The Genealogy Sourcebook [Hardcover]

Sharon Debartolo Carmack (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1565657942 | ISBN-13: 978-1565657946 | Publication Date: October 1997 | Edition: 1ST

A detailed family history is a legacy that generations can enjoy. Those who start looking into their background find that the more they dig the more they want to know about their lineage. Beyond the family bible where can more information be found? The Genealogy Sourcebook is a complete guide to the fascinating world of tracing ancestry with information on where to start the search, what kinds of resources are available, and how to best utilize them.
-- How to find and use birth, death, and marriage certificates and other documents that can leave clues to relatives
-- Where to find research centers, including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints' Family History Library and its worldwide branches
-- How to organize and present all the work and research so that generations to come can enjoy and learn from it

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

A genealogical author, columnist, and popular lecturer, Carmack delivers a friendly and informed guide that can help both the beginning and experienced genealogist. In a direct, well-organized text, she approaches research via the phone, mail, the Internet, or hired professionals, covering resources and repositories that range from fingertip sources, forms, interviews, and research trips to professional genealogical certification and accreditation venues. Inviting and unpyrotechnic, the text concludes with encouragement and options for turning raw research material into some ultimate form of treasured legacy, be it a book, article, or album. Besides being well crafted and comprehensive, this book is written with care and respect. Easier to use but just as professional as Mark D. Herber's Ancestral Trails (LJ 3/1/98), this book also dovetails nicely with Charley Kempthorne's For All Time (LJ 9/15/96).?Scott Hightower, New York Univ., New York
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 266 pages
• Publisher: Lowell House; 1ST edition (October 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565657942
• ISBN-13: 978-1565657946
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,535,049 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, detailed, February 18, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Genealogy Sourcebook (Sourcebooks) (Paperback)

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.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for the Beginning Genealogist, August 17, 2000

By 

Teresa (Palatine, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Genealogy Sourcebook (Sourcebooks) (Paperback)

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.

5.0 out of 5 stars great source book, May 9, 2011

By 

Nancee D. Goldwater (Nevada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Genealogy Sourcebook (Sourcebooks) (Paperback)

Great book for helping find genealogy sources. Was one suggested by a local genealogy group for filling in branches on the family tree! Book I ordered was in great condition and the price was much less than what the group had paid for the same book.