3 comments about Shaking the Family Tree: Blue Bloods, Black Sheep, and Other Obsessions of an Accidental Genealogist.

1. The author is a Ph.D. in history, tells the story of the beginning of her search for her ancestors. It is written for the general reader, but this genealogist with a fair amount of experience found it entertaining, even funny in places, as well as interesting. Even learned a thing or two. I think a beginning genealogist could learn a lot from it.



2. Part mystery, part history, part adventure, part science, part education, part memoir; this book does it all and does it well. Buzzy Jackson takes us on a search for her family roots that introduces us to the world of genealogy but doesn't shy away from its complexities. The author searches for her past from the perspective of a cruise ship, an abandoned graveyard, a road trip through the south, and even a tour of the New World Vatican -- Salt Lake City. Jackson's book is hard to put down and if you are like me, you will find yourself picking it right back up again when you've finished. Buy it for your family as well--makes a great conversation starter. After all, it's a subject we all share!



3. Jackson may be an accidental genealogist, but she's an on-purpose good writer. This is a book that anybody can pick up and enjoy. Sure, you can get plenty of solid info on tracing your family's roots--or you can just get into her adventures with and without little three-year-old Jackson, her well-traveled son. You don't have to be one of those "genies" that she describes so eloquently, you can simply be a person who appreciates good research, insightful reporting, and oh-so-witty asides.

5 comments about ABC of Architecture.

1. This is a very informative, short book. While he doesn't ignore periods entirely, O'Gormans approach is to concentrate on key architectural principles, primarily structural, and use buildings, or even simplified sketches, to illustrate them. The book would have been even better if the glossary at the end were expanded, and used some sketches: words are frequently far less useful than pictures in explaining a term. Also, I found O'Gormans introduction a bit forced and wordy. Conversely, the last few pages of the book, in which he hurriedly covers such topics as the importance of history and association in interpreting architectural work, were fascinating, but rushed.



2. My college freshman daughter told me she was thinking about majoring in environmental design. Knowing nothing about environmental design, I decided I needed to know more. Architecture is a part of environmental design, and I feel fortunate to have found this book. It is a fast read at about 120 pages, and it is focused on the three principles of an ancient Roman architect named Vitruvius: Utilitas, Firmitas, and Venustas in Latin, or function, structure, and beauty. The book devotes a chapter to each of these principles, and has additional chapters on architecture as communication and the vocabulary of architecture. The book also stresses the importance of history on architecture. The book has numerous drawings that help illustrate the points in the text. After reading this book I feel like I have a high-level picture of what architects have to consider in their profession.



3. Although it is intended for a more amateur architectural audience, O'Gorman doesn't seem to encompass modern thinking into his book. He pretty much re-vamps Vitruvius' famous work into this contemporary style. However, with his contemporary writing, he doesn't bring in any contemporary ideas... He leaves post modernism and modernism out completely... He refers to Mies Van der Rohe, yet he wrongly references him. Mies wasn't concerned with utility, where as O'Gorman's main thesis is that architecture IS utilitarian. The book is a fast easy read however, and it's been interesting... and it WILL certainly help first year arch. students.



4. "ABC of Architecture" is a catchier title than "Introduction to Architecture" but a little misleading. It sounds like it might be a dictionary of architectural terms. The book is, in fact, an introduction to the principles of architecture written for the uninitiated by James F. O'Gorman, professor of architecture and author of a dozen books on the subject. His intention is to demystify the basics for interested laypersons or beginning undergraduates. There is a Précis, which one may read instead of the entire book to get the basics of the basics, but I don't think it contains enough specifics or examples to be helpful.
   
   O'Gorman's approach is to explain architecture by explaining its three components, as proposed by ancient Roman architect Vetruvius: Utilitas (function), Firmitas (structure), and Venustas (beauty). A building's function is expressed by the client in a building program. It is given structure by the builder, while design or beauty is the domain of the architect. A chapter is devoted to each of these aspects of building creation, in which the basic choices are explained: The plan may be additive or divisive, the structural system trabeated or arcuated, the design formal or picturesque, with the ideas, implications, and examples for these basic options.
   
