2021 #AtoZChallenge Z is for ...Zap the Grandma Gap

  I've been researching my family history for over thirty years. Along this genealogy journey I have been supported by hundreds of books, many of which I have listed on my Librarything page. 

During the 2021 #AtoZChallenge I will be writing about two of my passions, books and family history. I'll be taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting some of those books that have enriched my genealogy experience.

I picked up Zap the Grandma Gap: Connect with Your Family by Connecting Them to Their Family History  from the author, Janet Hovorka at Rootstech in 2013.

This 190 page paperback contains many ideas for adults to enthuse younger family members about their family history and also advice for the oldies on how to preserve their family history and artifacts. Although it has much good advice I found the design and presentation too busy and the lack of an index a challenge. The cover image of the Grandma superhero just doesn't gel with me.

On this important topic I much prefer Janet Few's Harnessing the Facebook generation ideas for involving young people in family history and heritage, but, this Zappy book fulfilled my requirement for a Z title. 

We all need to think about what will happen to our precious research when we turn up our toes, these two books may just provide the bait that will hook a younger family member. 

2021 #AtoZChallenge Y is for ...Your ancestors in their social context

  I've been researching my family history for over thirty years. Along this genealogy journey I have been supported by hundreds of books, many of which I have listed on my Librarything page. 

During the 2021 #AtoZChallenge I will be writing about two of my passions, books and family history. I'll be taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting some of those books that have enriched my genealogy experience.

I must admit that I haven't picked up, Your ancestors in their social context : proceedings of the 13th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry, Adelaide 2012, for around nine years.

This 590 page paperback contains the papers from the AFFHO Congress, the first I attended, in Adelaide in 2012. It is an example of a genre that today is often delivered as a .pdf download online or on a CD or USB drive. 

This particular publication is more useful than some similar works as it has a decent index. As many of the articles are well referenced it provides a good springboard to further reading on the topics covered. While some of the articles are dated, especially those referring to technology,  there are many that are still relevant to today's researchers. 

Highlighting this resource has reminded me that the collection of Conference Proceedings I have on my shelves or hard drive could  have answers to some of the questions for which I need answers. I must remember to refer to them occasionally!

2021 #AtoZChallenge X is for ... Xinran

I've been researching my family history for over thirty years. Along this genealogy journey I have been supported by hundreds of books, many of which I have listed on my Librarything page. 

During the 2021 #AtoZChallenge I will be writing about two of my passions, books and family history. I'll be taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting some of those books that have enriched my genealogy experience.

Xinran is a British-Chinese author and journalist who has been resident in the UK since 1997. I read her best-selling book, The Good Women of China, not long after it was published in 2002. 

My memory of the book is rather foggy but I remember that it made an impression on me. I turned to an entry in  Wikipedia to refresh my memory:

 "The Good Women of China is primarily composed of interviews Xinran conducted during her time as a radio broadcaster in China in the 1980s. However, she also details some of her own experiences as a woman in China. The interviews usually focus on the embedded cultural perceptions in China about women's rights, roles, and suffering. Many of these interviews were drawn from the call-in portion of Xinran' widely popular radio program, Words on the Night Breeze. She also interviewed other women, whom she sought out for their experiences as Chinese women or opinions about the status of Chinese women."

Although this work didn't impact on my personal geneajourney it gave me an insight into another culture and the plights and successes of women in that culture. When reading about family history it is important that we don't restrict our reading to our own culture, we need to broaden our horizons and enrich our understandings  by reading accounts of life in other cultures. 

2021 #AtoZChallenge W is for ...The White Star Line

 I've been researching my family history for over thirty years. Along this genealogy journey I have been supported by hundreds of books, many of which I have listed on my Librarything page. 

During the 2021 #AtoZChallenge I will be writing about two of my passions, books and family history. I'll be taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting some of those books that have enriched my genealogy experience.

I came across, The White Star Line : an illustrated history 1870-1934 by Paul Louden-Brown, on a visit to The Merseyside Maritime Museum in Liverpool England where, after looking at the excellent displays, I spent some time doing research in their Archives Centre.  

The Archives Centre at the Merseyside Maritime Museum

The book contained many images of postcards of ships of the White Star Line accompanied by detailed  explanatory text, in addition there were several colour illustrations. It wasn't hard to flip through the book to find illustrations relevant to ships on which Mr GeniAus' ancestors travelled to Australia. 

