New Year, New Approach

Getting Organised with a bullet journal could help me Build a Family Tree Book 

So another year has flown by and it is that time of the year again when we resolve to get things straight and write that Family History book we have been promising. So here is what I plan to do this year and a bit about how I am changing the way I tackle the organisation challenge.

At the end of last year I discovered Bullet Journaling and decided that this year I was going to give it a try. I hope that it will help me to become more organised and allow me to look back at what I can achieve. Several others are also starting this so you may see posts from them on genealogy blogs.

I have gathered some useful links in a collection on Google+ if you think you might be interested.

As part of this I had to decide how I would approach this and what tools I would use. I started with a cheap notebook but soon realised that the pages were too thin. 

I then ordered a relatively expensive notebook known as a LEUCHTURM 1917 which has numbered pages. The order could not be fulfilled so I had to find an alternative. 

The idea of having a book I could add to and customise appealled to me but the Levenger system that some in the US were using was not available here in the UK. Staples do a similar system known as ARC and I was looking at this as an alternative. 

Before, I purchased what I would need, I was discussing what I wanted to do with others. It was at this point that it came to me that, what I needed I already had, sitting in a drawer at home, waiting for me to use it, a springback binder. These are sold to family historians to help them create their own books. The same company also sell archival quality paper and other items to help us preserve our history.

Now I have spent time creating pages for my journal and using it to help me with my organisation schedule. It is a project which will evolve. When I originally bought my binders I also obtained a set of preprinted Family Tree Book Pages included with these was a discount code to order a pdf copy of the pages to use for additional pages. I bought a copy yesterday and had thought I could just print the pages for me to fill in by hand. However on further investigation today I find the sheets are fillable pdf and I can cut and paste information from my family history software program.

Since the older family members may prefer to see my research in book format I hope to use these forms as a starting point. The one thing I do like with these forms is the emphasis on adding the sources.

I am hoping to produce hand written pages for people I am currently working on so I can see where there are gaps. 
I started doing something similar in this book.

If I can easily translate the information into a page which I can printout, and replace if I need to, it will be more flexible especially if I later find I have missed something. I can easily correct without having to rewrite a whole section.

Working with paper rather than just in the digital can help with thought processes and creativity.

Next month I will report on how the bullet journal has progressed and if I have found it useful for my genealogy organisation.

If you are using a bullet journal have you found it helpful particularly for genealogy projects. 
Please share any thoughts you may have on this topic in the comments.

Autumn - Time to Reflect

Autumn Park - by Graeme Weatherston
image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-1003803

Back in May, I blogged about the books on my Spring/Summer reading list. In June I blogged about all the events (graduations, weddings, and a family reunion) that were on our family's horizon. And then for the next 3 months I went quiet. It was a busy summer and I don't know where the time went. How was your summer?

After much discussion over the past few years, my parents in early June decided to put their home on the market - and it sold that first weekend. The scramble to find a new place, make decisions about what was going to their new home, what would be given to family or friends, and what would be given away was compounded by the fact that this was a tremendous downsize in house. Not only do you move out of your home, but you also have to move into a new home and get comfortably settled. That is where the children come in - to help clean, sort, pack, move, unpack and help arrange things in the new place. Taking on a project like that is easier when you are in college and/or moving into your first or second place (and have lots less "stuff").

One of the books on my May reading list came in handy and really made me think. In the life-changing magic of tidying up, Marie Kondo suggests that we only keep the items in our house that "spark joy."  She considers that organizing before you decide what to have in your home is a never-ending process of putting stuff away. Getting rid of the clutter and simplifying our lives are the keys to having more time to spend with family and friends, more time to spend on the activities that we enjoy, and more time to spend on the projects that bring us happiness and purpose. After finishing our parents' move I certainly have a new appreciation for this mindset and I am determined to simplify things at my own home.

Our family reunion weekend (scheduled for Eastern Washington in August) collided with the wildfires that devastated the area - serious firefighting and recovery efforts took precedence over our family trip. The end of summer and beginning of the school year and back to work schedule is always a bit of a scramble. Added to that this year was the first Guild of One-Name Studies' USA Seminar. My hat is off to those volunteers who work on seminar planning (and follow-through) - oftentimes they work in the background over many months to make sure that an event or seminar comes off without a hitch (and that is no small feat). I am happy to say that our seminar was a success and huge thanks goes to the New England Historic and Genealogical Society, our partner in the seminar.

