Andy Schmookler: What the generations do with what they inherit

Andy Schmookler: What the generations do with what they inherit

Most of the time, when I think about the history of cultural systems, what strikes me is what I call “the persistence of culture” — meaning how much it continues to be what it was, even though the humans carrying…

Clearing an Inherited Home: What to Do With the Belongings of a Loved One

After my grandmother passed away, I inherited her home in Prescott, Arizona. A beautiful, old house, full of memories and… stuff. Every room had closets, dressers, and boxes stacked to the ceiling. I stood in the living room and felt like I had stepped into a museum of her life. There were letters, dishes, books, clothes – all covered with a layer of time, each telling a story no one else could tell. At first, I thought I could handle it on my o…