Book Review: Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone

Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone is the debut book by photographer, John Thomas Grant. It is packed with 156 pages of high quality, beautiful color images taken in the historical cemeteries of the northeastern United States. Make no mistake, this book is not a documentary or historical transcription but rather a journey into the past which reminds us, in stunning photography, that those who passed before us were as vibrantly alive as we are now.

Using both color and black and white photography, Grant's purpose is to leave the reader unencumbered with text so that they can explore the stirring images for themselves. Only epitaphs from gravestones serve to enhance to visual messages from the photographs. Instead of sadness, many of the photographs declare a triumph of the continuance of life and memory.

As a genealogist and gravestone photographer myself, I was intrigued to know which cemeteries were the backdrop of his photographs. The images in the book are free from micro details such as these but I was pleased to discover an index in the back which satisfied my curiosity. For those that are inspired by his work, Grant also provides an appendix with further information about gravestone studies.

In the forward to Final Thoughts Douglas Keister writes,

"I'm a documentary photographer. I take good accurate photos; sometimes I even take a great picture....John Grant goes one more step.  Grant takes what he sees with his eyes and feels with heart and soul and somehow magically extracts the essence of his subject and makes a picture."

I couldn't agree more. Most genealogists, taphophiles, historians and others with interest in old gravestones are bent on documentation and preservation. John Grant uses the camera's lens to transform stone memorials to life. His photos are evocative, poignant, emotional and inspiring.

In this book, the combination of artistic creation, material culture, history, cultural landscape and natural wonder mesh to form a vibrant expression of color and beauty. Anyone with an appreciation for history in its natural environment will enjoy this unique expression that links the past to the present. It's success lies in capturing our truest feelings at perhaps the most vulnerable transition in every person's life. A work of inspiring art, Final Thoughts is the touching visual expression of history and genealogy brought to life.

Get to know author and photographer John Thomas Grant better by reading my interview with him.

Author: John Thomas Grant
Title: Final Thoughts: Eternal Beauty in Stone
160 pages with illustrations; index; appendix; color
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7643-3910-3
Available From: http://www.schifferbooks.com and other book sellers including Amazon.com
Cost: Hardcover $34.99

Photos courtesy of John Thomas Grant

Book Review: Black Families in Hampden County, Massachusetts 1650-1865

The second edition of Black Families in Hampden County, Massachusetts 1650-1865 by Joseph Carvalho III was released this year by the New England Historic Genealogical Society. This second edition was over twenty-five years in the making.

When a second edition comes out readers often wonder whether enough changes were made to warrant the purchase. At an impressive 400 pages, the resounding answer for this edition is “Yes!” The new edition is nearly double the size of the 211 page original.

What has changed? The title has been altered for starters. The first edition covered the years 1650-1855. With twenty-five years of advancement in technology, computers and increased access to genealogical and historical documents, the book now extends to the year 1865.

The book begins with a helpful historical overview of African Americans in Hampden County. This will help both the beginning and advanced researcher to better put their ancestors’ lives in proper context.

The bulk of the book continues to be the biographies and genealogies of black families of Hampden County. With the new documentation, both from public sources and private collections, the section has been increased over one hundred pages.

I used one of my personal research interests, Jethro Jones, as a test case. Jethro lived from 1733 to 1828. He is not an ideal example to demonstrate the breadth of additions from 1855-1865 but never-the-less his biography was re-written and augmented. In-line citations are still included throughout this section but written more clearly and fully.

In addition to the main section, new content in the form of Appendixes has been added covering topics such as military service, ancestry and nations of origin, occupations and avocations, bylaws of the U.S. League of Gileadites and demographic statistical tables. The included bibliography is a lengthy fourteen pages.