And that brings me to another book on my May reading list - The Road to Character by David Brooks. Many times during the past few months I have seen, heard or read about people in the genealogy world and in the bigger world who are doing or saying things to make themselves the Big Me - emphasizing external success. David Brooks writes about the necessity to re-balance the scales "between our resume virtues - achieving wealth, fame and status - and our eulogy virtues, those that exist at the core of our being: kindness, bravery, honesty" focusing on inner character, being part of a larger cause, taking care with the relationships we form and the actions we take.

I appreciated that two of his inspiring leaders were Frances Perkins and Dorothy Day, as they are two women whom I have always admired. What they accomplished with their lives and how they thought of and worked on behalf of others continues to inspire me. I was thrilled that Pope Francis gave the life work of Dorothy Day a shout out on his recent visit to the United States. I learned something about leadership and sacrifice from the chapters about George Marshall and A. Phillip Randolph. The lesson from each chapter is that living according to a moral code is about "quieting the self", humility, modesty and maturity. We see too little of that today. Of course it is not easy and requires constant self-examination. Would that all of us work on re-balancing our lives to avoid the Big Me.

And now we are on to Autumn (here in the northern hemisphere). I have changed the background theme on my computer monitor to reflect the bounty and crispness that is Autumn - pumpkins, apples, cranberries, nuts and leaves. And I keep The Road to Character on my nightstand (still working through the chapter on Augustine - that is a tough one) and think about the eulogy virtues - and what I can do each day to be more kind, brave, honest and caring.

Spring Cleaning & Genealogy

I love books!

It's that time of year (at least in the Northern hemisphere!). It's Spring and many of us are opening windows, storing the heavy blankets and comforters, rolling up rugs, changing out our dishes, and driving with the top down (convertibles mind you!). The weather is gorgeous enough that whether you have a free afternoon or weekend, reading outside on the deck or at the park is mandatory, it's a rite of Spring!

I am a huge reader - it is something I saw growing up (both my parents are readers and we went to the library twice a month for our "book fix" when I was a child). All my siblings are readers as well and whether it is a biography, thriller, reference, mystery, historical fiction, military history, current event or self-improvement - we often share titles and sometimes share the actual book. Whenever I move or visit family, I find the library and the bookstores so I can easily get my "book fix." I appreciate the "Lucky Day" or "New & Noteworthy" section of the library where I often find books that I might otherwise miss. (For those unfamiliar with this section of the library, new books are shelved here and can be checked on for 14 days - no renewals and if it is on the shelf, it is your "lucky day"). I appreciate author interviews on certain news and talk shows because I am introduced to new-to-me writers and new ideas (closed minds are most definitely not a good thing!).

So what is in my stack this month? I'm glad you asked.

• The Road to Character by David Brooks - in the introduction David Brooks suggests that we need to rebalance our lives as too many of us (himself included) focus on resume virtues (external success) rather than eulogy virtues (internal success). He posits that something profound is being lost in our Society when we forget or denigrate the core virtues of "kindness, bravery, and honesty." The strength of this book is in the examples the author shares - my personal favorites are Dorothy Day and Frances Perkins (both women saw Society's ills and worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the marginalized and the working classes). This is a book you really should purchase because it is one of those books you read slowly, think about and annotate. It is also a book that drives you to the notes (I love footnotes for sources and fuller explanations), Wikipedia and biographies of the selected individuals. This is an excellent Spring to Summer read as you gather additional materials to learn more about these individuals - their lives, their struggles, their choices, and their core values in action. Perhaps one of these individuals had some impact on an ancestor or what they did or stood for shaped some aspect of your ancestors' lives. 
• Resilience by Eric Greitens - so often when I research my ancestors' lives I wonder how they survived such tremendous difficulties and setbacks (personal ones such as the loss of several children or systemic ones such as religious or class persecution). How do people pick up the pieces and not only survive but thrive? Eric Greitens' book is a fascinating read - the correspondence between two men, one broken and lost and the other "been there" and encouraging - that will give hope to anyone who wants to learn how to navigate difficult times.
• the life-changing magic of tidying up: the Japanese art of decluttering and organizing by Marie Kondo - you will have several of those "aha moments" when you read this simple but quite useful book on getting organized and the effect that finally decluttering (not simply moving around, filing or storing our stuff) will have on our personal and work lives. I am using Marie Kondo's suggestions/directives to finally get through my genealogy materials - both on my computer and my paper files (this is my Spring to Summer project). 
• Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson - I read everything Erik Larson writes because his research is meticulous and his interweaving of the facts, personalities, and the times makes every subject he takes on riveting. Dead Wake is his most recent effort and in light of our focus on World War I in genealogy and family history circles (the centenary of WWI) it is a timely addition to my reading stack. Note to everyone - find a free weekend because you won't be able to put this book down; each of his books reads like a thriller! Dead Wake places the reader right in 1915 and tells the story of the history and use of submarines by Germany, the attitudes of people making the Atlantic crossing during wartime, the attitudes of those involved in the war effort, and the actions and inactions of politicians in Germany, the UK and the United States. History comes alive in Dead Wake.    

