Customer Reviews

500 Brickwall Solutions to Genealogy Problems

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There is a lot of very good information in this book and I believe I will be referring to it often. I wish it were either indexed or had a Table of Contents that organized the subjects into catagories. It takes some searching to locate specific information.
Julie H.

Especially near the end of the book the same methods were used to break through the wall. As mentioned by another reviewer, would have been much better if the family names inside were indexed at the end (even just surnames). Best as a pick-up and drop down for a week book, would help to keep the repetitive bits from being as annoying. Also would have been nice if they had a listing of ways at the end, or even a nice introductory essay.

The reviews gave me a heads-up on the book and for the most part they were right. I actually read it cover-to-cover as night-time reading hoping I would just happen on the exact tip to break through some genealogy brickwalls. Excellent if your brickwall is after @1840 or 1850. Lots of tips. Not much if your brickwall is (as mine are) prior to 1840 or even in the late 1700s.

The book is indexed but no surnames. One reviewer posted that it could use the title of each "brick" put into categories. I agree it needs something but couldn't come up with what category(s) I'd want to see.

A nice read with a few gems here and there. Again, if your brickwall is after about 1840 -- then go ahead. If before then, you might want to look elsewhere. But I did enjoy reading it. Some really interesting info -- you wouldn't believe why SOME of these ancestors were so hard to find. :-) Requires out-of-the-box thinking. And some of the best stories in the book.

Filled with short stories about how other folks broke through the inevitable brick-wall, this is a nice source for some out-of-the-box thinking. It you are looking for inspiration or brainstorming for new ideas, you might find this book right up your alley. However, you are are looking for real instructions, you are probably going to be disappointed with it. It isn't well organized so the story titles won't help you decide which ones might help your particular situation. Is this a must-have book? No. But as a general interest read on the subject with the possibility of sparking a new avenue for your own research, it is suitable.

This is just another in the long list of "let us help you" genealogy books. Would I consider it helpful, maybe for a newbe,but not for someone that has been on the search for a long time. It directs you through the same things that are readily available on the net. So NO If it didn't cost to return I would have sent it back. Now I only by books that I can check out at the library first, to see if it is worth it. Abig NO on this item.

I was drawn to this book because of its title and implied premise; however, it quickly fell flat due to its poor format and organization. There is a nine page Table of Contents consisting of story titles and corresponding page numbers. It is followed by an Introduction written by the book's editor who offers 13 points of advice for problem solving such as: "revisit the information you already have; make educated guesses; visit the places your ancestors lived in" and ends with, "never give up"! The compliation of contributor stories begins on page one and ends on page 393, followed by a Glossary of Terms and Index.

This book flows like one run-on sentence interrupted here and there by boldface titles and the occasional (and poorly reproduced) photo or image. The Index may prove helpful in
guiding you, otherwise, be prepared to spend time reading through titles in the TOC (all 9 pages of it). Even at that, these titles do not always reflect the actual problem or solution.

It's a foregone conclusion that anyone tracing their family history will eventually hit a brickwall, so "500 Brickwall Solutions to Genealogy Problems" could be the answer to circumventing some problems. That said, no reader should have to work so hard to obtain answers. If you are looking for a quick fix to a problem, look elsewhere. But, if you have the time, read this book as you would a novel and enjoy the stories while gleaning whatever tidbits of useful advice you can.

don't tear your hair out. This book has some very ingenious (and simple) ways around the wall to find that ancestor that you swear must have been dropped off by a UFO because there's no trace of him where you are looking and you know he was a real person. The stories are short, often humorous and interesting reading, full of great ideas.