and former Army captain, was left permanently scarred from a Taliban bomb in 2008. Can his military service drive a successful campaign in Nevada ?

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