So there you have it - four of my must reads for Spring - it's all about variety and taking advantage of books to learn, reflect and nudge my thinking in new directions. And just to show you that I'm not all about the serious - I love mysteries and thrillers! These books were in my reading stack for the past two weeks.

It will play with our fears, take us on adventures,
put a new spin on history, and give use clever characters and quips
a good book opens a door to all kinds of possibilities

I'm a pretty fast reader when I am trying to figure out who committed the crime and I tell myself that it keeps my mind sharp for figuring out genealogical mysteries or learning more about Minnesota where several of my ancestors settled (thanks John Sandford!).

What's in your reading stack? Why not share in the comments section below. Thanks for reading and I'll fill you in next month on how my tidying up project is going.

My 2015 Goal - I Intend To Be Real

Life Lessons courtesy of one of my favorite characters!

As a child one of my favorite books was The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. Originally written as a serial between 1881-1883, Pinocchio tells the story of the wood carver who wanted a son and the marionette who wanted to be a human boy. I was fascinated with the idea that a marionette could become real and I rooted for Pinocchio to get out of the various scrapes he got himself into (that underdog mentality was strong in my second generation American family). Like so many children’s stories, Pinocchio offers life lessons; sometimes we didn't even know we were learning them at the time.

In the new year and while we are all busy figuring out if we are going to do a Genealogy Do-Over or Go-Over, or if we are independently thinking about our 2015 goals, I thought it might be a good time to reflect on what we can learn from Pinocchio and apply those lessons to our genealogy and real lives. [And please find the original story rather than rely on the Disney version - although I did enjoy Disney's Jiminy Cricket.] 

• Tell the truth – ah the nose that grows. Every time Pinocchio lied his nose grew. How I wish this happened in real life; we could tell who the liars were and what lies were being told. Sometimes we allow people to lie to us (we have that gut feeling, we know better, or we can’t believe the person would lie to us) and sometimes people are really good liars because they have no moral compass. In either case, when the liar is caught out trust is lost. Whether that trust can ever be regained depends on the nature and quality of the lie. The easiest thing is simply to tell the truth. 

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-10031579

•  Be brave, honest and generous - there is always a good fairy in these stories (that magical creature who provides the lesson and watches over the protagonist). In Pinocchio the turquoise-haired Fairy explains just what Pinocchio has to do if he wants to be a real boy. If you want to be the best person you can be, pay attention to your actions rather than just saying the words – you need to be brave, honest and generous.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-100260549

• Be dependable and considerate – Pinocchio got into scrapes because he was lazy, irresponsible, did not want to be told what to do, was looking for the quick and easy way, and was greedy. At any given moment that could be each of us, at least in little ways. He thought he made friends only to find out they were in it for themselves and using him (do you know any foxes, cats or donkeys?). Pinocchio survived his scrapes and found out what and who were important, and he became a responsible and considerate son. He stepped up to the plate when Geppetto was ill and took care of him. Remind yourself what and who is important in your life and act accordingly. 

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-10029983

•  Be the best you – Pinocchio become a real boy when he was kind, unselfish and thought about others (Geppetto and the turquoise-haired Fairy). Being real (or authentic) means knowing who you are and striving to be the best person you can be. This often means putting others’ needs ahead of your own desires, showing compassion and being kind. We can all get ahead in this life, but we don’t need to do it by stepping on others or using them. Do you know who you are and is that someone you are proud of? Take those necessary steps to be the best you each and every day.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net ID-100221658

Bottom line Pinocchio is all about the difficulties of growing up, accepting responsibility for our behavior, understanding the necessity of being honest, and the importance of making things right when we have been at fault or harmed someone. Since 2015 is going to be my best year ever, I intend to be real – how about you?

Books glorious (emigration) books

The (mostly) Irish migration and history section of my library.

For her Worldwide Genealogy post earlier this month, Tessa Keogh wrote about a Baker’s Dozen of Genealogy/Family History Books. In a Google+ discussion, Tessa gave me the green light to appropriate her idea and write about the books that are among my own “Top of the Pops”. So this month my post is about my favourite books on migration, especially Irish migration to Australia, a topic near and dear to my heart. I hope some of these will be new to you and offer you some great reading opportunities. Don’t make the mistake of thinking they only apply to Australia as much of the information/research can also be applied to research elsewhere. Either way, it gives a better understanding of where our Irish ancestors’ migration fits into the bigger picture.  