   There is also a chapter that addresses how architecture communicates through associative meaning and one that gives the reader an amusing tour of architectural vocabulary. There is a short glossary of terms in the back and a list of recommended reading. Black-and-white drawings by Dennis E. McGrath provide examples of basic concepts and designs. "ABC of Architecture" is a nice primer that avoids overwhelming the beginner with perplexing terms and engineering but tells the reader enough to know if you want to find out more about the subject or not.



5. I got this book just for my arch class. First, the price is good. but the book itself is very thin. it doesn't help with the course.

5 comments about To Our Children's Children: Preserving Family Histories for Generations to Come.

1. This book helped me get started on a project I had been thinking about for a long time but didn't know how to organize. I had my grandchildren in mind when I started, but after I had written 20 pages, I sent a draft to my children, in essence to see whether they were interested enough for me to continue the project. They were thrilled to get it and requested that I provide even more information on some subjects. I had no idea how much they didn't know about my early life and how interested they were in what I thought was just "ordinary stuff." I have purchased this book for several friends.



2. Do yourself a favor and pass your life's story on to your family. Do not make the mistake my own mother did, and think that her life was uninteresting and unimportant. She is gone now and what I would not give to know the answer to just a few of these questions!
   
   This book is a book of questions for you to answer. There is no dialog, just questions for you. Interesting format. Keep a journal with it since there is not room in this book for you to expand on your answers. Very little space between questions.
   
   I have sent this book to all my family and friends.



3. Very helpful and informative book for anyone who is thinking of writing their life story. Nice tips and suggestions on how to interview family and friends, too. Will make you want to write your story down for all time.



4. Great book, well organized, and gives headings for you to record your thoughts. I gave this as a gift to my sister-in-law who is always telling family stories
   and she is also a new grandmother of 2...thought it would be a great idea for her to write down some of those stories...she was thrilled



5. A few years back, my wife and I got this book for each of our parents. My father, who had never talked about his childhood or wartime experiences wound up writing his whole life story. When he died a couple of years ago, I went back and re-read it and was so thankful that he had done it. Without this book all of that amazing family history would have been lost. "To Our Children's Children" is a true "life saver."

5 comments about The Family Tree Problem Solver: Proven Methods for Scaling the Inevitable Brick Wall.

1. I love the problem solving techniques that this book demonstrates. The author provides step by step instructions and case studies that help with some of the more difficult problems in genealogical research. I have recommended it in classes that I teach on methodology because I think it is so helpful.



2. I find the book helpful and hope I can solve some of my "Brick Walls"



3. I have tried many ideas listed own my own, but good reading and gave me additional thoughts. Thanks, Carolyn G



4. This book is helpful in discovering how to help unlock those brick walls we all find in doing family research. Wish I had of purchased it several years ago.



5. This book offers many creative ideas for digging out records to get the information avid genealogists seek to find their ancestors. I liked the author's "case studies" which help you see how her methods have actually worked. I'm anxious to put these ideas into practice myself and see some results. I recommend this book for any genealogist, though not for beginners.

5 comments about The Official Guide to Family Tree Maker 2010.

1. Pederson has hit the jackpot with her new guide. It is very esy to follow and is a merked improvement over earlier guides. Learning to se it is quite easy and has the informaation necessary to find waht you need. I recommend it highly.



2. You will really need this guide if you are going to make use of all the features of Family Tree Maker 2010. This is a full featured program, but it does not come with a suitable guide book. Get this book and discover all the great things you can accomplish with Family Tree Maker 2010.



3. Packaged well, received it in a timely manner and the price was even better! Cheaper than all other areas. I now have used the program and absolutely love it! Will order again from Amazon as I have before.



4. When you can't buy a book from the home site, came here and looked and found it for less the 1/2 price.... Next time I'll know where to go first......



5. When I got the Family Tree Maker 2010 software , I found it to be the best I've ever used. The only thing that changed my mind was when I bought this guide. This answers, in easy to follow steps,the things you might never learn or even know about if you just buy the software. This is one of the easiest to follow guides I have ever seen. Anyone who has or is thinking about buying the software should buy this giude and be able to use the software to it's full potential.

5 comments about The Story of a Lifetime: A Keepsake of Personal Memoirs.

1. Gave this book to my parents and in'laws. Don't know if they will complete it and return it to me for my kids.....but I hope so.



2. While the design and images in the book are a bit cheesy and old fashioned the book content is awesome. I was looking for a unique Christmas gift for my parents. I purchased this and wrote them each a personalized note inside. The questions in the book are great prompts for recording your life moments. Highly recommend it.



