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Colin Metcalfe
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Ancestors: adventures in a family history Kindle Edition

by Colin Metcalfe (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 out of 5 stars 31 ratings
An adventurous and entertaining expedition into tracing family history. After a brief irreverent look at how to obtain and use records, the author enters the world of his - and your - ancestors, with a few stories, scrapes and escapades on the way.

We take a penetrating look at women's lot, transport, religion, education and Viking ancestry. Visit a court, a battle field, and hear some amusing stories about heraldry, pedigrees and genealogy.

This book demonstrates how to breathe life into dusty parish records, censuses, registration documents, wills and history books, by using archives, museums and combining the skills of storyteller, archaeologist, historian - and detective. By example the book shows that tracing your ancestry can be an adventure of a lifetime.

The last chapter gives details on how you can turn your family history from unpromising and limited material into appealing, inviting, exciting media that evokes atmosphere and brings your forebears to life.

The author's ancestors include 18th C. Westmorland farmers, Knights, Quakers, Academics and "one poor soul burnt at the stake".

A book that is readable, informative, imaginative and at times thoughtful.
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  1. Print length
    140 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    2 July 2014
  5. File size
    1.0 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00LI6V3HE
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 2 July 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.0 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 140 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 31 ratings

About the author

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Colin Metcalfe

Colin Metcalfe

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Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
31 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book entertaining and well-researched, with one review highlighting its useful references at the end. Moreover, the humor receives positive feedback, with customers finding bits of it both entertaining and interesting.

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ReadabilityContent qualityHumor
11 customers mention ‘Readability’8 positive3 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and entertaining, particularly appreciating the interesting aspects of researching family history.

"...history writing guru with some careful re-enactment; provider of fascinating anecdotal history, well-researched, of the Viking Westmorland ancestry..." Read more

"...I thoroughly enjoyed the author's enthusiasm and delight as he breached brick walls into new discoveries!" Read more

"This is a lovely idea: a lesson in how to do family tree research (and how to avoid the pitfalls) but told as an entertaining and often humorously..." Read more

"...Not an 'academic' book, and there are some editorial issues, but an easy read to get me back to working on my family tree. Just what I needed." Read more

5 customers mention ‘Content quality’5 positive0 negative

Customers find the content of the book well-researched, with one customer noting it includes useful references at the end.

"...careful re-enactment; provider of fascinating anecdotal history, well-researched, of the Viking Westmorland ancestry which it seems I too share." Read more

"A very pleasant read and some valuable tips...." Read more

"Very entertaining and with some helpful ideas for research...." Read more

"Well researched and completely absorbing. I enjoyed it from start to finish and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in family history." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Humor’3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, finding bits of it entertaining and interesting, with one customer describing it as a humorous travelogue with a campervan.

"Colin covers so many bases with this book. Humorous travelogue with campervan and wife in tow; creative family history writing guru with some..." Read more

"...but told as an entertaining and often humorously expressed story in itself...." Read more

"This was OK in some respects. Bits of it were entertaining or interesting, but, there was a fair amount of rambling and I'm not sure about the..." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • handsfreedave
    4.0 out of 5 stars a good read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 December 2014
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Colin covers so many bases with this book. Humorous travelogue with campervan and wife in tow; creative family history writing guru with some careful re-enactment; provider of fascinating anecdotal history, well-researched, of the Viking Westmorland ancestry which it seems I too share.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 June 2016
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    A very pleasant read and some valuable tips. I thoroughly enjoyed the author's enthusiasm and delight as he breached brick walls into new discoveries!
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  • David R
    3.0 out of 5 stars A curious but entertaining mix
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 August 2015
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    This is a lovely idea: a lesson in how to do family tree research (and how to avoid the pitfalls) but told as an entertaining and often humorously expressed story in itself. The story is the author's own journey of discovering his family history in a beaten-up VW camper van and its eventual replacement.
    The project, though, is somewhat let down by an apparent absence of copy editing and poor proof-reading. So what you get is a curious mix of some fine, evocative writing and disorganised or unfinished presentation. Well-crafted sections give way to unedited collections of (nonetheless interesting) snippets.
    More attention to the final version would make this book a more satisfying read and earn the five stars it would then warrant.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Ceci S
    4.0 out of 5 stars Light Reading
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 August 2015
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Very entertaining and with some helpful ideas for research. Not an 'academic' book, and there are some editorial issues, but an easy read to get me back to working on my family tree. Just what I needed.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Jenny Gardiner
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 April 2015
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Well researched and completely absorbing. I enjoyed it from start to finish and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in family history.
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  • Jill in East Kent
    2.0 out of 5 stars Bit puzzled by this one
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 April 2016
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    This was OK in some respects. Bits of it were entertaining or interesting, but, there was a fair amount of rambling and I'm not sure about the Viking ancestry and how that all fitted in.

    Not sure I found it particularly helpful in writing up my own family tree.
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  • Kelda
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 August 2015
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    fluid, but just one persons search, no real value in learning. Very good story of how one man found his ancestors
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  • read and read...
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 April 2017
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    I was looking for inspiration for writing my family history. I hadn't come across a style I enjoyed reading or helpful suggestions for turning dry facts into prose. I found both in this book.

    If you want to write about your ancestors or just enjoy a good yarn or two - you have to read this. Thank you, Colin.
    Helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Dayle D. Dooley
    4.0 out of 5 stars Much Better then the Title Implies!!!
    Reviewed in the United States on 24 July 2014
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Unfortunate title for a really fun read! I must admit I got this book because it was free and I normally download any family history/genealogy type books that pop up free.
    What a surprise! It was a fun read with great narrative and helpful hints for researching English/British records. A bonus was the wonderful descriptions of Wales..
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  • Kindle Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on 27 June 2015
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Started out interesting, and then bogged down. MAYBE I will go back and finish it one day.
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