Shaking Your Family Tree: A Basic Guide to Tracing Your Family's Genealogy

Arlene Eakle and Johni Cerny's The Source ( LJ 9/15/84) and Ancestry's Guide to Research (1984) have superseded by their encyclopedic fullness every other genealogical handbook and will be indispensable for years to come. The need persists, however, for the brief, affordable, nonintimidating guide for the beginner. Many good ones are available: e.g., Gilbert Doane and James C. Bell's Searching for Your Ancestors (Univ. of Minnesota Pr., 1980. 5th ed.); Harriet Stryker-Rodda's How To Climb Your Family Tree (Genealogical Pub. Co., 1977, repr. 1983). Public libraries that need another such book will profit by Crandall's thorough and readable coverage of the various types of records. He discusses methods, library resources, immigration, etc. Helpful pointers summarize each chapter. The book is weak on ethnic research, however, and skimpy on the use of computers. (Index and workbook not seen.) Priscilla E. Pratt, St. John's Univ. Lib., Jamaica, N.Y.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.