3. Awesome Book! Thanks to the wonderful truthful reviews I read with all the Memoir books which are available here on Amazon, I chose this book, purchasing two; one for myself and the other for my ex-mother-in-law who I love her dearly, she's been my "Mom" and son's only Grandmother for nearly 4 decades now. When I phoned her to let her know that I was sending her this book and explained why and explained how great it would be for her to start writing in it, she couldn't quite understand what it was and didn't have much enthusiasm as I hopped she would have.
   
   What a pleasant surprise when she phoned me Sat. and said so excitedly "it's been delivered!" She was truly thrilled with the entire book, thought it was beautiful and she thought the questions it asked inside was really great, she was really excited! Mom told me she could have used it about 20 years ago, but she was going to get started as soon as she read through all the beautiful poems and thoughts within its pages. I received mine this morning and I'm just as excited! Seeing in hand I'm glad that I got myself one at 55; I wish I would have had this book at least 30 years ago.



4. The seller offering this used book said it was in good condition. It is. There is some wear on the jacket cover, but that is to be expected in a used item. The gold leaf is still on all the pages, and the book corners are intact and not dented or marred. We are giving this gift for Mother's day and so for now it's sitting on a bookshelf. We are very excited and proud to be giving a beautiful book such as this that my mother-in-law can create stories and memories in to last generations. She has been researching genealogy and past generations, so we're hoping that this will be a meaningful exercise for her and a lasting treasure for her family! Thank you for selling a great book at a really great price!



5. I bought this for my friends on their wedding day. My friends mum passed away a few years ago, and we were discussing how this means that there are things she will never know or be able to ask.
   This is a wonderful prompt to write down thoughts and memories, and a nicely presented book too.

4 comments about Doing Oral History.

1. Ritchie covers the topic like a blanket. Everything from how to manage one's collection and stay out of legal trouble with the interviewee (and anyone you may discuss); down to remembering to punch out the little tabs on the back of each cassette in order to prevent accidental erasure.

   This is a very complete and very practical guide to the processes and thinking of our country's oral historians from an author who's been in the middle of some pretty interesting stories.




2. This book delivers on what it promises. Beware, however, that while the author addresses interviews conducted by individual researchers, the book isn't much good for people looking to do that sort of work. Oral history is a more specific kind of work than what your ninth grade history teacher may have led you to believe (go figure!). I still think that a chapter addressing interview techniques would have been appropriate in the structure of the whole book. As it is, the text is written in q&a format, which annoyed me slightly, but it serves.
   
   Verdict: useful for anyone looking to do oral history per se and wanting a guide to the various theoretical and practical issues involved.



3. David Remnick's Lenin's Tomb deals with the fledgling days of the Soviet Union's collapse. Remnick interviews numerous people ranging from coal miners to Stalin's grandson, Yevgeny Djugashvili. Remnick's interview with Djugashvili ends with a toast; Djugashvili's toast is basically an apotheosis to Stalin, and ends with "to Stalin!" Remnick describes a wave of nausea, but complied with the toast. Remnick's professionalism, however difficult, is an example of the methods and ethics of conducting an interview, and the basis of Donald A. Ritchie's Doing Oral History. Ritchie's manual is structured as an interview, with questions that address the methods and ethics of conducting an oral history interview. Ritchie's manual places interviews in the social sciences and away from journalism. Doing Oral History is a fundamental manual on how to proceed with an interview, and for it to be grounded in method and ethics.
   Ritchie defines oral history: "Memory is the core of oral history, from which meaning can be extracted and preserved. Simply put, oral history collects memories and personal commentaries of historical significance through recorded interviews" (19). Ritchie's manual provides not only the legal and technical concerns of doing an oral history interview, but the fundamental methods of conducting a successful interview. The interviewee is the focus, and should not be forced into answers, because forceful interviewers risk inaccurate responses (122). The impulse to ask hard questions must be tempered, and creatively asked; Ritchie suggests quoting from another source, and allow the interviewee to respond to the quote instead of forceful questions. These examples of methodology and ethics while interviewing is the core of Doing Oral History, and the purpose is to provide future researchers with the most accurate interview that can be made; limiting disruptive variables such as forceful questions, and providing a primary source that can be trusted.
   Not only does Ritchie's manual describe the methods and ethics of doing oral history, but the fundamental reason for it. The sole purpose to record interviews is to deposit them into an archive for future research (111). The future researchers have more liberty to criticize and analyze the interviewee, than the interviewer originally had (122). Researchers that use oral history interviews can analyze them discretely like any source, and not be concerned necessarily with the feelings of the interviewee. The interview itself can be accurately studied, if it follows the methods and ethics of Doing Oral History; this manual presents the methods and concerns of a social scientist, and provides future researchers a source that can be trusted if its methods are followed.
   Donald A. Ritchie's Doing Oral History is a necessary manual to consult before engaging in an oral history interview. It provides the methods, ethics, and technical advice, to begin an interview. Beyond the methods of the social scientist, Doing Oral History provides the meaning behind oral history, which is to provide an invaluable source for future researchers. Those future researchers will have more freedom to criticize the method, and the interviewee; like Remnick's interview with Djugashvili; instead of challenging the ideals of Stalinism our interviewer records his response to the toast, "`To Stalin,' I said. And May God forgive me," this interview allows later researchers to analyze the nostalgia for the perceived order of Stalinism, during the chaotic times of the Soviet collapse.
   



