This is a carefully thought-out introduction to the methods and principles of genealogical research written for the beginner and calculated to entertain while producing results. It shows how to start research and how to find clues in family keepsakes and memorabilia, and it introduces important sources of information such as census records, church records, the vital records of birth, marriage, and death, probate and land records, and the infinite array of public records. It also explains the origins and uses of these records in the context of the research process, and it does so while conveying a sense of fun and excitement. The author is well qualified for she is a teacher of genealogy and a professional genealogist.