Category Archives: Book Reviews

Title: New York Family History Research Guide and Gazetteer Edited by: Naomi Joshi, et al. Format: Paperback Published: 2015 My Rating: The following review first appeared in the Federation of Genealogical Societies FORUM magazine (Fall 2016); reprinted with permission. Note: This review is based on the original edition. A revised edition was released in 2017. Those who have New York ancestors no doubt understand the challenges associated with researching them. While there are materials out there to assist genealogists with researching in New York, there wasn’t one resource to cover […]

  Title: Luxembourg-America: 19th, 20th and 21st Centuries Edited by: Brain&More Format: Hardcover Published: 2015 My Rating: The following review first appeared in the Federation of Genealogical Societies FORUM magazine (Summer 2016); reprinted with permission. Being a descendant of Luxembourg immigrants, I’m always on the lookout for resources to learn more about the history and culture of this small European country. I can tell from my genealogy research that my immigrant ancestors were very proud of their Luxembourg heritage; I guess they took the motto to heart: “Mir wëlle bleiwe […]

Title: Endogamy: One Family, One People Author: Israel Pickholtz Format: Paperback Published: 2015 My Rating: The following review first appeared in the Federation of Genealogical Societies FORUM magazine (Fall 2015); reprinted with permission. The world of genetic genealogy has grown considerably over the last several years. The testing of one’s DNA and comparing the results to others has no doubt crumbled a few brick walls. As more and more people test their DNA, resources that help navigate the DNA pool are in high demand. Many of the top genetic genealogists […]

  Title: Elements of Genealogical Analysis: How to Maximize Your Research Using the Great Migration Study Project Method Author: Robert Charles Anderson Format: Paperback Published: 2014 My Rating: The following review first appeared in the Federation of Genealogical Societies FORUM magazine (Summer 2015); reprinted with permission. There are plenty of how-to guides available for genealogy researchers, covering a variety of topics from record types to locations and everything in between. While some of the more general genealogy how-to books set forth a basic research process, oftentimes their main goal is […]

Title:  The Other Mother: A Woman’s Love for the Child She Gave Up for Adoption Author:  Carol Schaefer Format:  Paperback, Kindle Published: 1991; reprint, 2013 Synopsis:  (from Amazon) In 1965, Carol Schaefer was 19, a freshman in college and deeply in love. She was also pregnant. When her boyfriend’s family opposed their marrying, her parents sequestered her in a Catholic home for unwed mothers a state away, where she was isolated and where secrecy prevailed. She had only to give up her baby for her sin to be forgiven and […]

Title:  Out of the Shoebox: An Autobiographic Mystery Author:  Yaron Reshef Format:  Paperback and Kindle Published:  2014 Synopsis: (from Amazon)  A mysterious unexpected phone call hurls Yaron Reshef into an intensive two-year journey, during which he has to solve a mystery that took shape in the 1930s and gradually unfolded in the present.  A mysterious lot, a forgotten bank account, a people long gone along with their memory which were obliterated during the Holocaust.  All of these rise to the surface, bearing with them memories and emotions previously hidden away […]

Title:  What’s in a Name? History and Meaning of Wyckoff Author:  M. William Wykoff Format:  Paperback Published:  2014 Synopsis: (from Amazon) The cumulative evidence presented here proves that the origin of the surname Wyckoff is Frisian and refers to a household or settlement on a bay, although many uninformed American descendants of Pieter Claessen Wyckoff continue to believe the name to be Dutch. Frisian was only one of the many languages spoken by early settlers of New Netherland. In the Northern Germanic linguistic area of Europe, the surname occurs principally […]

Title:  Guide to Genealogical Writing Authors:  Penelope L. Stratton and Henry B. Hoff Format:  Paperback Published:  2014 Synopsis:  (from NEHGS website)  Whether you are new to genealogy or have been researching for years, this improved edition of our bestselling “writing guide” will help you present your findings in writing.  Using examples from NEHGS’s award-winning publications, our experts show you how to write your family history clearly and accurately—from building a genealogical sketch to adding images to indexing.  An appendix on genealogical style covers alternate spellings of names, when and how […]