A good book

[SBSFamilyhistory]

hi all,

Can anyone recommend a good book on Genealogy please, one that you would call your "bible".

thanks


Sue

[mike lee]

Hi,,,,,i would recommend "ANCESTRAL TRAILS" The complete guide to British genealogy and family history. By Mark Herber. Winner of the library associations McColvin medal for outstanding reference work.A defining work,,,,I confidently predict that,in future years the phrase "according to Herber" will be used to confer authority on deliberations about family history research" -FAMILY TREE MAGAZINE. Thats my threepence worth anyway,,,,good luck with your research....Mike

[Browneyes]

Is there a particular area of genealogy that you're interested in Sue?

[Jan1954]

Sue,

Get a cuppa, make yourself comfy and have a good old browse here. Any questions, just ask.

[Peter Goodey]

Can I suggest looking through your County library catalogue and ordering in (if necessary) a selection of genealogy reference books. Then you can decide which one you'd really like on your bookshelf.

[Geoffers]

What one person loves will send another to sleep after the first page, if you're after a general 'how to research a family history' I'd be inclined to follow Peter's advice and see what there is at a local library that looks interesting and is readable.

Limiting yourself to one book though? - I'd say this is impossible. I have in excess of 800 books on various aspects of history and each in their own way has proved indispensible - though my wife takes a different view.

A few books that I have used a lot include (but I don't know if they are all still available):
The Local Historian's Encyclopedia - John Richardson
The Local History Companion - Stephen Friar
Tracing your ancestors in the Public Record Office (I prefer the earlier editions)
Naval Records for Genealogists - N.A.M.Rodger

The family and Local History Handbook, published annually is quite useful (Though I hate the design of the covers)

An awful lot from the basics to more advanced can be found on The National Archives web-site

[AnnB]

Like Geoffers I have shelves of books on all aspects of history and local history. To add to his 'used a lot' list, three books which have proved extremely useful to me in the past are John West's "Village Records" and "Town Records" and W E Tate's "The Parish Chest".

Best wishes
Ann

[SBSFamilyhistory]

Thanks everyone, I will as suggested badger my local library and see what I like best.


Sue

[pottoka]

Sue,

Get a cuppa, make yourself comfy and have a good old browse here. Any questions, just ask.

Like Sue, I'm looking for a really good, comprehensive book on family history which will help me put flesh on the bones of my ancestors instead of just finding names and dates.

I had a browse, Jan, but I think I'd need to win on the Lottery to buy all the books listed that seemed interesting and relevant (and some of them ran to three volumes!)

Bo, can you explain a bit about the Family and Local History Handbook which you recommended, please? I can't get to a library to have a look at any of these books!

please

[pottoka]

Limiting yourself to one book though? - I'd say this is impossible. I have in excess of 800 books on various aspects of history and each in their own way has proved indispensible - though my wife takes a different view.

You must have an enormous house, Geoffers, or have you done like my dad and taken over the children's rooms once they moved out - so that when we go back to visit, we have to pick our way through piles of books, magazines, letters from like-minded people, and live out of our suitcase because all the drawers and wardrobes are taken?

My purse would take a different view to that many books, let alone my worthy bedfellow (a term which I found in a letter addressed to Lord Somerset, the uncle of Edward VI)

The Family and Local History Handbook, published annually is quite useful (Though I hate the design of the covers)

Have you thought of covering it with plain brown paper, like we did with school textbooks?