Genetic interests?

As noted in the post before this, I love History Detectives and watching the latest season has inspired me to transcribe a tape I made of my uncle this past April. It was a 45 minute interview, I’m on page 18, and I think I’m about halfway through the tape, finally. It’s taking a lot longer than I thought. But rewinding and rewinding and having time to review what I wrote and what was discussed so far is having its benefits.

My uncle has been asked primarily about my father’s family, with a great emphasis on my grandfather. Grandpa died when I was nine. I think I remember seeing him about three or four times tops at my aunt’s house in Berwyn, where he resided after he sold the family home in Chicago around 1965 or so, after my grandmother had died. Grandpa, like my dad, ruled my aunt’s basement. I remember seeing him down there in his recliner with his books, just like my father liked staying in his recliner in our basement with his books. I just didn’t get to know my grandfather. I asked my dad if he ever came over to our house, and after some thought, he realized his father had only come to our house once and was complaining about some dog barking constantly (which, of course, was one of my dad’s “pet” peeves) – I have no idea which dog that would have been. But my dad said after that, he never came back.

So my uncle is providing a little more background for me. I tried to get some of the more mundane details of when my dad, aunt, and uncle grew up. What did they all do at home? What did they listen to on the radio? As I’m going through the tape, I’m really being struck about how curious and smart was grandfather was (as was my uncle). Since I started getting introduced to history and social studies in the third grade, I’ve always been interested in these topics. That has never left me. According to my uncle, my grandfather read a lot of US history and military history and world history books. He knew a lot about history and was always reading. My father read a lot of history books and military history books. I haven’t gotten to the portion of tape about my grandfather’s father, but I think he was reading a lot history books, too. He was also curious.

I don’t think it’s ever been proven that there are intellect genes, but the similarities here between four generations are striking. Not that my other family branches don’t have some brains, but my paternal side consistently is interested in history and politics and current affairs (my grandfather listened to a debate show every week on the radio and made the whole family listen.) Even the political leanings have been consistent through the generations.

To me, it has to be more than a coincidence. In a weird way, it’s oddly comforting to know that my interests, which a lot of other people don’t share, were the interests of my ancestors, and that intellect, curiosity, and interest in history have remained alive through the generations of our family, even though most of them are gone. My uncle’s son also has these traits. So thanks for the genes, pop, grandpa, and great grandpa (and I suspect great great grandpa, too)!