I've been interested in the old tradition of family books that were passed down through generations in Europe and elsewhere. These heirlooms inculcate members of the family on who they are, their principles, customs, the story of how the family has risen up.
From my understanding, the father would command the eldest son to continue maintaining the book and to pass the practice on to his own eldest son.
The main elements were -
- stories and examples of family identity
- counsel and exhortations for the children
- a book of accounting, such as financial ledgers, baptisms, births, maps of lands, property ownership histories, and more.
These sometimes spanned centuries!