In addition to the books referenced throughout this work you may also find the following books helpful.
The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, 3rd ed., edited by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking (Provo, UT: Ancestry Publishing, 2006).
The Source is one of those books that exist on just about every professional genealogist's bookshelf. Each chapter, written by an expert, covers a different body of genealogy research, showing what sources are available, how to find them, and how to use them. This is the definitive book for anyone researching American genealogy. The previous edition is searchable online for anyone with a subscription to Ancestry.com.
The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy, 3rd ed., by Val D. Greenwood (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2000).
Another essential reference for researchers in American genealogy, The Researcher's Guide identifies various classes of records used in genealogical research and tells where they are located and how to use them in research. This is both a reference book on available American records and a guide to the genealogical research process.
Ancestry's Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources, 3rd rev. ed., edited by Alice Eichholz, PhD (Provo, UT: Ancestry Publishing, 2004).
If you need to know when a particular county was formed, what records are available, or where records are kept, this reference book will generally have the answers, with resources and historical information organized by state and county. The previous edition is searchable online for anyone with a subscription to Ancestry.com.
Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace by Elizabeth Shown Mills (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2007).
While there is no one proper method for citing your genealogy sources, many of us like to have a reference guide to offer examples and help point us in the right direction. Evidence Explained offers just that, with citation examples and models for thousands of different reference materials, from Internet databases and images to census records and court records. Elizabeth Mills also shares her expert guidance in how to analyze for yourself what the essential citation elements are for different types of records that you may encounter.
The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual by the Board for Certification of Genealogists (Orem, UT: Ancestry Publishing, 2000).
If you're interested in becoming a professional genealogist, or just want to produce a quality, well-researched family history, this official manual from the Board for Certification of Genealogists brings together a wide array of research standards, along with examples of how to put them into practice.
Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2001).
This comprehensive manual for professional genealogists is also a must-have for the serious hobbyist. Twenty-three chapters cover a variety of genealogical skills and standards, each presented by a professional genealogist with expertise in the subject. Topics include every aspect of professional genealogy, including proof standards and ethics and operating a genealogy business, plus family history research and publication.
The Family Tree Problem Solver: Proven Methods for Scaling the Inevitable Brick Wall by Marsha Hoffman Rising (Cincinnati, OH: Family Tree Books, 2005).
When you hit a brick wall in your genealogy research, this book often comes to the rescue. The well-respected author offers a number of “brick wall” research techniques, along with case studies to demonstrate the techniques in action. She then delves into the most common types of genealogical research dead ends — missing records, ancestors who lived prior to 1850, and men with the same name — and the best ways to deal with them.
Hidden Sources: Family History in Unlikely Places by Laura Szucs Pfeiffer (Orem, UT: Ancestry Publishing, 2001).
Another excellent book geared toward getting you past your brick walls by introducing you to the vast variety of records in which you might discover your ancestors.
Trace Your Roots with DNA: Using Genetic Tests to Explore Your Family Tree by Megan Smolenyak and Ann Turner (Emmaus, PA: Rodale Books, 2004).
Genetics and DNA are science, so you can expect to have to stretch your brain a little to really grasp how the tests work and how they can be used in conjunction with traditional genealogy research to learn more about your ancestors. While this book isn't exactly light reading given the subject matter, it is a very user-friendly introduction written by two experts in the field.
Unlocking Your Genetic History: A Step-by-Step Guide to Discovering Your Family's Medical and Genetic Heritage by Thomas H. Shawker (Nashville, TN: Rutledge Hill Press, 2004).
If you want to dig even further into the science behind the application of DNA testing for genealogy, Thomas Shawker also does an outstanding job of explaining this difficult subject in layman's terms. Especially important are the chapters on why it is important for you to know about your family's health history and how to compile and interpret your own medical pedigree.
Digitizing Your Family History: Easy Methods for Preserving Your Heirloom Documents, Photos, Home Movies, and More in Digital Format by Rhonda R. McClure (Cincinnati, OH: Family Tree Books, 2004).
If technology intimidates you a bit, this book will help you tackle the project of digitizing your family history, from choosing a scanner or digital camera to using software to fix up your old family photos or preserve your old family movies.
Uncovering Your Ancestry Through Family Photographs by Maureen A. Taylor (Cincinnati, OH: Family Tree Books, 2005).
It takes practice and experience to learn how to find the little clues hidden in your family photos that can help you identify the people, place, or time period. Author Maureen Taylor specializes in this area, and shares that expertise in this book, along with beautiful photographs to illustrate her points.
Land and Property Research in the United States by E. Wade Hone (Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Publishing, 1997).
Land records are among the oldest and best-preserved records available to American genealogists, but the variety of available land records and property laws can make them confusing to beginning researchers. This book is one to turn to again and again for land and property research.
Reading Early American Handwriting by Kip Sperry (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., reprinted 2008).
Kip Sperry explains techniques for reading early American documents, provides samples of common alphabets and letter forms, and defines many of the unusual terms and abbreviations that you'll encounter. Numerous examples make it easy to practice what you're learned.
Ancestral Trails: The Complete Guide to British Genealogy and Family History, 2nd rev. ed., by Mark D. Herber (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2006).
A comprehensive book on British genealogy and family history with information for the beginner and advanced researcher alike. This excellent book begins with the basics of starting your family tree, and then walks you through the maze of British records and repositories. There is some Internet coverage, but this is still primarily a guide to offline, published sources.
Producing a Quality Family History by Patricia Law Hatcher (Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Publishing, 1996).
This excellent guide walks you through every step of producing a published family history of your family, including organizing your information; writing the narrative; and finalizing all of the little details, from choosing a typeface to creating a bibliography.
You Can Write Your Family History by Sharon Debartolo Carmack (Cincinnati, OH: Betterway Books, 2003).
This book is guaranteed to inspire almost anyone, even those of you who may not like to write, to successfully chronicle the fascinating tales of your ancestors. Her advice is practical and down-to-earth, taking you step by step through the process from researching to writing.