As well as consulting The White Star Line : an illustrated history 1870-1934  while at the Museum I was able to grab some photos of relevant immigrant ships and dip into a few other books.

One of the other books I perused at the Merseyside Museum

I am so grateful that Mr GeniAus is happy to join me in visits to local archives and libraries when we travel around. Although he says he doesn't do family history I think he may be a closet genealogist.

2021 #AtoZChallenge V is for ...Vinnies

  I've been researching my family history for over thirty years. Along this genealogy journey I have been supported by hundreds of books, many of which I have listed on my Librarything page. 

During the 2021 #AtoZChallenge I will be writing about two of my passions, books and family history. I'll be taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting some of those books that have enriched my genealogy experience.

Students and staff at my Alma Mater, St Vincent's College, called our school Vinnies. It is now a secondary school but, in my day, students could commence in kindergarten and complete their educational journey at this institution. When we were at school we were told that the school was the oldest Catholic Girls' School in Australia and a bit about Mother Mary Aikenhead, the founder of the Sisters of Charity, but we didn't learn much more about its history.

I was delighted when with the members of the Leaving Certificate Class of 1965 I returned to the College for our 50 year reunion. We were all given a gift, St Vincent's College Potts Point 1858-2008 : 150 years of catholic education. It is a cherished gift.

Fifty years after leaving Vinnies and several years after being a staff member at that institution, this beautifully produced coffee table type book by former student, Samantha Frappell, taught me all about the history and characters of the school I loved.

Reading this book gave me a deeper understanding of the place that had such an influence on my personal history. 

I found several copies of the book available for sale at Abe Books. 

2021 #AtoZChallenge U is for ... Undecided

I've been researching my family history for over thirty years. Along this genealogy journey I have been supported by hundreds of books, many of which I have listed on my Librarything page. 

During the 2021 #AtoZChallenge I will be writing about two of my passions, books and family history. I'll be taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting some of those books that have enriched my genealogy experience.

Of all the letters in the alphabet U has given me the most grief. I thought I might write about Pip Granger's Up West: Voices from the Streets of Post-War London that has been on my "To be read pile" for several years. It has some good reviews but, as I haven't read that book yet, I rejected it. 

My next thought was Unreal Banana Peel - A Third Collection of Australian Children's Chants and Rhymes that dredged up childhood memories but I wasn't sure if this had really assisted my genealogy journey.

There were very few U titles in my reading past so for this post I reluctantly decided to give a guernsey to a Children's Book, 

An uncommonly fine day : January 26, 1788  that was published in 1987 when I was working in a primary school. No doubt the author, John Anthony King, was hoping to cash in on the interest in the Bicentenary in 1988.

The book relates the story of the First Fleet and particularly  the raising of the British flag in Sydney Cove on January 26, 1788 by Captain Arthur Phillip. I believe that the information for the text was found in the diaries of the officers of the First Fleet (https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C394529).

I remember reading and discussing this book with many youngsters as we discussed European settlement in Australia, it was a useful book to share in a school where most of the students were children of recent arrivals whose ancestry was from Europe.

It was in 1988 that I started my genealogy journey so this simple account may have added some knowledge to my understanding of local history. I can't really remember back that far. 
 

2021 #AtoZChallenge T is for ...To minister : the story of War Memorial Hospital, Waverley, 1918-1988

  I've been researching my family history for over thirty years. Along this genealogy journey I have been supported by hundreds of books, many of which I have listed on my Librarything page. 

During the 2021 #AtoZChallenge I will be writing about two of my passions, books and family history. I'll be taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting some of those books that have enriched my genealogy experience.

While this hardcover book, To minister : the story of War Memorial Hospital, Waverley, 1918-1988, would have limited appeal to most people it was a book that I hunted down through secondhand sites. Its lack of popularity is evidenced by the fact that I am the only person with it listed on a Libratything account!

The book is important to me because it is where I started my life's journey having been born at the War Memorial Hospital over 70 years ago.

Copied here is what I wrote in a blog post in 2012 when I took delivery of the book:

"I reported in my Trove Tuesday post last week that I found details of a book, To minister : the story of War Memorial Hospital, Waverley, 1918-1988, about my birthplace, War Memorial Hospital, Waverley on Trove.

