01
The usual approach
A fixed list of prompts.
Harkin · The conversation
Conversations that follow what matters.
Eleanor listens for the details that emerge naturally, remembers what has been shared, and follows each story wherever it leads.
There is always more to know.
Discover the people
you love.
The people we know best have lived entire lives we've only heard pieces of. It's not that we don't want to know their stories — we just don't always know what to ask.
With Harkin, someone you love sits down with Eleanor, our intelligent voice interviewer designed to uncover the stories of a life. Over time, Eleanor listens, remembers, and follows their stories wherever they lead. Harkin transforms those conversations into a beautifully written and thoughtfully designed linen-bound biography — a lasting family heirloom, worthy of the life inside it.
The problem we solve
The best stories
rarely come from
The best stories rarely come
from the first question.
A good question can unlock a memory. But it's what comes next that often matters most — the detail mentioned in passing, the person they haven't thought about in years, the story hiding inside another story.
Eleanor listens for those threads. She remembers what's been shared, follows what feels meaningful, and returns to unfinished stories over time. The result isn't a collection of answers. It's a deeper portrait of the person behind them.
Not just a record of their life, but a way to know them better along the way.
How it works
They talk. Harkin does the rest.
I.
You send the invitation.
Add a personal message, and Harkin sends them a beautifully made introduction by mail—with everything they need to begin.
An interviewer
built to listen.
Eleanor is Harkin's AI interviewer, thoughtfully designed for one purpose: helping people tell the stories of their lives.
Every answer shapes the next question.
Eleanor listens for the details that emerge naturally and follows wherever the story leads.
Every conversation builds on the last.
People, places, unfinished stories — even small details carry from one conversation to the next.
One story naturally leads to another.
There's no script. Memories surface naturally, in whatever order they come.
A good interviewer knows what to ask.
A great one knows how to listen.
The writing
Their voice,
on every page.
Harkin shapes their conversations into a beautifully written narrative, preserving the language, humor, and little details that make the story unmistakably theirs.
“Your grandfather waited three buses in the rain the day he asked me to marry him.”
He stood on our porch dripping wet, holding a ring box he'd been carrying around for two weeks, and he never once mentioned being cold. That was Frank. He'd have waited three more if I'd asked him to.
Margaret, 84
On meeting Frank
The Harkin difference
Not a memory book.
A biography.
Most tools help collect answers.
Harkin follows a life.
02
The usual approach
Writing, typing, or preparing answers.
Harkin · The experience
They simply talk, in their own time.
Nothing to write and nothing to prepare—just conversation whenever they feel like it. Eleanor takes care of the rest.
03
The usual approach
A template, transcript, or collection of memories.
Harkin · The result
A bespoke biography, made to last.
Their conversations become a thoughtfully written, linen-bound book made with materials chosen to be handed down for generations.
“I didn't want a summary of his life. I wanted his voice — the way he actually told things. The funny details, the rabbit trails, all of it. That's exactly what we got.”
Wilder, gave it to his dad
“My mom would never have sat down to write all of this. But talking? She loved it. She'd call me afterward just to tell me what Eleanor had asked her.”
Bill, gave it to his grandmother
“He'd never told us that story. Now it's the first thing my kids ask to hear when we visit — they pull the book off the shelf before their coats are off.”
Susan, gave it to her dad
“Dad kept saying he had nothing interesting to tell. The book is 200 pages. He signs copies now like he's on tour — it's the proudest I've ever seen him.”
Maren, gave it to her dad
“She passed last spring. The book arrived while she was still sharp, still funny, still herself. I read a chapter whenever I miss her voice.”
Tom, gave it to his mother
“My grandfather and I weren't close. We are now. Turns out all those questions Eleanor asked him were questions I'd never thought to ask.”
Ellie, gave it to her grandfather
Everything in the keepsake
The Harkin Biography
Everything they need to tell their story, and everything you need to keep it — from the first hello to the finished book at the door.
Give Harkin
$699
or $175 per month
What's included+−
The Harkin welcome package
Personalized, beautifully made, and delivered to their door.
A year with Eleanor
Unlimited conversations, on their schedule.
A bespoke biography
Written and structured entirely around their life.
Unlimited revisions
Preview and refine their story before it goes to print.
A handcrafted keepsake
Linen bound, foil stamped, blind embossed, archival paper.
Their photographs, beautifully incorporated
Family photographs woven throughout the story.
One finished book
Additional copies available for family.
The book itself+−
- Linen-bound hardcover
- Blind embossed and foil stamped
- Archival, acid-free paper
- Photographs incorporated throughout
- One copy included
- Additional family copies available
Gifting & delivery+−
Purchase Harkin today and choose how you'd like to give it. We'll send the welcome package directly to them, or to you to give in person. Their year with Eleanor doesn't begin until their first conversation.
No rush. No wasted time. Their year begins when they do.
Good to know+−
Purchase with confidence
Cancel for a full refund anytime before your Harkin experience begins.
Read the full refund policyDo they need to be tech-savvy?
No. Open Harkin, press once, and talk.
How long are conversations?
Five minutes or an afternoon. Eleanor follows their pace.
Can family contribute?
Yes. Family can suggest memories, people, and stories for Eleanor to explore.
Is everything private?
Yes. Their recordings and story remain private to the family.
Can we change the book later?
Their story remains available to edit and reprint whenever you'd like.
Common questions
FAQ
What if they're not comfortable with technology?+−
That's exactly why Harkin is voice-first. There's nothing to type and very little to learn. They open the app, start a conversation, and Eleanor leads from there.
Does the AI make things up?+−
No. Harkin never invents memories, events, or details. The finished biography is written entirely from what they share, preserving their voice while shaping their conversations into a story worth reading. They can review and edit every word before it goes to print.
What if they don't finish?+−
There's no pressure to tell everything or reach some predetermined finish line. Eleanor helps them build their story conversation by conversation, at their own pace. When they're ready, Harkin shapes what they've shared into their finished biography.
What do I actually get for $699?+−
A year of unlimited conversations with Eleanor, a bespoke biography written from those conversations, unlimited revisions before printing, and one beautifully bound Harkin book.
How long do they have to tell their story?+−
Harkin includes 12 months of unlimited conversations with Eleanor, beginning with their first conversation — not the day you purchase. If they'd like more time, they can continue for $40/month. Their finished story remains available to view, edit, and reprint afterward.
What does the finished book read like?+−
Like a real biography. Not a transcript, a collection of Q&As, or disconnected memories. Harkin weaves their conversations into flowing chapters while preserving their voice, humor, phrasing, and the details that make the story theirs.
How long is the finished book?+−
Up to 200 pages, including photographs — enough room for a rich, substantial biography while keeping the finished book beautiful and comfortable to hold.
Can our family contribute to the story?+−
Yes. Family members can share memories, people, and questions they'd love Eleanor to explore, while leaving the actual storytelling to them.
Are their stories private?+−
Yes. Their conversations, recordings, and biography remain private to them and the family members they choose to invite. Harkin never sells their stories or personal data, and nothing is used publicly without explicit permission.
Who owns their story?+−
They do. Their story remains theirs, including the finished biography created from it.
While they're here, ask.
Give someone you love a year of conversations, thoughtfully shaped into a beautiful book your family can keep forever.