Farewell My Children: Irish Assisted Emigration to Australia 1848-1870, Reid, R. Anchor Books, Sydney 2011.

Dr Richard Reid is one of Australia’s foremost Irish, and military, historians as well as a speaker on Unlock the Past Cruises. If you have Irish ancestry in Australia you absolutely must get your hands on this book: buy it or borrow it from the library or a friend, if they’ll let it go. Based on Richard’s PhD thesis it is an analysis of the Irish migration to Australia in its peak period, revealing the nuances within that movement. I first read it as a thesis and was thrilled when he published the book…from my point of view it’s research gold! I wrote a review on it soon after it was published and it is worth reading even by non-Australian researchers who have Irish ancestry or an interest in migration history.

  

Richard Reid is also co-author or contributor to a couple of small collaborative publications for which the content vastly outweighs their slight appearance.

Visible women : female immigrants in colonial Australia. Richards, E (ed), ANU, Canberra, 1995

Poor Australian immigrants in the nineteenth century. Richards, E (ed), ANU, Canberra, 1991

Neglected sources for the history of Australian immigration.  Richards E; Reid, R; Fitzpatrick, D, ANU, Canberra, 1989.

Emigration and the Labouring Poor: Australian Recruitment in Britain and Ireland 1831-1860. Haines, R, St Martins Press, Basingstoke, 1997.

Life and Death in the Age of Sail: the passage to Australia. Haines, R, UNSW Press, Sydney, 2003.

I find both these books by Dr Robin Haines to provide an invaluable understanding of the background to our ancestral families’ migration. It would be interesting for north American readers to compare and contrast the management of migration to Australia with that to the America. Aimed primarily at the academic readership they offer many insights for family historians. Sharon from Strong Foundations blog has recently reviewed the latter book.

Ireland’s New Worlds: Immigrants, Politics and Society in the United States and Australia 1815-1922. Campbell, M. The University of Wisconsin Press, Madison Wisconsin 2008.

Now readily available on Kindle as an ebook, or electronically if you have university access, this is an excellent book for its cross-comparison between two Irish migration streams and how their experiences differed. Definitely worth reading by Irish historians in both hemispheres.

Atlas of the Great Irish Famine. Crowley, J; Smyth WJ; Murphy M (eds), Cork University Press, Cork, 2012.

This comprehensive study of the Famine’s impact is excellent but I find its weight a deterrent to settling down to read it. I rather wish they’d issued it in two parts or alternatively that it was available as an ebook or two ebooks.

Mapping the Great Irish Famine. Kennedy L, Ell P S,  Crawford, E M, Clarkson L, (eds), Four Courts Press, Dublin, 1999.

I have had this book for some time. More spatial geography in relation to the Famine allowing a focus on townland or barony in comparison across census returns. I used it for a long time before the Atlas was published.

Oceans of Consolation: personal accounts of Irish migration to Australia. Fitzpatrick, D. Melbourne University Press, Melbourne 1995.

Enjoyable and insightful this book of rare letters between emigrants and their families in Ireland opens a precious window into how early emigrants responded to their new country. Although focused on Australian emigrants, the stories would still interest readers from elsewhere in the Irish diaspora. This is one of my favourite reference books. I referred to it in this post a while ago.

Richard Griffith and His Valuations of Ireland. Reilly, J R. Clearfield Company, Inc, 2000

A book no Irish researcher should be without. There’s so much more to the townland pages which we see when we search the valuations. Reilly explains what those cryptic annotations mean in terms of your family research. If you can’t get your hands on the book, this summary article will help.

The End of Hidden Ireland. Scally R J. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1996.

The story of the residents of the Ballykilcline townland after they are dispossessed from the land. Scally has done a remarkable job of bringing them into the light and demonstrated possible strategies for those interested in One Place Studies.

Migration in Irish History, 1607 – 2007. Fitzgerald, P and Lambkin, B.  Palgrave Macmillan, Hampshire, 2008

I confess that I have yet to launch myself into this book but I offer it here because it addresses Irish migration across the centuries rather than the narrow timeframe we tend to focus on as family historians.

Have you read any or all of these books? What do you think of them? Would you recommend them to others?

PS Apologies for the weird formatting...I'm a wordpress blogger and sometimes Blogger defeats me.

A Baker's Dozen of Genealogy/Family History Books

A few from my list - you can find many of these at your local library!