While the title Black Families in Hampden County, Massachusetts 1650-1865 is accurate, it falls short of the true depth and reach of the book. In reality, this work reflects the migration and movement of African Americans from all over New England and New York. Black families who lived in Connecticut and moved north appear here, as are those from New York who sought greater freedom in Massachusetts. And I would be remiss not to mention all the others, like Jethro Jones, who followed the more traditional pattern of moving westward into Hampden County from Eastern Massachusetts.

Black Families in Hampden County is essential for any researcher who is searching for African Americans in New England up until 1865. It is also a tremendous example of the wide variety of original and secondary sources available to researchers delving into the often challenging arena of African American research.

As a one-county study, this work shines as beacon of outstanding and comprehensive research. Others wishing to do one-county studies on sub-groups, whether based on national origin, religion, race or some other topic, would do well to use this book as their source of inspiration. Black Families in Hampden County, Massachusetts, 1650-1865 belongs on the shelf of every serious researcher of African Americans as well as every genealogical library. Joseph Carvalho’s labor of love is a magnificent work that shows in-depth research at its best.

Author: Joseph Carvalho III
Title: Black Families in Hampden County, Massachusetts 1650-1865, 2nd Edition
400 pages with illustrations; bibliography; index; appendixes; black and white
Publisher: New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS), 2011
ISBN: 978-0-88082-259-6
Available From: NEHGS (1-888-296-3447) and other book sellers
Cost: Hardcover $29.95

Book Review: Annie’s Ghosts by Steve Luxenberg

This book made me think. That’s probably the greatest compliment I can give the book. It got me thinking on so many different levels. It’s not a book that you can rush through riding an adrenalin high but one that is best enjoyed slowly savoring the journey. I found myself dreading the arrival of the end where we would have to part ways.

Annie’s Ghosts by Steve Luxenberg is the story of a son who discovers a family secret that has been hidden for a lifetime. Shortly before his mother’s death, Luxenberg learns that she was not an only child as she had always told everyone. His strong desire to understand his mother’s lifelong deception sent him on a quest to unravel the mystery of her hidden sister, Annie.

The book tackles enormous issues such as historical views on physical disability, mental illness, immigration, family secrets, poverty, the nature of kinship and the Holocaust. Luxenberg does not simply relate these issues as they connect to his own family. Instead, with tenacious and tireless energy he delves deep into the social history of the subjects to help the reader understand contemporary viewpoints and perceptions. Luxenberg takes the reader on a journey through past stigmas of poverty and mental illness that make us confront where we came from and where we stand now.

During his in-depth research Luxenberg left no stone unturned, even researching the magazines his mother read in an attempt to understand the perceptions of the time. The author clearly utilized his background as an investigative journalist unearthing record sources when none should have existed. Genealogists will be left with the impression that they still have a thing or two to learn about reasonably exhaustive research.

This book is so personal that I felt like I was researching right along with the author. It’s a voyage where Luxenberg lays his emotions bare in a way that is raw, honest and candid. At times, I wondered whether I should be privy to such an intimate view of his family. As he challenges the past and himself, he also challenges the readers to identify their own true feelings of family history and kinship. Luxenberg’s ability to jump from the intimate to the cerebral demonstrates his exquisite skill as a masterful writer to control the unraveling of his story.

This book succeeds because, like others of its genre, one person comes to represent the “everyman” in a moment in time. Luxenberg’s Aunt Annie stands as a testament to all institutionalized people and for all the families who felt shame and kept them a secret.

Annie’s Ghosts is a perfect selection for book groups to read and discuss. The topics of family and human nature are familiar conversation starters for all readers.

This is a powerful book!

Title: Annie's Ghosts
Author: Steve Luxenberg
Publisher: Hyperion, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4013-2247-2
401 pages with photos, end notes, index and list of family members and  recurring figures

Book Review: "Finding the Civil War in Your Family Album" by Maureen A. Taylor

This book is so hot off the press that there are no printed copies available yet (they will be soon). I was able to review the book when the author allowed me to read her single-copy galley proof.