I located a few copies of the book on Abe Books and ordered one from Jo's Books, Gerringong. The book, that was in excellent condition, arrived within a few days and I am thrilled with it. Written by a former Matron of the hospital, Betty Green, it tells the story of the hospital from the planning stages through to 1988. The book is illustrated with floorplans, maps, copies of documents and photos and gives an excellent overview of the Hospital's activities and history. The stories about the people associated with the hospital add warmth to the cold facts presented through the work.

Gingerly I showed my purchase to Mr Geniaus (he doesn't share my love of book buying) who spent quite a while thumbing through the book. He saw photos of quite a few local identities that reminded him of stories associated with them (he would be a good subject for oral history interviews about Waverley personalities). Mr Geniaus was quite impressed  with the book which he has picked up a few more times during the week.

What makes the book an excellent genealogical resource are the lists of names it contains that include Members of the Council/Board of the hospital, Matrons, Student Nurses, Pupil Nurse Aids and Doctors associated with the hospital.

I have yet to read the book from cover to cover but I know that I will enjoy it."

Thanks to Trove, a resource that leads one to more than newspaper articles, for directing me to this book.

2021 #AtoZChallenge S is for ...Sydney cemeteries : a field guide

I've been researching my family history for over thirty years. Along this genealogy journey I have been supported by hundreds of books, many of which I have listed on my Librarything page. 

During the 2021 #AtoZChallenge I will be writing about two of my passions, books and family history. I'll be taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting some of those books that have enriched my genealogy experience.

I know several of the fourteen other people who have Sydney cemeteries : a field guide by Sydney historian Lisa Murray listed on their Librarything accounts.

This 399 page paperback guide to resting places around Sydney published by the University of NSW is generously endowed with colour photographs. Its relatively small format makes it suitable to tuck into a bag for a cemetery tour or to take to bed for some bedtime reading!

The contents begin with an introduction followed by lists of cemeteries arranged in nine geographical regions thence by date of commencement. One nice design feature is that each geographical area has a colour code that is visible on the spine making it easy to dig into cemeteries in a particular area.

Clever coloured sections on spine

The glossary, bibliography and index all assist with access to the content and provide guidance for further reading. Each cemetery entry consists of a history and description, a list of notable burials and more information and photographs, some entries have maps and added Tips. 

I found the placing of  general cemetery related articles in between the geographical regions confusing. I think these essays would have been better placed together in their own section. 

One of the quirky features I found interesting is the Top Five lists at the end of each section were the Top 5 lists eg Top Five Churchyards, Top Five Oldest (Undisturbed) Cemeteries. 

This book appeals to me for several reasons. I am a Sydney girl and booklover with an interest in good books, my home town and cemeteries. I have many dead relatives including all my parents and grandparents who are resting in Sydney cemeteries and I'm interested in their environments. Finally, as Mr GeniAus and I have a nice plot with a view chosen in a Sydney Cemetery it was good to be able to read about our future home and neighbours. 

As a bonus I'm adding links to two other four star death related books I enjoyed.

Murder, Misadventure and Miserable Ends: Tales from a Colonial Coroner's Court

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematorium

2021 #AtoZChallenge R is for ...REMEMBER

I've been researching my family history for over thirty years. Along this genealogy journey I have been supported by hundreds of books, many of which I have listed on my Librarything page. 

During the 2021 #AtoZChallenge I will be writing about two of my passions, books and family history. I'll be taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting some of those books that have enriched my genealogy experience.

In the 20th century several of the people in my family tree and many Australian men bore arms for Australia in the Two World Wars. On ANZAC Day, Remembrance Day and other times when we individually reflect on these selfless, brave men and women we say "We Will Remember them".

Whenever I read a work of fiction or non-fiction set in or about those conflicts I remember them and the challenges they faced.

I record most of my reading in my Librarything account, for the past 15 years or so I have given a star rating to books read. I don't ever give a 5/5 rating for a book as I think there is always room for improvement. Very few works get a 4 1/2 from me while I give a 4 to those that have struck a chord.

For this post I am sharing a list of the books related to these conflicts that I have rated as 4 stars or above. This list includes, fiction, non-fiction and children's titles. Sorry this is such a long list - I didn't realise how many good books I have read.