Last month at this time I shared ten books (well I cheated a bit with some series books but hey, what is a bibliophile to do) that have had an impact on my life. I promised that I would be back this month and share ten books that have had an impact on my genealogy life (could not fit all that in the title - too long!). That might seem like a tall order, but I think I can handle it. So let's get sharing (if you have a book that has impacted you, please share it so we can all benefit!).

(1)  Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace by Elizabeth Shown Mills - this book is simply the best! If you want to understand how citations work and why they are important, look no further than Evidence Explained. Ms. Mills not only explains the reasoning behind various citations, she also shares examples of most every type of source citation. And if you read the beginning chapters and pay attention, you will be able to craft you own source citation for any work for which she did not provide an example. I am a huge fan of "watching/reading and learning" and Ms. Mills' writing is clear, concise, and gently nudges genealogists and family historians to reach for the next level. Every genealogist needs to own this book.

(2)  Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills - what can I say, this woman is on a roll! Whether you want to take your hobby, passion, or profession seriously and understand all the important business, financial, and ethical requirements or you simply want to understand how to make the best use of a genealogy professional, this is the book for you (put it right next to Evidence Explained). Professional Genealogy serves as the textbook for ProGen Study Groups. You will definitely wring everything out of this book if you join a ProGen group. Whether you join a ProGen group or go it alone, you need Professional Genealogy.

(3)  Destination America: The People and Cultures That Created a Nation by Chuck Wills - do you want to understand how all of the people who came to America shaped and added to our nation's rich tapestry of multiculturalism? This gorgeous book (spoiler alert - maps and lots of photos - you won't be able to put it down) was the basis of a PBS series by the same name put together by David Grubin. Destination America contains amazing stories of where immigrants came from and why they left their native lands, lovely photos and maps (oh yes maps!) and the chance to gain a better understanding of how our freedoms (freedom to worship, freedom from oppression, freedom from want, freedom from fear, and freedom to create) have been strengthened due to the efforts of all our people. Destination America introduces us to the original native Americans as well as most religious or ethnic groups that joined them here. As a country, we don't always get it right (and sometimes we get it very wrong) but we do aspire to be better. Destination America will remind you of what your own group(s) went through and help you appreciate the stories of other groups of your fellow Americans.

(4)  Our America: A Hispanic History of the United States by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto - American history is often taught through a prism of British history, but that is only a part of our story (think about the Native American population, as well as French, Russian, and Spanish interests). Our America serves as a reminder that the United States' history is just as much the story of Spanish colonization as any other group's colonization. Our America reminds us of the Southwest and West regions' rich history. Our Hispanic past is just as important as any discussion of the Pilgrims and the 13 colonies.

(5)  Geography and Genealogy: Locating Personal Pasts edited by Timothy Dallen and Jeanne Kay Guelke - this one is a bit hard to find (go to your college and university libraries) but is worth the trouble. Geography is such an important aspect in genealogy and it usually gets short shrift. I recently took several courses in cultural and physical geography and they opened my eyes to all the factors that affect people, culture, and place. Whether you want to understand the questions of why people settled where they did, how they lived, how natural and man-made barriers affected their lives, what migration patterns were and how they have changed over time, the push-pull factors of migration, and a host of other topics - the study of geography provides the answers. This book provides an introduction to the field of geography as it relates to genealogy. Combine Geography and Genealogy with a few classics like Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time by Dava Sorbel and Geography: Realms, Regions and Concepts by Harm J. De Blij and Peter O. Muller (the newest edition is available as a rental eBook!), as well as the very readable newer entries that combine history and just plain fun, including The Discoverers: A History of Man's Search to Know His World and Himself  by Daniel J. Boorstin and Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks by Ken Jennings - and you will see our world in a whole new light.

(6)  Tracing Your Irish Ancestors: the Complete Guide by John Grenham - this book is an excellent primer on Irish family history research. It is important to understand the history of a place, its physical layout and system of record-keeping and, of course, what is available (offline and online). For anyone serious about researching their Irish ancestors this is the book. Mr. Grenham has a number of other publications (in both book and CD-ROM format) that are also especially helpful - Clans and Families of Ireland, Grenham's Irish Surnames and Grenham's Irish Recordfinder. Combine Tracing Your Irish Ancestors with A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland by Brian Mitchell and Irish Records: Sources for Family and Local History by James G. Ryan, and you will have your Irish research resources covered.