4. We first heard about this book on the radio back in early 1990s...it is a marvelous tool to guide an interview of grandparent or parent, or even self, to record one's memories and family history. The book provided a concise outline to follow so that family history, stories, and memories can be passed down on DVD or CD. We have used it with our parents and given copies to siblings and grandchildren, and learned the benefit following the passing of a loved one - priceless! We even plan to do ourselves for our children. Probably the best and most unique legacy to leave!

5 comments about The Official Guide to Ancestry.com.

1. The book is a good reference to have on hand to clarify a point or search a question.



2. I am of two minds when it comes to an "official guide" to any site on the World Wide Web. First, a website can consist of as many pages as necessary to cover the subject, and there can be as many interconnections between pages as necessary to guide the user. Second, the nature of hyperlinking is such that any properly designed website shouldn't need a guide. It should be so logically organized that navigation is obvious, and it should include its own internal "help" system. At least, that's the theory. In practice, even a site as generally well designed as Ancestry (and it is well designed) can eventually become so large, with so many layers, that it can be daunting even to an experienced genealogical web surfer.
   
   George Morgan, a well-known Florida genealogist, book author, and columnist, began doing research back in the 1960s, when "research" meant many trips to the courthouse and the library and waiting for replies to correspondence. Recent, younger converts to the hobby may find it difficult to imagine such a thing, but that's how it was. Ancestry was one of the earliest multi-database resources to appear online and is now part of the Generations Network, a huge conglomerate (in genealogical terms) that includes nearly a dozen previously separate database sites, plus Family Tree Maker and Ancestry Publishing. The Ancestry site itself includes more than 23,000 databases and transcribed books, with many more being constantly added, and the company has done the online researcher the service of making the templates nearly identical that give access to them. This book follows the obvious logical structure of devoting a chapter to each broad category: Census records, birth/marriage/death, immigration, directories and membership lists, newspaper and periodicals, court records, land, military, PERSI. maps, and local and family histories. Other chapters give advice on starting your first family tree on the site itself (something I don't recommend for reasons of access and lack of backup), on how to work with the many kinds of digitized records at Ancestry (much improved over the early days), using the Learning Center (lots of freebies here), and how to most efficiently spend your money at the Ancestry Store. The text of the book is generally well thought out and the sales pitch (Ancestry itself is the publisher, don't forget) is reasonably subtle.
   
   One thing: Don't forget that Ancestry is not a free research service, it's a business. If you live in a small town far away from large research libraries -- and especially if you need to do research in a far corner of the country -- a subscription is going to be far cheaper than gasoline. Plus, you can work online at any time of the day or night. But also don't forget that in many states the state library makes available a subscription to Ancestry to city and county libraries all around the state, and that anyone with a library card can therefore access any database at Ancestry for free by visiting their local library. (But no, you generally can't logon to the library's access point from home.)
   
   I can recommend this volume to anyone new to the websites it describes, although most of what is available on the site can be discovered simply by "walking around." It would especially make a good auxiliary gift if you're planning on giving someone in your family a gift subscription to Ancestry for Christmas.



