The Genealogy Sourcebook

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, detailed
Review: I love this book. Although it is appropriate for beginners, it covers more topics, and in more detail, than you'd expect to find in a beginner's book, making it perfect for advanced-beginner or intermediate genealogists. For instance, most books will mention cemetery research, but this one details all the different *kinds* of cemeteries there are (I had no idea) and discusses what to bring when you're going to a cemetery, how to photograph a tombstone, the ins and outs of tombstone rubbings, etc.

The author covers everything imaginable: interview skills, records abstraction, what to bring (and how to behave) when visiting a courthouse, how to organize in preparation for research trips, what kinds of genealogy classes are available and where to find them, how to go about becoming a professional, how to make sure your research isn't lost to the world after you're gone, etc. She doesn't just list which genealogical journals exist, she explains the differences between them and illustrates clearly why it's important to read them. (That may seem obvious, but there are issues I hadn't thought of.) There are tips galore.

Another thing I liked: Once she's introduced you to a topic, she provides recommendations for further reading, so you know where to go to learn more about that particular issue.

In short, this author is very thorough, and at the same time very readable. I'd recommend this book to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book for the Beginning Genealogist
Review: This is a great beginner's book on genealogy. It discusses various documentation methods; where and how to find records; and organization methods for your research. Two case studies reinforce how to use the records available to you.

The book goes on to suggest other publications (books, magazines, journals) that are good for genealogists to be familiar with. It also discusses significant genealogical societies and their requirements for membership. It even includes a chapter on how to become a professional genealogist.

Finally, the appendix in this book is a valuable source of information, detailing how to contact the various libraries, repositories, societies, etc. discussed in this book.