Bookstore

The best in genealogy, brought to you by your guide.

Beginners & How-To

Ancestors:
A Beginner's Guide to Family History & Genealogy
by Jim Willard, Terry Williard (Contributor), and Jane Wilson (Contributor)
Easy to read resource for beginners.  The reference section is geared  toward the U.S.

Becoming an Accredited Genealogist:
Plus 100 tips to Ensure Your Success
by Karen Clifford
A recommended reference for genealogist's aspiring to take the accreditation exam offered by the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.  Also very useful for anyone interested in genealogy as a profession.

Complete Idiot's Guide to Genealogy
by Christine Rose and K.G. Ingalls
This book from the bestselling "Complete Idiot's" line of how-to books, is an outstanding book for the beginner or experienced genealogist.  One of the best guides to genealogy there is.

The Everything Family Tree Book
by William G. Hartley
An excellent guide to tracing your family's story. This book also includes a fold-out Family Tree Chart for recording your family's history.

Evidence!
Citation and Analysis for the Family Historian
by Elizabeth Shown Mills
All genealogists should own a copy of Evidence!  From the introduction "...It offers a road map for beginners, who hope to avoid mistakes, and guideposts for the advanced who already appreciate the need to map their own course precisely."

First Steps in Genealogy:
A Beginner's Guide to Researching Your Family History
by Desmond Walls Allen
An excellent book to help you get started.

Genealogist's Address Book (4th Edition)
by Elizabeth Petty Bentley
A National Yellow Pages for the genealogist.  Over 25,000 key sources of genealogical information - categorized, alphabetized, and cross-referenced.

Organizing Your Family History Search:
Efficient & Effective Ways to Gather and Protect Your Genealogical Research
by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack
This book offers specialized advice and techniques which are designed to help people streamline their genealogy efforts and keep well organized.

Pitfalls in Genealogical Research
by Milton Rubincam
This book takes on common errors in genealogical research, the primary one being "the sanctity of the printed word." 

Search: A Handbook for Adoptees & Birthparents
by Jayne Askin
Now in its 3rd edition, Search details a step-by-step process for unearthing adoption information through sealed adoption records, government data, and reference resources. New to this edition is a listing of online services for networking with other searchers.

Unpuzzling Your Past:
A Basic Guide to Genealogy (3rd Edition)
by Emily A. Croom
Very concise, well written advice for the beginning genealogist.  An excellent resource.

Unpuzzling Your Past Workbook:
Essential Forms and Letters for all Genealogists (1st Edition)
by Emily A. Croom
This helpful companion to Unpuzzling Your Past provides a multitude of forms, checklists, and guidance.

Children

The Family Tree Detective :
Cracking the Case of Your Family's Story
by Ann Douglas
A fun way to get the children interested in learning about the "saints and scoundrels" in the family tree

Dozens of Cousins;
Blue Genes, Horse Thieves and Other Relative Surprises in Your Family Tree
by Lois Horowitz
This book explains not only how complex genealogical relationships work, but also how you can often uncover interesting surprises along the way.

Roots for Kids:
A Genealogy Guide for Young People
by Susan Provost Beller
An excellent, easy to understand guide which can also be helpful to adults who are new to genealogy.

Do People Grow On Family Trees -
Genealogy for Kids and Other Beginners
by Ira Wolfman
An interactive book for parents and children which guides you through the steps of exploring your past. 

Bringing History Home -
Local and Family History Projects for Grades K-6
by M. Gail Hickey
Bring history to life with these ideas and resources.

Kids and Kin -
The Family History Research Vacation that Involves Kids
by Corinne P. Earnest and Patricia Suter
Combine your family vacation with a history lesson!

The Ark to the Future:
A Family Time Capsule and Memory Album
by  Joost Elffers and Michael Fragnito
A wonderful project for the entire family!!!

Genealogy Online

Complete Idiot's Guide to Online Genealogy
By Rhonda R. McClure and Shirley Langdon Wilcox
This book provides up-to-date information (just published in November 1999) on using the Internet to research your family history.  A wonderful guide for the rank beginner to the intermediate researcher.

Genealogy Basics Online:
A Step-by-Step Guide to Searching and Finding Your Ancestors
by Cherri Melton Flinn
This book, due for publication in March 2000, is an important resource for the beginner researching family history.  More than just a list of Web sites, this book includes reviews of listed sites as well as tips on how to get the best results from searching them. It also discusses how to organize the information you find using computerized family tree programs.

Genealogy Online for Dummies w/ CD-ROM
by Matthew L. Helm
An excellent guide to doing genealogical research online.  The book is organized in logical order -  preparation, means of finding valuable records, getting the most from your resources, and organizing and presenting your findings.  Includes a CD-ROM with the latest in genealogy software.

Netting Your Ancestors:
Genealogical Research on the Internet
by Cyndi Howells
For those who aren't techies, this book is a very good overview of how to use the Internet to do research and conduct correspondence.

Sams Teach Yourself e-Genealogy Today
by Terri Lamb
This just published book focuses on using Internet resources and computer technology to aid in the creation of a family history.

Genealogy Software Guides

Genealogy Software Guide
by Marthe Arends
The book genealogy computer users have needed all along.  Marthe does an excellent job at not only listing the major features of each genealogy program, but also gives a good feel for each program with sample reports and screen shots.  Only IBM compatible programs are reviewed here, with Macintosh and other platforms mentioned briefly.

Prima's Official Companion to Family Tree Maker
by Myra Vanderpool Gormley and Rhonda R. McClure (Contributor)
This just published guide provides you with the professional genealogical advice you need to efficiently research and organize your family history including strategies for compiling family data, researching ancestors via FTM and online resources, and entering and presenting your family trees in a variety of formats.

