<p>Aim To introduce the biographical narrative interpretive method (BNIM) to nurse researchers in search of a new methodology and method.</p> <p>Background Listening to and interpreting the narratives of patients is a core feature of nursing. Research methodologies and methods frequently do not fully take into account the historical, psycho-social and biographical dynamics of people’s lives.</p> <p>Data sources This paper draws from the experiences of both authors who have previously utilised the BNIM method, as well as sourcing relevant literature.</p> <p>Review methods This is a methodology paper that reviews the historical context of BNIM and provides an overview of its potential application for nursing research.</p> <p>Discussion The core assumptions and analytic strategy of BNIM focus on three inter-related facets: the person’s whole life history or story (biography), how they tell it (narrative) and the social interpretation (interpretive). BNIM uses a unique interviewing technique to elicit an uninterrupted story from participants. The BNIM analytic tool is formulaic and uses nine stages to analyse individual cases. A tenth stage helps with analysis across cases.</p> <p>Conclusion BNIM methodology and methods empower participants to articulate the vicissitudes of their life and experiences of illness while also providing the researcher with a framework for data analysis and interpretation to give meaning to individuals’ life stories.</p> <p>Implications for research/practice The BNIM interview technique and analytic framework are useful tools to help with an in-depth qualitative exploration of life stories in context.</p>