3. I have been using Ancestry for a couple of years, but needed some help figuring out how to accomplish certain tasks. This book had the relevant information. I would recommend it to both new and old users of Ancestry.com



4. tHIS IS A REFERENCE BOOK TO KEEP RIGHT BESIDWE YOU WHEN YOU ARE WORKING WITH [...]. tHEY HAVE SO MUCH INFO AND YOU NEED HELP TO FOLOOW THE TRAILS. tHIS IS AN EXCELLENT MAP.



5. Excellent transaction. Received timely and in advertised condition. I would do business with this seller again.

3 comments about On the Genealogy of Morality.

1. This is another in a seemingly unending series of 'literalist' translations of philosophical prose works. The translation is of course hopeless. This technique never works and cannot work. Each occurrence of a German word is treated the same, regardless of context. It doesn't work for Plato, it doesn't work for Kant, and it certainly doesn't work for Nietzsche. See my review of Guyer-Wood's translation of Kant's first critique, and my review of Thomas G. West's 'translations' of Greek texts. The same criticisms apply here. It is fascinating that the editors mention Guyer and Wood approvingly in their preface. How telling!
   
   The editorial reviewer, who stated "The translation itself strikes an intelligent balance between fidelity to the German and readability in English" inadvertently points out the absurdity of this approach. No translation needs to be 'balanced', ever. There is no excuse for rigid, invariant translation of individual words, because every instance of usage is unique. Its usage in the specific context is what matters.
   
   In this translation the word "diseasedness" is found. I'm not joking. I hope that's sufficient cause for you, Gentle Reader of this review, to regard this translation with utter contempt, as I do.
   
   Useless, inexcusably bad, farcical.
   
   Only a madman could possibly call this travesty "the finest existing edition of Nietzsche's book in English".



2. I read On the Genealogy of Morals for a graduate seminar on ethics, and in particular his writings regarding the virtue of courage. I found Walter Kaufmann's translation the best of several I looked at. Often regarded in philosophical circles as the first "postmodern" philosopher, Nietzsche is very critical to all of modernity's philosophical attempts to create a scientific or rationally based approach to ethics. Nietzsche's On the Genealogy of Morals is in part a refutation of Kant's ethical theory, arguing that Kantian ethics as well as other modern ethical theories were more interested in defining ethical values and not concerned with questioning their usefulness or whether they were derived from what Nietzsche believed were irrational psychological forces feeding people's illusions. Another purpose of the Genealogy is to examine the history of how morals were created in Western culture. Nietzsche's extensive philological studies of ancient Greek literature led him to argue that there needed to be a historical and psychological approach to understanding how ethical values came into existence. Thus, one of Nietzsche's goals in his Genealogy is to provide a critique of ethical values, such as courage, and to examine, "...the conditions and circumstances in which they grew, under which they evolved and changed." (456, GM I, 6). Another important aspect of Nietzsche's Genealogy is found in Nietzsche's ethical notions finding common ground with Aristotelian virtue ethics. Only Aristotelian virtue ethics can fit well with Nietzsche's moral ethics. Thus, I find that an interesting outcome of Nietzsche's examination of Greek culture leads him down a path back to the first evolutionary stage of the virtue of courage in particular, and to the classical Greek inception of virtue ethics in general. Nietzsche enthusiastically followed this path and reintroduced the world to the critical need for the classical Greek interpretation of the virtue of courage to help shape the "postmodern" world.
   
   Nietzsche recognized in ancient Greek poetry that heroes are not content with just living, but are compelled to perform courageous acts even at the peril of their own lives. In fact, for Greek heroes, gaining fame and glory at the expense of often suffering a courageous death seemed to be their raison d'être. Nietzsche recognizes this phenomenon in Greek poetry, which alerts him to the notion that the ancient and classical Greek citizens accepted the idea that part of the nature of life was that it could be tragic, dark, and foreboding; however, the Greeks who were noble of character did not despair. This notion was readily accepted by Aristotle but not by Plato, who thought that Greek tragedy taught the citizenry the wrong lessons about life. They knew that to be virtuous was to engage in a constant agon or [contest] to overcome the pitfalls of life. This literary fact causes Nietzsche to understand that like the ancient Greeks, the best of contemporary society, such as philosophers and artists whom he calls the "masters," have to rely on their virtues, such as courage, to constantly struggle to overcome life's limits. Nietzsche's observation of Greek culture leads him to define a theory of master and slave morality, which lays the foundation for his notion of returning to the classical Greek virtue of courage.
   