All the Ways We Said Goodbye

The book thief

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

The dictionary of lost words

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Hope is the Last to Die

Three Hours in Paris

The Alice network : a novel

All Quiet on the Western Front

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl 

Band of sisters

Birdsong

Bridge Over the River Kwai

Charlotte Gray

Cilka'S Journey

The codebreakers

Day After Night

Erika's Story

The Great War

Hana's suitcase : a true story

In Flanders Fields: The Story of John McCrae, His Poem and the Poppy

Inheritance of Secrets

The Kommandant's girl

Last Christmas in Paris : a novel of World War I

A Liter of Soup and Sixty Grams of Bread: The Diary of Prisoner Number 109565

The Love That I Have

My Hiroshima

The Nazi Officer's Wife: How One Jewish Woman Survived the Holocaust

The Prisoner's Wife: based on an inspiring true story

The Reader 

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes 

Schindler's ark

Soldier boy : the true story of Jim Martin the youngest Anzac

Something Beautiful Happened: A Story of Survival and Courage in the Face of Evil

The Spyglass File 

The Survivors

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

White coolies

I'm adding a few non-fiction that didn't quite get 4 stars.

After this : survivors of the Holocaust speak

Anzac to Amiens

The Anzacs

From the Far West to the Western Front : Cobar and the Great War

Gallipoli : the pilgrimage guide

Our Liverpool boys

The Pictorial History of World War II

Walking with the Anzacs : the authoritative guide to the Australian battlefields of the Western front

Great Value at THE Genealogy Show

 I was most disappointed that THE Genealogy Show 2020 was postponed as I was looking forward to giving talks on two of my favourite subjects: Getting value for my Genealogy Dollar and using Facebook for Genealogy. I was thrilled when I was invited to present at the event in 2021 although I was wondering how I would get to England with the current Covid restrictions. I breathed a sigh of relief when it was announced that THE Genealogy Show would be virtual.

I have been sitting on this for many months but now I can share the news that I am delighted to be on the program for this event. Australians please don't be put off by the times of these talks - you will be able to watch the recordings in your own time.

Day1

 

Day 2

What is more important than my personal news is the participation of other presenters at the Genealogy Show many of whom have not been heard by Australian audiences. 

Take a look at the Meet the Speakers list that also includes two of my genimates from Australia, Shauna Hicks and Sharn White. It is a balanced two day program that, as well as having speakers and topics from many countries and ethnicities, covers DNA, methodology, organisation, research tools, resources and social media.

 All this is currently available for the sum of 20GBP  - approximately 36AUD but you need to register soon before the price rises to 30GBP. You can buy tickets now here: https://thegenealogyshow.uk/show-dates-2021/

2021 #AtoZChallenge Q is for ...Questions

  I've been researching my family history for over thirty years. Along this genealogy journey I have been supported by hundreds of books, many of which I have listed on my Librarything page. 

During the 2021 #AtoZChallenge I will be writing about two of my passions, books and family history. I'll be taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting some of those books that have enriched my genealogy experience.

Where do you go if you need an answer to a question?

These books from my bookshelf
have provided some answers

Do you go to Google for a quick fix or do you seek your answer in a Book? Might I humbly suggest that, when researching your ancestors, it is worth the time and effort to seek out a book that has been well-researched, properly referenced and probably written by an expert in the subject of the work.

As has been demonstrated in the previous sixteen posts in this series there are many types of book that will assist you on your geneajourney. 

A well-stocked bookshelf will be provide you with a key to find many answers but, as our funds aren't limitless, we may need to  turn to books in libraries, archives and societies for our answers.

You can use the many online catalogues on the internet to find the right book that will answer your question.

As a starter you might consider:

The Books and Libraries Category on Trove

WorldCat

The Internet Archive

If you can't locate something at these megasites then seek out the catalogues of  individual libraries.

2021 #AtoZChallenge P is for ...Pioneer register : Dubbo and western region of NSW

  I've been researching my family history for over thirty years. Along this genealogy journey I have been supported by hundreds of books, many of which I have listed on my Librarything page. 

During the 2021 #AtoZChallenge I will be writing about two of my passions, books and family history. I'll be taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting some of those books that have enriched my genealogy experience.

In pre-internet days Pioneer Registers were used in Australia to publish details of early arrivals (pioneers) in a particular region. They provided a means for unknown cousins to contact each other.

Initially a genealogy or history society or a group of like-minded individuals from a particular area or with a particular interest would call for submissions giving details of pioneers that fitted a certain set of criteria. These submissions were collated and published in book format (or later on CD) then sold to interested organisations and individuals. Back in the 1980s and early 1990s I remember submitting details for such books as well as contacting many submitters with shared ancestors. We used mostly snail mail to connect with these submitters.