I have been interested in photo identification from the time I became interested in genealogy. I come from a long line of photographers in my family. So it’s a natural fit for me. I’ve been reading Maureen Taylor’s books right from the start, as well as following her informative Photo Detective articles in Family Tree Magazine. I am very familiar not only with Taylor’s photo identification books but I also have a collection written by other authors.

As a genealogist and family historian, I know what I want in a photo identification book. I want lots of photos. I want to be able to see a wide variety of photos that I can compare to my own historical family collection as well as to my private non-family collection which I’ve been growing slowly. I want to see a variety of details such as clothing, props and backdrops that will give me the tools I need to identify my own photos.

In her latest book Finding the Civil War in Your Family Album, Taylor provides 130 photos related specifically to the Civil War time frame in this 192-page book. The book is an easy-to-hold trade paperback size but that doesn’t detract from the photos which are large enough to view the important details. Except for the cover, the book and photos are in black and white.

There is a wide variety of photos from families to individual portraits, children and adults. I was pleased to see a selection of African American portraits also. Given that the book focuses on the Civil War there are many photos of soldiers (even a sailor or two). Without actually counting, it appeared that there was a pretty even divide between Union soldiers and Confederate soldiers.

In addition to an abundance of photos, readers are treated to a broad overview of topics relating to Civil War photos. Taylor provides background information related to the time period on photo albums, revenue stamps, clothing (separate chapters for men, women and children), uniforms, weddings and much more. In addition there is a chapter focused on researching photographers whose company imprints often appear on the photos.

A nice touch that has been added to the end of the book is a chapter of real life success stories in finding family photos. She recounts the success of family historians, Midge Frazel at the site Dead Fred and of Rachel Pierce on eBay in locating family photos.

The book also includes sections for endnotes, a glossary and bibliography. The book is currently for sale on CreateSpace and I’m told the first books will ship at the end of March 2011.

Maureen Taylor, in her book Finding the Civil War in Your Family Album, delivers just the right balance between providing numerous example photographs and detailed historical and photographic background. If you have Civil War era ancestors in your family you will find this book a welcome and beneficial addition to your library.

Author: Maureen A. Taylor
Title: Finding the Civil War in Your Family Album
192 pages with illustrations; endnotes; glossary; bibliography; black and white
ISBN: 928-0-578-02809-0
Available From: CreateSpace.com
Cost: $24.95
On sale now; first shipments due out end of March 2011
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Book Review: Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History, A Companion to the NBC Series

I have to admit that when I first encountered this book I was a bit hesitant about a genealogy book associated with a television program. You can understand my hesitation considering there are very few genealogy programs and even fewer with companion books.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book by well-known genealogist Megan Smolenyak. The book is geared toward the beginning genealogist, particularly those people who may have watched the show and decided it was time to start tracing their roots.

There have been many beginning genealogy books published in the past so what makes this one different? I am happy to say that this book is different.

First off, it is easy to read and approachable. It is written in a playful, conversational style. Anyone who is sticking their big toe in the pool of genealogy will feel welcomed rather than apprehensive or overwhelmed.

Smolenyak also has a way of gently warning the beginners of genealogical pitfalls and myths all the while coaxing them in the right direction. She provides them with the important first steps in genealogy such as beginning with home sources and oral history interviews. She then takes her readers through census, vital and military records as well as “crossing the pond” back to the old country. She has a whole section about online records while at the same time cautioning the beginners that not all information is found online.

Perhaps one of the things I like best about the book is that Smolenyak uses examples from her own personal family history as well as from her professional projects to illustrate her discussions. The result is a more intimate book.

The previously released hard copy version contains a full-color section with profiles of the celebrities from season one. The profiles contain a summary of the individual episodes that were revealed during the first season. While providing an accurate summary of the programs, the profiles understandably lack the emotional element that is present in the television version. For anyone that is particularly interested in learning about the celebrities I would encourage you to seek out the original episodes online or in video format. Please note that the recently released paperback version of the book does not contain the celebrity overviews.