(7)  Finding a Place Called Home: A Guide to African-American Genealogy and Historical Identity by Dee Parmer Woodtor - for African-Americans researching their genealogy and family history and for all those wanting to understand the family history of African-Americans in our county, this is the book. An excellent resource to find out about how slavery (and the concept of people as property) affects our research from as early as 1790. Finding a Place Called Home is not only a genealogy resource but a fascinating history of a people through time - slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, WWI, WWII, the Civil Rights movement, and migration resulting from these events. African-American history is American history and African-American genealogy is American genealogy - it touches all of us and this book is an excellent introduction.

(8)  The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy by Loretto Dennis Szucs and The Red Book: American State County & Town Sources edited by Alice Eichholz are essential genealogy reference books, so much so that Ancestry.com puts them front and center on their learning page (in front of their pay-wall - run don't walk there - okay use the magic of the internet!). If you want to figure out what records are available - whether on the Federal or local level, where those records are located in various State and County repositories, and how to get your hands (real or virtual) on them, these two books are the place to start. A note: researchers need to take the contact information and update it as more information becomes available online and datasets and office information change - but these books provide the history, the guideposts, and those all important breadcrumbs for further research. These books are at many libraries and sit happily alongside my copies of Evidence Explained and Professional Genealogy - they are that good and that useful.

(9)  Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America by David Hackett Fischer - a look at four waves of immigration to America: the Cavaliers to the Atlantic Southeast (Virginia), the Puritans to New England, the Quakers to Pennsylvania, and the Scots-Irish or Borderers to the Appalachians. This is an interesting book that speaks to English culture and its impact on populating the colonies in the 1629-1775 time-frame. I would encourage readers and researchers to take Mr. Fischer's conclusions and generalizations with a grain of salt - I don't think everything is so neat and tidy, but Albion's Seed does provide lots of information on the cultural and social history of these groups, together with references and suggestions for additional reading.

(10)  Organizing Your Family History Search: Efficient & Effective Ways to Gather and Protect Your Genealogical Research by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack - if you are anything like me you would like to know that you are on the right track and that you are approaching your genealogy and record-keeping in an efficient and effective manner. Simply put, genealogists want to know how to put all the information we gather together. Well Ms. Carmack does a fine job of helping us out in an easy to read and incorporate way. Sometimes you will nod your head (done that) and other times you will have an "aha moment." The best method of organizing our research and results is the method that we will actually use day in and day out. Check out Ms. Carmack's suggestions and get organized!

(11)  The Surnames Handbook: A Guide to Family Name Research in the 21st Century and DNA and Social Networking: A Guide to Genealogy in the Twenty-First Century both by Debbie Kennett - these areas of research are relatively new to most of us. Both DNA and Social Networking and The Surnames Handbook are well-written and contain a wealth of website links and resources to assist us in our studies. Ms. Kennett's clear and concise explanations of DNA studies (so much has changed since my university biology classes!) and social networking (how to best use all the tools at our disposal and not be overwhelmed by them) help genealogists and family historians understand how to make the best use of both. Ms. Kennett's guide to surname research is thorough and quite readable. Surname research, as a facet of family history, is expanding on a worldwide basis and Ms. Kennett's guide is an especially helpful introduction.

(12)  Seven Pillars of Wisdom - The Art of One-Name Studies edited by the Guild of One-Name Studies and Putting Your Ancestors in their Place: A Guide to One Place Studies by Janet Few - those of you who know me, know that I am working on a one-name (surname) study and a one-place (location) study. At some point I hope to encourage enough Keoughs to join the existing Keough-DNA study (but that is still a future thought). While our own family history and genealogy is interesting, I do think that putting those who share our surname or our place in context is a fascinating area of specialized family history research. The methodology and projects suggested in Seven Pillars and Putting Your Ancestors in Their Place are incredibly helpful to the family historian who wants to take her/his research further and connect it to the bigger picture or puzzle out possible connections.

(13)  A People's History of the United States: 1492-Present by Howard Zinn - what can I say - a history of the United States told from the viewpoint and in the words of the people who have made this country and who are not often heard from - the women, the Native Americans, the immigrants, the factory workers, the farmers, the laborers, and the working poor. This is not the history you learned in your unwieldy and cursory high school or college textbooks. This is not the history told by the establishment. Be sure to take Mr. Zinn's A People's History with a grain of salt, but also realize that history is written by the winners. It is important to understand our past and look at all sides of the story. Wear your critical thinking eyeglasses with this one, but it is just as important to not wear our rose-colored glasses while we read either.

