Friday, October 11, 2002
Unpuzzling Your Past
by Emily Anne Croom
Whenever I get into a hobby (if I can dignify my ephemeral interests with such a term) I usually plunge right in and start messing with whatever has piqued my interest. A few months later, I then get a introductory book on the subject and use it to organize my newly gained experience and fill in some of the things I missed. If I really get into a hobby, I may even go out and buy a book. Anyway, I've confirmed genealogy and my web site as official hobbies by picking up the appropriate introductory volumes at the fall Friends of the Library sale. This is the genealogy one. It's nice enough and has some good, basic info. (as well as some forms to photocopy) However, it's geared toward someone who is writing a family history--complete with recollections and anecdotes. Me, I'm in the facts stage of things. I don't care what odd habits great-great-grandpa had. I want to know what part of Canada he hails from and if he's really part Native American like my aunts and uncles claim. But then, I'm treating this all more like a puzzle to be solved than a heritage to be claimed. Anyway, I've got my 75 cents worth. If you're looking for an intro to genealogy, this is worth checking out, but I suspect there are other books out there which would serve just as well.
LibraryThing link
Whenever I get into a hobby (if I can dignify my ephemeral interests with such a term) I usually plunge right in and start messing with whatever has piqued my interest. A few months later, I then get a introductory book on the subject and use it to organize my newly gained experience and fill in some of the things I missed. If I really get into a hobby, I may even go out and buy a book. Anyway, I've confirmed genealogy and my web site as official hobbies by picking up the appropriate introductory volumes at the fall Friends of the Library sale. This is the genealogy one. It's nice enough and has some good, basic info. (as well as some forms to photocopy) However, it's geared toward someone who is writing a family history--complete with recollections and anecdotes. Me, I'm in the facts stage of things. I don't care what odd habits great-great-grandpa had. I want to know what part of Canada he hails from and if he's really part Native American like my aunts and uncles claim. But then, I'm treating this all more like a puzzle to be solved than a heritage to be claimed. Anyway, I've got my 75 cents worth. If you're looking for an intro to genealogy, this is worth checking out, but I suspect there are other books out there which would serve just as well.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut
// posted by John @ 10:41 PM 
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