While several of these registers have been published this century eg Wyong Pioneer Register in 2013 the majority were published earlier. I remember having great success tracking down cousins via the Pioneer register : Dubbo and western region of NSW that was published in 1989. 

These resources should not be ignored. Although the contact details for submitters may no longer be correct the clues, stories and pictures published in these works are geneagold. 

2021 #AtoZChallenge O is for...Old Scottish clockmakers from 1453 to 1850

  I've been researching my family history for over thirty years. Along this genealogy journey I have been supported by hundreds of books, many of which I have listed on my Librarything page. 

During the 2021 #AtoZChallenge I will be writing about two of my passions, books and family history. I'll be taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting some of those books that have enriched my genealogy experience.

After discovering from Census Records that Mr GeniAus' ancestor, James Gowans, was a clockmaker in East Linton then Galashiels we wanted to confirm this from other sources. James the Clock (as he is known in the family) wasn't famous by any means, he was just a man plying his trade in rural towns in Scotland.

I can't remember where I found a reference to Old Scottish Clockmakers from 1453 to 1850, but once I heard of its existence I went in search of a copy. The Internet Archive pointed me to a copy in The California Digital Library Collection. I have downloaded a copy of this book and have firmly saved  and backed it up in my genealogy files.

Old Scottish Clockmakers  from 1453 to 1850

On page 169 I found a one line entry for James Gowans that confirmed that he was a Clockmaker in East Linton. I'd have loved more detail but I was more than satisfied with what I found.

Page 169 - Old Scottish Clockmakers

On a visit to Scotland in 2018 or 2019 we visited the John Gray Centre where we were able to see a physical copy of the book. I can't believe that didn't take a photo of Mr GeniAus holding the book!

Trade directories or books about occupations are very useful resources for tracking down ancestors. If only there were such resources for our Ag Labs. 

2021 #AtoZChallenge N is for ...Not just Ned : a true history of the Irish in Australia

  I've been researching my family history for over thirty years. Along this genealogy journey I have been supported by hundreds of books, many of which I have listed on my Librarything page. 

During the 2021 #AtoZChallenge I will be writing about two of my passions, books and family history. I'll be taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting some of those books that have enriched my genealogy experience.

Ten years ago when in Canberra I visited an exhibition at the National Museum of Australia, Not just Ned : a true history of the Irish in Australia. I blogged about that visit on this blog.

While I am not in the habit of buying souvenirs from events I sometimes make an exception for a book and, on this occasion, I splashed out and purchased the catalogue from the exhibition, Not just Ned : a true history of the Irish in Australia is an attractive and informative book that helps me recollect the things I learnt at the exhibition. To be sure, to be sure it was a wise investment.

Housed between two sturdy soft covers on nice thick paper, is a work generously illustrated with images of images and objects from the collection. This book is another example of creative and effective design that I am pleased to have on my bookshelf. 

The book commences with messages from the Irish Ambassador and the Director of the Museum followed by a multipage explanatory report from the Senior Curator, Richard Reid. 

And then its on to the main event, a reprisal of  many stories from the exhibition of Irish people and their influence in Australia. The object descriptions and stories are each limited to one page of text with one or more glorious large images on the opposite page. It is a beautiful book. If you have Irish ancestry or are just curious you will enjoy this book.

You can read about and see items from the exhibition here, https://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/not-just-ned. I found several copies of the book for sale here on the Abe Books site.

2021 #AtoZChallenge M is for ...Migrants

  I've been researching my family history for over thirty years. Along this genealogy journey I have been supported by hundreds of books, many of which I have listed on my Librarything page. 

During the 2021 #AtoZChallenge I will be writing about two of my passions, books and family history. I'll be taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting some of those books that have enriched my genealogy experience.

Most Australians have immigrants in their ancestry. Since 1788 when the First Fleet arrived in Sydney Cove all of those who have arrived in Australia from other lands were immigrants. While I have ancestry that goes back thousands of years in this land I am interested in the stories of my ancestors and others who later came from distant lands. 

For my M post I am sharing details of some  immigrant stories. I feel that we should all learn about our neighbours and their histories as well as our personal histories. The books on the following list give us an insight into lives of these folk prior to and after their arrival in Australia. I had previously shared this list of  books I have read in another blog post but felt that it deserved another airing. 

After this : survivors of the Holocaust speak  Alice Nelson

Almost like home : living in Bradfield Park, Michael Hogan

The Arrival, Shaun Tan (Picture book - suggested by Carmel Galvin).