(14)  And because I am a bit of a cheat (I am sure you have counted more than my baker's dozen here) EVERYTHING by Ken Burns & Company is, in my humble opinion, brilliant and shines a light on our American family history. We and our extended families exist in a time and place and our experiences affect other people and other countries as well as our own. Be sure to check out these books which serve as companions to the Ken Burns for PBS documentary films. Although the films are wonderful, these books include much more detail (no time constraints, unlike film productions), provide additional resources, and explore the American experience from a variety of events or topics, large and small. My choices include the following:

• The Civil War: An Illustrated History by Geoffrey C. Ward, Ric Burns and Ken Burns
• Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns
• The National Parks: America's Best Idea by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns
• Jazz: A History of America's Music by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns
• The War: An Intimate History, 1941-1945 by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns
• Mark Twain: An Illustrated Biography by Geoffrey C. Ward, Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan
• Not for Ourselves Alone: the Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony by Geoffrey C. Ward and Kenneth Burns
• The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God by Amy Stechler Burns and ken Burns
• Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns
• The Roosevelts: An Intimate History by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns

Books - Glorious Books! (image made with wordle.net)

Okay - there you have it! Did I miss anything that you think is a must read? You will notice that I have a bit of an American bent (hey I'm American), but I hope I have included enough varied topics and types of genealogy and family history books so that there is something you know and agree with and something that is new to you. Please share your choices of genealogy or family history books that have had an affect of you in the comments section. 

Cheers and Enjoy!

Tessa 

10 Books That Have Had An Impact On My Life

2 of my choices - put them on your reading list!

Two things - As the White Rabbit said "Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!" - and for me that would be writing for the Worldwide Genealogy Blog before my midnight deadline! Oops - this has been a crazy couple of weeks and I am completely off kilter (but slowly righting myself!). However, sometimes it is a good thing to be running late because - I saw a blogpost where one person challenged another to come up a list of 10 books that have had an impact on her life. Wow - that challenge is interesting and deep (and does not require getting doused with water!). I am a huge reader and always have been - and I mean one or two books a week, except while in graduate school (lots of reading, just not much fun stuff).

So with credit to the blogger (Judy from Australia) who wrote about the challenge, as well as a link to her list found at Jottings, Journeys and Genealogy, why not make up your list and then see if you share any books in common with her (I know I did). Perhaps you share a few books in common with me.

Here is my list:

(1) Thumbelina (Hans Christian Andersen)- the first book I got to purchase. I loved the story and the artwork - it fed into my sense of adventure and possibilities. When my mother told me I could pick out a book at the school fair, I thought I was taking it home. Sadly we purchased it for the school library - and when I did not have it checked out, I hid it so others could not find it to check it out. I was a bit naughty as a first grader in Catholic school (the story of my life). This book began my lifelong love affair with books as well as strong, smart heroines.

(2) The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills and The Last Enchantment (trilogy by Mary Stewart) - I first read these books on our family summer vacation - we might have gone to Eastern Washington, but I went back in time and was transported.

(3) Black Like Me (John  Howard Griffin) - a must read for anyone who wants to understand what life was and sometimes still is like for a minority in the USA.

(4) To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee) - I read this book in high school but did not really grasp the full importance of it until I read it (and watched the movie) for a legal ethics class. Every single one of us should aspire to live our lives with integrity and honor (when everyone is watching and more importantly, when they are not). What is not to love and admire about Atticus Finch, and didn't we all want to be friends with Scout?

(5) Gone With the Wind (Margaret Mitchell) - I immediately bonded with Scarlett in spite of all her faults and I never understood what anyone saw in Ashley. I was team Rhett from the get go. This book reminded me that so much in life is neither black nor white but various shades of grey. We need to understand an individual's background and motivations. My grandmother left me her second edition of the book (the one with all the movie photos) because I always snuck a peak whenever we visited for monthly Sunday dinner. GWTW created a bond between my grandmother and me that I will always treasure.

(6) Here Be Dragons, Falls the Shadow and The Reckoning (trilogy by Sharon Kay Penman) - I picked up this trilogy while in Glasgow and read the books while I spent a summer in the UK. Fascinating historical fiction and wonderfully written. I am throwing in The Sunne in Splendour because I picked it up with the trilogy and loved the redemption of Richard III (unfair of Shakespeare to paint him a villain).

(7) In the Garden of Beasts (Erik Larson) - one of my favorite authors, as I love how he researches and shares truth that is stranger and harsher than fiction. As the world failed to pay attention, Hitler and his bully boys rose to power. What was it about the world powers, their leaders, and foreign service personnel that they stood by while Berlin and the rest of Germany slid into such horrors? Why did the German people turn on their neighbors and turn a blind eye to what was happening to the Jews and other "minorities." Why do we not seem to learn the lesson of what happens when a people, country or political group is intolerant - why when we said "never again" do we continue to have ethnic cleansing, massacres, and religious zealots/terrorists on the world stage?

