One way or another, anyone can relate to stories about family. We've all got one. But when and how do we choose to record those stories for the collective public ear? These issues are raised in this well-crafted hour from Transom.

The opening coversation with David Isay about his Storycorp project sets the scene. But something intrigued me which was not followed up. Isay says that though he has recorded his own parents, he has not made pieces about his own family for broadcast. I wondered, Why? Especially since he provides a brief bit of information which certainly has story potential.

And as I listened to the two intimate portraits which followed - both dealing with an interview with a parent - I came to realize they revealed more about the child/producer than the parent/subject. Compare the somewhat formal questions posed in the two Storycorps excerpts at the beginning, with the carefully scripted narration of the two longer explorations. And then the hesitant quality of both interviewer and interviewee on tape - so much more honest and touching.

This program gave me a lot to think about - but then, I've often thought of recording my own family (never gotten further than ten minutes with Mom in the raspberry patch which I found most unsettling.) I'm sure the average radio listener would hear this work in a very different light. But it would provide them no less to think about - since when we're thinking about family, we're thinking about ourselves.

A minor critique - with the premise set out at the start, it might've been stronger to provide more examples instead of just two long complete stories (excellent as they are.) Or maybe that's just what I wanted to hear. Hmmm... still thinking about myself!