In summary, Megan Smolenyak’s companion book to the series Who Do You Think You Are? is a delightful, welcoming introduction to genealogy for the uninitiated. If you have a friend or relative that seems ready to learn about their family history then encourage them with a copy of this book. It may be just what they need to catch the genealogy bug.

Both versions of book can currently be found online at quite reasonable discounted prices.

Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History, A Companion to the NBC Series. By Megan Smolenyak. Published by Viking, the Penguin Group (USA), New York, NY. Hardcover. ISBN 978-0-670-02163-5. $24.95 Paperback. ISBN 978-0-143-11891-6. $15.00

Book Review: Online State Resources for Genealogy by Michael Hait

The recently published Online State Resources for Genealogy by Michael Hait is an electronic book in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format.  It is the latest book from this prolific author.

In his 310 page book, Hait attempts to help researchers cut through the sheer volume of United States records that are available on the internet.  He looks at records that are freely available from government agencies as well as towns, counties and states.  In focusing on the lesser known sources, he intentionally excludes from his book large sites such as Ancestry, Footnote, FamilySearch and Find-A-Grave.

I decided to put the book through its paces by starting with the state I know best from a research point of view - Massachusetts. Right from the start, I found he included a resource that I had not used before - Digital Commonwealth. Digital Commonwealth features links to collections of resources held by Massachusetts libraries, museums, historical societies, and archives.  While it looks like a collection that is still growing, it is definitely a resource to keep an eye for future reference.

Hait's treatment of the Massachusetts State Archives provides a comprehensive look at its major holdings.  He does not provide information on all of their collections but rather encourages readers to delve deeper into the online site to discover other resources on their own.  Given the incredible volume of resources at this repository I think that is probably the best approach.  He takes the same approach with all the repositories in his book.

Many researchers are perhaps not familiar with the incredible resources available at the often-overlooked Massachusetts Historical Society.  An overview is provided for their many online collections including Anti-slavery Images, African Americans and the End of Slavery in Massachusetts, the Siege of Boston and Massachusetts Maps.  This is just a sampling of the collections he features. A similar treatment is given for the major repositories of the other sates.  Whenever possible he provides direct links to online collections.

Certain states, such as New York, contain reference to important non-governmental collections like the online resources of the Italian Genealogical Group.  Larger states also include pointers to important county-level collections. Every state seems well represented by major online collections. Admittedly, some states have better coverage than others. Hopefully this will be corrected in the second edition which is complimentary to first edition purchasers.

Researchers who are delving into states that are unfamiliar territory will find this book a helpful introduction.  Seasoned specialists will also find this book a handy reference to remind them of the tremendous collections available on the internet.  Researchers should remember, however, that not all genealogical records are available on the internet and should make a point of contacting repositories to learn of non-digitized collections as well.

From a design point of view, the book is well laid out and easy to read.  The Table of Contents provides internal  links to sections on the major state repositories. The individual chapters provide links to the websites themselves. The links to the websites opened easily in my default web browser.  I didn't encounter any errors or broken links. The index at the back of the book provides a way to search by record type if you prefer to do that.

Recognizing that the internet is constantly changing, Hait promises to continually update the book. In this first edition, he has grappled with the monumental task of organizing online state records.  In an age that is heading more towards reading books digitally, I'm sure this work will become a genealogical standard. For such a comprehensive book the cost is priced reasonably at $15. I look forward to seeing this book grow and expand in coming years.

The author is offering all first edition purchasers a complimentary updated edition when it is released.

The book is available for download from lulu.com.

Online State Resources for Genealogy. By Michael Hait. Self-published on lulu.com. 310 pp. Index. Electronic Book (Adobe Acrobat format). $15.00.

Post Script: This book is best used as a reference for multiple states. If you are primarily interested in one state then your money would probably be better spent buying a book specifically on that state.