Unpuzzling Your Past: A Basic Guide to Genealogy

The new and expanded fourth edition of this best-selling guide (over 150,000 copies sold!) to genealogy provides readers with the tools and information they need to jump into this great American hobby. Unpuzzling Your Past, 4th edition focuses on fundamental strategies for success, questions to ask, places for research, and interesting examples of each step along the way. Throughout, readers will find techniques and suggestions for: Taping family documents, oral tradition and memories; Exploring the vast array of U.S. public records, from newspapers and tombstones to censuses and land records; Getting the most from names, dates and handwriting of the past; Developing a first-rate and meaningful family history; Well-organized, well-written and comprehensive, this guide offers readers charts, illustrations, reference sidebars, bibliographies, a glossary, and useful, reproducible forms. Each chapter is capped with a list of "Things to Do Now" to encourage readers or students to apply what they have learned.