(8) The Lymond Chronicles (a six part series) and The House of Niccolo (the eight part prequel) (Dorothy Dunnett) - my all time favorite author, someone who kept me thinking throughout each book in both series and she took me on an adventure all over the world. An absolutely brilliant series of books that once you reach the end of each series, you have to go back and start all over to catch all those clues you may have missed. Her books made me delve into the history, language, literature, religion, geography, and politics of the times she wrote about - she was a wonderful author who encouraged her readers to learn more about so many subjects. When I traveled throughout Scotland, Europe and the Mediterranean, oftentimes I knew I was traveling where my favorite characters traveled.

(9) The Reason I Jump (Naoki Higashida) - if you want to understand one person's journey living with autism and rethink your response to those who are different, this book is both eye-opening and heartbreaking. Whether you know an autistic person or you simply want to be aware of what an autistic person goes through and expand your understanding of humanity, read this book.

(10) The Boys In The Boat (Daniel James Brown) - Seattle in the 1930s and 1940s, working-class American boys with a dream, the history of crew both in England and America, the hard work, dedication, and hopes of the boat builder (George Pocock), the coaches, and the crew members of the University of Washington 8-man crew, all in the context of the events that shaped history - the depression and the 1936 Berlin Olympics. I was on the edge of my seat cheering those boys on and learning life lessons from Mr. Pocock. Reading this book, you can't help but cheer for Joe Rantz (it is also a story of families - those you are born into and those you choose to join, and it made me thankful for mine).

Next month, I will share my list of 10 genealogy or family history books that have had an impact on my genealogy life.

And now - what are your selections?

Librarything for Genealogy

 I love Librarything the online social media tool that serves as my reading log, personal library catalogue, book recommendation tool and conduit to other booklovers with similar interests.

Although I use this tool for all things bookish I find that it is a wonderful tool for genealogy. As one enters books into the database one can tag them with descriptors. The tag "Genealogy" has been used 54,779 times  to date to describe works in the database.

The top ten books tagged genealogy are:

• Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian by Elizabeth Shown Mills (428 times)
• Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace by Elizabeth Shown Mills (273 times)
• The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy by Val D. Greenwood (269 times)
• The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy (Revised Edition) by Loretto Dennis Szucs (266 times)
• The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual by Board for Certification of Genealogists (251 times)
• Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians by Elizabeth Shown Mills(243 times)
• The Handybook for Genealogists : United States of America by George B. Everton (225 times)
• Ancestry's Red Book: American State, County & Town Sources, Third Revised Edition by Alice Eichholz (218 times)
• Unpuzzling Your Past: The Best-Selling Basic Guide to Genealogy by Emily Anne Croom (185 times)
• The Genealogist's Companion & Sourcebook by Emily Anne Croom (180 times)

The Librarything member who has used the genealogy tag the most is Robin from Westchester, PA. You can see her profile and list of books in her library here: http://www.librarything.com/profile/arjaygee


Librarything for Genealogists is the title of one of the talks I presented earlier in the year on the 4th Unlock the Past Cruise. I was pleased to have an opportunity to tell a few people about this product because it is one of my all time favourite sites and I was even more pleased when I had a sizeable audience who appeared to be most enthusiastic after the talk.


I don't use all of Librarything's social functions because I just don't have time but I do have a favourite.

Librarything Connection Page

On the Connections Tab of Librarything is "Interesting Libraries";  this is one element of Librarything that I love because I can follow what other people are adding to their personal collections if I add them to my list of "Interesting Libraries".  Most of the interesting libraries I follow are those of other genealogists and bookish friends. I like to see what they add, rate and review and to compare their libraries with mine. I could even check to see if they own a hard to find title and plead with them to do a lookup for me.

Among the "Interesting Libraries" I follow are those belonging to these genealogists (some of whom contribute to this blog). If you want to take a peek into their libraries here are some links for you.

alexdaw, AnglersRest, audreycollins, ausgenjourneys, BeckyJamison, caroleriley, cassmob, cdfhs, CMPointer, DebbieKennett, dougangene, drumcondra, johngasson, kingstongenealogy, KirstyF.Wilkinson, Leslie_Ann, Linda.Ottery, lmdhs, lovegenealogy, Merron, NSWGenealogy, perkinsy, ,pschultz, sheenatait, smbrennan. 

Librarything membership is free for your first 200 books added and a lifetime membership is $US25. 

Librarything is a fantastic tool to organise your personal library and record your reading. I suggest you give it a try.