Maureen A. Taylor

Genealogist Maureen Taylor uses her specialist knowledge of photographic identification to compile and annotate a collection of photographs of Revolutionary War veterans. The longest-lived veterans were still living when photography was in its infancy. Taylor strays a bit from the main focus of the book by including photographs of individuals who didn't participate in the war but who had childhood memories of some aspect of the war. The individuals profiled include a few women, African show more Americans, and Native Americans. I noticed several inconsistencies between the birth/death dates given for the individuals and events mentioned in their biographical sketches. For instance, some were said to have done things after the death date listed for them. The bibliographic essay is a nice touch that will help readers locate additional information on aspects of interest to them (photographic history, costume, etc.). The high-quality paper and attractive layout make it suitable as a coffee table book. Guests with an interest in U.S. history won't be able to resist browsing! show less

This book, intended for a juvenile audience, is a good book to use with young people who are just beginning their genealogical research. Some parts of the book are dated. No one talks about "Usenet" any more. USGenWeb has moved to a different web address. Ancestry.com has greatly expanded, and its description just doesn't show how important it is as a paid site. Some web sites are no longer in existence. Other sites such as FamilySearch which are not mentioned are of great importance. show more However, this book makes points throughout it that a beginner needs to hear. Always document your sources. You may need to research the background of some things in order to fully understand them. You may need help with records for immigrant ancestors if they are in languages other than English. Even though I wish Maureen would update this for today's researcher, it is still helpful. The stories told should keep the reader's interest. show less

An excellent primer on collecting, organizing and interpreting old photos for genealogy and family history research. This book provides worksheets for labeling photos with important information and provides bibliographies for more in-depth takes on subjects like investigating clothing, props and hairstyles to figure out the time and place a photo was taken. Tips for investigating photographers and information on the history and types of photographs out there make this a well-rounded guide. show more You don't have to be a genealogist or historian to find this book interesting and useful! show less

A quick read, but a very useful overview of the history of photography and many suggestions on how to better interpret the time and source of historic photos.