Editor’s Introduction

My good Presbyterian mother whose devoutness—as least in consideration of mine—should not be doubted, occasionally called upon the 3^rd Chapter of Ecclesiastes, King James Version, in an attempt to rein in her frustrated, and often frustrating, daughter. The cause might be the pursuit of “adult” endeavors, the loss of a beloved pet, or fractured friendship; regardless she would offer up one or more of the following verses (1–7).

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.

While avoiding the maudlin or turning your thoughts to Presbyterianism, this particular set of verses seems an appropriate way to introduce this: my final issue as editor of The Oral History Review. My first issue came to fruition in Summer/Fall 2006 and now, twelve issues and six years later it is time to say good-bye. Before doing so, however, a bit of an introduction to the works in this issue is merited.

Each of the three main articles of 38.2 approaches the question of “truth,” albeit in varying forms. Erin Jessee, “The Limits of Oral History: Ethics and Methodology amid Highly Politicized Research Settings,” pursues questions of validity in interviewing and the results to be gained from narrators with despicable, perhaps unspeakable, roles in genocide. With reference to field work conducted in Bosnia and Rwanda, she questions to what extent “shared authority” can or should be a factor in such interviews.

Mai Lan Gustafsson, ‘“Freedom. Money. Fun. Love.’: The Warlore of Vietnamese Bargirls,” puts forth a new view of Vietnam and its citizens from the 1960s and 1970s. Rather than the general view that residents of Vietnam hated Americans and what the war had done to their country, she posits that her interviews with former bargirls provide a different “truth” regarding the impact of the war, at least in terms of one vibrant aspect of the population.

Lastly, Teresa Iacobelli, ‘“A Participant’s History?’: The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and the Manipulation of Oral History,” examines the question of what occurs when an interviewing endeavor commences with defined expectations of what is anticipated from its narrators and ultimately how the final product fails in the skewing.

A commissioned review from Ron Grele on Lynn Abrams’ Oral History Theory not only examines her provocative new text, but also gives us a broader perspective on issues within the field of oral history, suggesting pathways yet not taken or at least not clearly marked.

Rounding out this final issue is the usual complement of book reviews, 42 in all. This marks the largest number of reviews ever published in a single volume and illustrates as well the vibrant nature of our intellectual community. I would also hazard to guess that it marks an increasing interest and respect for our endeavors by publishers and readers. John Wolford, book review editor, has done a splendid job, again. Also providing food for thought is media review editor Jennifer Abraham Cramer.

I would be seriously remiss in this introduction to 38.2 and conclusion to my tenure as editor if I failed to note several individuals who have made this experience not only easier, but a great deal more enjoyable. Firstly, Mary Stromme, editorial assistant extraordinaire. Without her dedicated attention to detail, I can assure you would see more grammatical errors, more typographical errors, more delays in publication and more frustrations in dealing with “the...