Benedictine pioneers in Australia, Henry Norbert Birt

The Boat by Nam Le  (Suggested by Carmel Galvin)

Chinese whispers : in search of ivy : a gold rush story told by generations of an Australian-Chinese family, Alison Choy Flannigan

Convict women, Kay Daniels

Cop This Lot, Nino Culotta

Daddy Cool: Finding My Father, the Singer Who Swapped Hollywood Fame for Home in Australia, Darleen Bungey

Esther : the extraordinary true story of the First Fleet girl who became first lady of the colony by Jessica North

Fair Game, Elizabeth Rushen

Farewell my children : Irish emigration to Australia 1848-1870,  Richard Reid

The Floating Brothel: The Extraordinary True Story of an Eighteenth-Century Ship and Its Cargo of Female Convicts, Sian Rees

Free Passage, Perry McIntyre

Freedom's land, Anna Jacobs

From Distress to Deliverance : the life and times of william gow, convict, schoolmaster and farmer, Stephen Gow

The Happiest Refugee, Anh Do

The glory garage : growing up Lebanese Muslim in Australia, Nadia Jamal

The happiest man on Earth, Eddie Jaku

Hell ship, Michael Veitch  (Suggested by Jennifer Jones)

I Kept on Dancing: A Life's Journey from Nazi Germany to the Lucky Country, Olga Geddes

Inheritance of secrets, Sonya Bates

Into the Suburbs : A Migrant's Story, Christopher Raja

The Italian girl, Rebecca Huntley

Joyful strains : making Australia home, Kent MacCarter

A long way home, Saroo Brierley 

A long way to Tipperary, Susan Gough (Children's Fiction)

Mao's last dancer, Li Cunxin

Michi's memories : the story of a Japanese war bride , Keiko Tamura 

Not just Ned : a true history of the Irish in Australia

One Bright Moon, Andrew Kwong 

Otherland: A Journey with My Daughter by Maria Tumarkin

Pierce Landers and Honorah Flood : Tipperary, Ire. [to] Dungog, NSW, Gwenyth Starr

Pirate boy of Sydney town by Jackie French

Reckoning : a memoir, Magda Szubanski

Reminiscences of a Roving Rabbi by Rudy Brasch

Rising heart Aminata Conteh-Biger

Romulus my father, Raimond Gaita  (Suggested by Carmel Galvin)

Sempre con te : always with you 

Suitcase of dreams, Tanya Blanchard

These Few Lines - A Convict Story : The Lost Lives of Myra and William Sykes by Graham Seal

They're a weird mob, Nino Culotta

Threads: The Untold Story of Fashion House George Gross & Harry Who, Rose Fydler

An unconventional woman, Jean Tahija

Where, oh where, is Wooger Vitnell?, Barbara Eileen Brown

Where the Sea Takes Us: A True Story of Family, Fate and Vietnam, Kim Khanh Huynh

With just one suitcase, Cheryl Koenig (Suggested by Carmel Galvin)

Ziba came on a boat, Liz Lofthouse (Picture Book)

2021 #AtoZChallenge L is for ... The Lake

 I've been researching my family history for over thirty years. Along this genealogy journey I have been supported by hundreds of books, many of which I have listed on my Librarything page. 

During the 2021 #AtoZChallenge I will be writing about two of my passions, books and family history. I'll be taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting some of those books that have enriched my genealogy experience.

This is another book that I love. 

We moved to the Lake Macquarie area four years ago and I was keen to learn about the history of our new location. Author, Scott Bevan, must have known of my desire to learn because in 2020 Scott published his latest book, The lake : exploring a splendid sheet of water.

In the book Scott describes, in an easy to read conversational style, his circumnavigation by kayak around Lake Macquarie a huge saltwater lake that is bigger than Sydney Harbour. At each location he visits Scott gives us a history of the area and its people and  features of the natural and built environment. Into his narrative he weaves interviews with local characters and shares sad and silly stories.

As President of the Local Family History Group I was quite ignorant of my local area and people, The Lake has gone some way towards rectifying that ignorance. I also found the detailed list of references and bibliography most useful in guiding my further reading but as the book doesn't have an index it is difficult to use as a ready reference. 

I recommend this work not only to those with a local interest but to those who would like to take a vicarious visit to my backyard.

Many local bookstores and newsagents have copies of this book for sale.