Who are we, and where do we come from? The fundamental drive to answer these questions is at the heart of Finding Your Roots, the companion book to the hit PBS documentary series. As scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. clearly demonstrates, the tools of cutting-edge genomics and deep genealogical research now allow us to learn more about our roots and look further back in time than ever before. In the second season, Gates's investigation takes on the personal and genealogical histories of more than twenty luminaries, including Ken Burns, Stephen King, Derek Jeter, Governor Deval Patrick, Valerie Jarrett, and Sally Field. As Gates interlaces these moving stories of immigration, assimilation, strife, and success, he provides practical information for amateur genealogists just beginning archival research on their own families' roots and details the advances in genetic research now available to the public. The result is an illuminating exploration of who we are, how we lost track of our roots, and how we can find them again.

Accompanied by step-by-step instructions, a comprehensive guide shows readers how to identify, locate, and interpret land records in order to trace their early ancestors.

A guide for family researchers of Italian descent points the way to resources in the United States as well as information available in the town halls, archives, churches, and libraries of Italy.

Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA is the highly suspenseful account of an adoptee trying to reclaim the biological family denied him by sealed birth records. This fascinating quest, including the author's landmark use of DNA testing, takes readers on an exhilarating roller-coaster ride and concludes with a twist that rivals anything Hollywood has to offer. In the vein of a classic mystery, Hill gathers the seemingly scant evidence surrounding the circumstances of his birth. As his resolve shores up, the author also avails of new friends, genealogists, the Internet, and the latest DNA tests in the new field of genetic genealogy. As he closes in on the truth of his ancestry, he is able to construct a living, breathing portrait of the young woman who was faced with the decision to forsake her rights to her child, and ultimately the man whose identity had remained hidden for decades. Finding Family offers guidance, insight, and motivation for anyone engaged in a similar mission, from ways to obtain information to the many networks that can facilitate adoption searches. The book includes a detailed guide to DNA and genetic genealogy and how they can produce irrefutable results in determining genetic connections and help adoptees bypass sealed records and similar stumbling blocks.

A librarian and authority on genealogical research offers advice and encouragement to those who are eager to uncover their family history in this guidebook. Getting started, research techniques, interviewing tips, and effective use of the library and internet are all discussed in detail in this book that is ideal for beginners and novices. The benefits and importance of genealogical research are also explored. Also included is a discussion on how a person's own identity is linked to their ancestors, and knowledge of forebearers can contribute to a sense of security and family pride that is missing in many mobile and disjointed modern families. Showing how a soundly researched family history can also enhance an individual’s understanding of war, hardship, and larger historical events, this work grants insight into the personality traits and health issues of one’s descendants.

The process of exploring your family history and roots is a moving and meaningful quest. It affects heart and soul, as well as providing an intellectual challenge to piece all the information together. GROWING YOUR FAMILY TREE is the first book to promote the experiential aspects of family history. It gives sound, practical advice on researching your family history, but also promotes the emotional, spiritual and creative elements of the task, helping to lift genealogy out of its earlier dry an formal setting, into a more meaningful and accessible activity which can enrich a person's identity. Advice and information includes: * How to write up your family history * How to make a heritage corner or trail in your home * A consideration the nature of ancestry, family lines and our inner connection with our ancestors * How to organise your research and keep moving forward