I'll gladly give up my night in the Lincoln bedroom to whomever can translate Ida Tarbell's handwriting for me. This is a mess!

Best
Rob

OMG - and I'm usually good at deciphering handwriting.

Rob, I do not know if this will help, but there are some tips here.

Thanks, Roger. I've blown it up about as big as I can get it and still make it legible, but it's not helping much. I did read in another letter (typed) that she had a weak hand which probably would account for some of the problem.

Best
Rob

The writings have not been previously transcribed by someone? Wow, its nerve wrecking to even get through a few sentences.

Bill,

Most of Tarbell's correspondence is typed, but there are some things, especially notes, that are in her handwriting. So far, what I posted is the most egregious example.

Best
Rob

I recently sent an e-mail to a woman named Kathleen Brady, who has written one of the few overall biographies of Tarbell called Ida M. Tarbell Portrait of a Muckraker. I asked her some questions on some of the sources she used. She kindly sent me a message back offering her help in whatever way she could regarding my book.

One of the things I asked her was how she deciphered Tarbell's handwriting. She noted that in Tarbell's younger days, it was much better, but added "if you just stare at it long enough, it speaks to you...or you have to give up. Ida does not disclose all her secrets."

I like that.

Best
Rob

(09-11-2012, 09:43 AM)Rob Wick Wrote: I recently sent an e-mail to a woman named Kathleen Brady, who has written one of the few overall biographies of Tarbell called Ida M. Tarbell Portrait of a Muckraker. I asked her some questions on some of the sources she used. She kindly sent me a message back offering her help in whatever way she could regarding my book.

One of the things I asked her was how she deciphered Tarbell's handwriting. She noted that in Tarbell's younger days, it was much better, but added "if you just stare at it long enough, it speaks to you...or you have to give up. Ida does not disclose all her secrets."

I like that.

Best
Rob

Rob, you have my sympathy! I know it's a lot of work to decipher handwritings and it takes so much time. I'm specialized in 18th century history and so I have to deal with handwritings which are written in "Kurrent/ Sütterlin", an outdated German writing style, forbidden in 1941 and replaced by todays Latin version. It's quite frustrating sitting in front of a letter and I know it's written in German but I cannot read anyway. But I can support Mrs. Bradys advice: stare at it long enough...somehow it often works. Good luck, Rob!

Claudine, I can't imagine how hard it must be to try to decipher something in another language (or a version of a language you weren't taught). I've still not come close to figuring out the example I posted, so that may just be one of Ida's secrets.

Best
Rob