   Nietzsche understands master morality as the ideals of virtuous characteristics epitomized by the best of Greek aristocracy. On the other hand, slave morality according to Nietzsche, grew out of the Judeo-Christian ethic supporting love and justice over power. Master morality acknowledges "good" and "bad" in the world; while slave morality acknowledges "good" and "evil." Nietzsche recognized the masters as "active" people, and whatever helps them achieve greatness is good. Thus, Nietzsche defines the good and bad characteristics in master morality in the following way. Character traits such as courage, conquest, aggression, and command that engender the feelings of power in people are deemed `good,' while traits of weaker people such as cowardice, passivity, humility, and dependence are deemed `bad.' Furthermore, Nietzsche argues that within the master and slave morality what is good can only be good for the master, because the slave morality is essentially based on a number of opposing ideals from the master morality. Therefore, an important argument for Nietzsche is, that according to slave morality, anything that opposes, destroys, or conquers is evil and should be eliminated from human relations. Nietzsche argues that slave morality espouses humility, selflessness, and kindness as ruling traits for all people as a condition of self-perseverance against master morality. These are all character traits central to Judeo-Christian morality, and are diametrically opposed to the aggressive character traits of the master morality, which were central to the power of the Roman Empire when Christianity was conceived. Against the backdrop of master and slave morality, Nietzsche examines the classical Greek cardinal virtues, and he specifically looks into the virtue of courage, which is so central to master morality.
   
   When Nietzsche contemplates the future of virtues, he laments the lack of courage displayed by people in modern society. Nietzsche sounds a clarion call for artists to once again courageously take their place as masters of society. Nietzsche sees courage as something which is good for the people who have it, in that it enables them to win contests which they would lose without it. In addition, Nietzsche recognizes that in order for people to act courageously, they also need to overcome their emotions of fear. "But there is something in me that I call courage; that has so far slain my every discouragement." Once again, Nietzsche is using Aristotle's virtue ethic model of practical reasoning to show that a person with noble intentions, or in Nietzsche's parlance, a master can will themselves to overcome their fears. After examining Nietzsche's extensive writings on the history of ethics, I find that his description of courage fits well within the classical Greek model of the virtue of courage.
   
   Nietzsche's philosophical project pertaining to the virtue of courage is centered on the idea that those who were the masters in Greek society actually desired to face and conquer dangerous situations. In essence, Nietzsche demilitarized the Greek emphasis on battlefield courage and applied it to the people he thought could be the masters of society of his time and into the future--artists and philosophers. The power Nietzsche yearns for is the power of creative activity. Creativity is the "will to power" that this much maligned philosopher was truly advocating.



3. This is a great translation with a very helpful introduction and some footnotes. The work would benefit from a bit more notation (most footnotes translate non-German passages). However, overall I find this is a respectable edition of the Genealogy.

5 comments about The Everything Guide to Online Genealogy: A complete resource to using the Web to trace your family history (Everything Series).

1. This was my first book on Genealogy I purchased and it has been a big help, after I had started my family tree. It's packed with great information and on-line resourses and also, some samples of family tree research. A must have for your Genealogy library.



2. Started researching family history a couple years ago, but was't making much headway. This book really has helped me get going and is improving my results. I purchased the book along with the Family tree maker 2010 software which is a much better than the previous editions. A great book to buy.



3. Great book on online genealogy. I recommend it to anyone interested in this topic. Good tips and links also.



4. What a fantastic book! The book is small enough to take along to the library yet filled with great information. The chapters are laid out very well which makes it easier to locate the info you need. There are tons of web sites listed that can help in research. The book lists free sites as well as paid sites. I would absolutely suggest this book as a tool in your genealogy research.



5. My son bought this book for me for Mother's Day. I have been very pleasantly surprised with the quality of information in this book. I've been doing online genealogical research for 9 years and didn't expect to find helpful information in a book. LOL Thanks to my son, this book has opened up a whole new area of research into our ancestors. The Everything Guide to Online Genealogy: A complete resource to using the Web to trace your family history (Everything Series)