Who Do You Think You Are?

by Dan Waddell

Who Do You Think You Are? Waddell, Dan

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Reference, Education

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 11, 2004

About the author

Dan Waddell is a journalist and author who lives in west London. He has published ten non-fiction books, including the bestselling Who Do You Think You Are?, which tied in with the successful BBC TV series. The Blood Detective is his first novel.

Series:
* Nigel Barnes

Reviews

[Shirley Revill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting book to help you start researching your family history.
Though it was written a while ago it's still a useful read.
Worth looking out for. Recommended.

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right book, wrong author. The book was written by Megan Smolenyak.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

good tutorial for genealogy searching

[Cidney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up from Tesco's book swap, it's a 2004 edition so quite old then! This book is ideal for a beginner to family tree tracing as it has a mine of information to not only get you started, but how to progress, although quite a lot of the information is a bit dated now, but some of it is still useful.

We have websites such as Ancestry, Find my Past (or in my case, Lost my Past), and my favourite The Genealogist, who for an annual subscription (watch out for discounts now and again) you can search as much as you like for those elusive ancestors, and as you've paid your subscription there are no additional charges, unless you are looking for the 1939 register on Find my Past then you do pay some hefty charges to look at the transcript and to pay again to look at the original. But as 1939 will still be within the memory of many grandparents today you probably have that information within your family, I know I am aware of where my relatives were living and with whom and what they did during the war, so I don't need it really.

There are other books out there which will be more uptodate and you can borrow a selection free from local libraries and also you can use Ancestry and Find my Past free to do searching with the library computers too, you only need that free library card, which incidentally you can use in I think it's all libraries in England? I know when I've been on holiday in the past I certainly could, very useful for guide books of the area!

This is reminding me that of my many dozens of ancestors' trees I am researching I haven't done much this year so far, I might carry on when the weather isn't so hot, as searching through tiny printed copies online in this heat will probably bring on headaches, particularly when you still can't find greatx6grandma Sarah!! I think she lied where she was born and again about her age!! It happens, the further you go back!

Oh the celebrities who were hunting for their ancestors in 2004 were Bill Oddie, Amanda Redman, David Baddiel, Moria Stuart, Sue Johnston, Ian Hislop; Jim Moir (Vic Reeves), Meera Syal, Jeremy Clarkson and Lesley Garrett.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone beginning their walk back in time to find the story of their ancestors, this is an interesting and informative book. Like, I had no idea that census records were held for 75 years before they are made public ~ makes complete sense, but I never really thought about it. Also, who knew that asking people if they had a radio in the 1930 census gives us a clue now about the financial status of our ancestors? Apparently, having a radio meant you were better off than most. And those are just the tidbits! You'll also find websites and other guidance to find the information you are searching for.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been doing family research for quite a few years now and so I wasn’t quite sure how informative this book would be. I was pleasantly surprised that I picked up some new information and websites I was previously unaware of. I was not expecting the celebrity stories even though this book is linked to the television show. The celebrity stories proved to be interesting and useful for conducting my own research.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Used as a reference to find out how to research family history. I ignored the celebrity stories, although I love the programme, I just wanted guidance.

[Sian Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have recently decided to research my family tree and found this book in a charity shop. It has some really good pointers about how to research your family tree as well as some interesting stories about the family histories shown on the TVs programme "Who Do You Think You Are?". The downside is that the book is from 2004 and the internet has come a long way since then,so it is not as up-to-date as it could be. However well worth a read if you are interested in family history and the sort of things you can find out.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This engaging book leads a young reader into understanding what genealogy is and how to find information on ancestors. By following the steps given and using materials in the book, a reader can become a “family tree detective.”
Inside the front cover there is a pocket containing cards for filling in information on family members, plus a folded chart with a picture of a family tree showing blanks for names and a few small photos. Every page in the book has funny illustrations, flaps that cover amusing information, or a pocket holding a sheet to initiate another part of the grand project. A cut-out within the thick back cover holds a small “Treasure Book.” This has pages with headings for a child to write in news from his or her date of birth, family traits, family stories, family recipes, and the biography of an ancestor.
Readers can learn and be amused by “Detective Tips,” the “Genealogy Jargon Buster,” and the “Detective’s Dictionary,” which defines terms such as “clodhopper.” Among the projects for a genealogy detective are collecting pictures and heirlooms, interviewing family members, tracking information from census returns, and creating a family timeline. From digging into the past to digging to bury a time capsule for future generations, there is much a youngster can do with this book as a guide.
Librarians beware: the book is designed for personal use, since it contains cards and materials on which to write. It has no index.
For grades 5 through 8.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's like the -ology book of genealogy

[Kristina Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some useful information for beginners but not inspiring.

[Alayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit out of date but none the less still useful