International

Ancestral Trails:
The Complete Guide to British Genealogy & Family History
by Mark D. Herber
The most comprehensive and up-to-date book on tracing British ancestry and researching family history.  A wonderful resource for researchers experienced in using British records as well as for beginners. 

Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Italian Ancestors
How to Find and Record Your Unique Heritage
by Lynn Nelson
A well written, comprehensive research tool for finding, reading, and understanding Italian documents.  One of the best for Italian research.

Guide to Cuban Genealogical Research
by Peter E. Carr
An excellent review of the various types of records available for Cuban research, including many seldom-used and unknown resources.

In Search of Your European Roots:
A Complete Guide to Tracing Your Ancestor in Every Country in Europe
by Angus Baxter
While no one book can fully cover genealogy in every European country, this book is an excellent place to start.

Italian Genealogical Records:
How to use Italian Civil, Ecclesiastical, & Other Records in Family History Research
by Trafford R. Cole
A very informative and detailed book for newcomers to Italian genealogy research. 

Scattered Seeds: A Guide to Jewish Genealogy
by Mona Freedman Morris
A simple, but complete guide which explains how to find information on Jewish ancestors, as well as what is available and where to get it.

United States Resources

The Census Book:
A Genealogist's Guide to Census Facts, Schedules, and Indexes
by William Dollarhide and James A. Derheim (Photographer)
A comprehensive review of U.S. Federal Census facts, schedules, and indexes, including many unknown facts and peculiarities.  A CD-ROM of the entire book is included for easy printing of the 29 included census extraction forms (1790-1930) and for easy searching and navigation of the book

The Center:
A Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Capital Area
by Christina Kassabian Schaefer
The successor to Lest We Forget leads researchers through the rich resources of Washington D.C.'s various agencies, departments, and archives.

Cherokee Proud:
A Guide for Tracing and Honoring Your Cherokee Ancestors (2nd Edition)
by Tony Mack McClure
A wonderful resource on tracing Cherokee genealogy.

Finding a Place Called Home:
A Guide to African-American Genealogy and Historical Identity
by Dee Parmer Woodtor, Ph. D.
A comprehensive guide to finding your African-American roots and tracing your family tree, this book takes us back, step-by-step.  It covers search techniques and how to interpret records such as marriage, birth, and death certificates, census reports, slave schedules, church records, and Freedmen's Bureau information.

Handybook for Genealogists
by Everton Publishers
Most widely read genealogical research book in America.  A very useful reference to each US state and county that ever existed with all of the details necessary to a researcher.  There are listings of genealogical libraries, archives, societies, and publications along with dates for each available census index.

The Hidden Half of the Family:
A Sourcebook for Women's Genealogy
by Christina Kassabian Schaefer
A wonderful reference for any of you who, like me, have female ancestors known to you only by their first name. This book suggests dozens of places to search for information on your female ancestors with a state-by-state guide.

Land and Property Research in the United States
by E. Wade Hone
An invaluable guide to a very important resource!

Printed Sources:
A Guide to Published Genealogical Records
by Kory L. Meyerink
A wonderful 840 page reference book that thoroughly covers the wide variety of published sources that are the backbone of family history research.

The Source:  A Guidebook of American Genealogy
by Ancestry, Inc.
Genealogists consider this the "Bible" for genealogical research in the United States.  A wonderful resource for beginner and pro alike.

They Became Americans:
Finding Naturalization Records and Ethnic Origins
by Loretto Dennis Szucs
A great resource book for Americans tracing their immigrant ancestors.  Full of time-saving research ideas.

U.S. Military Records:
A Guide to Federal and State Sources, Colonial America to the Present
by James C. Neagles
Most families have one or more members who have served in the United States Armed Forces.   This book describes the records that are available and where they can be found.

Written & Oral Histories

Book of Myself:
A Do-It-Yourself Autobiography in 201 Questions
by Carl Marshall and David Marshall (Contributor)
A simple way to record the stories and memories of a lifetime.  This elegant book has 201 questions which help guide you as you write your life's story.

Chicago Manual of Style:
The Essential Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers (14th edition)
by John Grossman (Preface)
The Chicago Manual of Style has set the editorial standard since 1906 providing consistent, systematic guidelines for all people who work with words.

For All Time:
A Complete Guide to Writing Your Family History
by Charley Kempthorne
This book, by entertaining and informative speaker and author Charley Kempthorne, has quickly become the standard work in the field.

Publishing Your Family History on the Internet
by Richard S. Wilson
This book helps walk Internet newcomers through the basic steps necessary to creating and publishing a Web page, along with the best ways to convert your family history data for display on the Internet using several different software packages.

Scrapbook Storytelling:
Save Family Stories and Memories with Photos, Journaling, and Your Own Creativity
by Joanna Campbell Slan
A fun, alternative way to document your family history.

To Our Children's Children:
Preserving Family History for Generations to Come
by Bob Greene and his sister, journalist D.G. Fulford
An accessible guide to creating written and oral histories which makes recording one's personal history for grandchildren and subsequent descendants as uncomplicated and easy as writing a letter.

To Our Children's Children:
Journal of Family Memories
by Bob Greene and his sister, journalist D. G. Fulford
The companion volume to their first bestselling To Our Children's Children book.  It is a journal which poses 365 questions, one for each day of the year, with ample space for families to write down their own answers.

You Ought To Write All That Down (Revised Edition)
by Paul Drake
From the author: This book "...includes everything you need, from organizing and planning, to development of sentences, paragraphs and chapters, to selection of illustrations, proper construction of notes and indexes, to awareness of copyrights, methods of publishing, and approaches to marketing."