This is a review from an advanced reader Kindle copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

I wouldn’t classify myself as an experienced or even intermediate family tree researcher. But thanks to a lot of work that was done for me by many others, I have some very well-researched branches of my family tree. And I have some that I just feel “stuck” on. So I do fit the target audience for this book.

The material was easy enough to understand for a reader with a decent foundation of experience for doing ancestry research. There is a lot of helpful information for a reader like myself who generally uses a service like Ancestry.com and then gets stuck. It gives good options of guidance for where to go next.

I can see myself returning to this book to help reignite my research on those branches of my tree that have felt impossible to find more info on. It is easy to understand, easy to follow, possible to read all the way through-but also possible just to use to specifically reference the most challenging tasks for your research.

Loving everything about family history and this book is a great resource for everyone looking to get into the journey.

Filled with great tips and ideas on how to solve some of the most troubling genealogy puzzles. Will recommend this to friends and library patrons.

I am the self appointed family genealogist and I have been working on my family tree from both sides of my family since I was a child. Although I have no formal training, I consider myself pretty successful at finding family records. I have accessed online and physical documents through my various trips through my family history. I wasn't sure if I could learn anything from a book about this subject, but I certainly did!. This book provided me with tips and ideas I have never heard of or tried before. This book is written in an easy to understand form and provides specific information relevant to family tree/ genealogy work for novices to professionals. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the topic. Thanks to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Must have book for all genealogists, hobbyist or professional. This book is packed with information on how to get around some of the brick walls you may encounter. It also addresses why some records may not be available and what has been digitized. Great tool to have in your genealogical tool box!

As an amateur genealogist, I am a fan of any concentrated reference material that addresses areas of research not among the typical routes. The Family Tree Problem Solver doesnt answer every question I have, but it does lay out some very beneficial techniques in an organized, focused way. The book is conversationally written, has examples, and additional references. The beginner can use it now and the experienced researcher can always use a refresher. I'm glad to add it to my reference shelf.
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

This book is a good guide for those starting out with genealogy research on what not to do when you hit a wall. As a dedicated hobby researcher, I have run into a lot of the situations described in the book, and could have used some of the helpful advice. I particularly liked the stressing of the difference between searching and research, and the tip to let go of theories that have been passed down the generations when there is no evidence to support them. You can't force a theory to be true, and I think we need that reminder sometimes, especially when relatives cling to them. Overall, I think this book will be a help to new researchers, and can provide guidance on how to overcome challenges in research, but it does suffer from a mostly American perspective. Some of these tips will work great for American research, but fail, or differ in another country. Even as a Canadian with American ancestors, I kind of scoffed at some of the tips, as locating loyalist, or other former American ancestors is given less thought. Definitely give this a look if you hit a wall in your research, or especially if you just started an Ancestry.com tree and are drowning in false leads, as it gives a good perspective on what to trust, and how to approach asking relatives about potentially difficult or contradictory stories. Just remember that unless you are researching American ancestors, you may need to adapt the advice for the country you are researching.

The Family Tree Problem Solver
by Marsha Hoffman Rising

If you dabble in genealogy and are looking for ways of finding more information or having trouble finding background of a specific person this book will give you different tools to work with. Learn how to track down certain documents for family members. Or is your missing a family member you can learn how to use the census and court records to find someone.

There are online genealogy sites that can helpful for putting your tree together and finding people that match with people in your tree. And finally the big thing is using your DNA to link you to people that have common DNA as you.

I have been researching my family for several years and have become stalled with finding someone, and with the help from this book I hope to find them.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#Netgalley

Was accepted but it then would not let me download. It just disappeared from the Start Reading tab. Disappointing!

This new and updated genealogy book is meant for people who are interested in doing serious genealogical research. In the first chapter, the author gives tips on how to start serious research or tackle problems based on a research model. She discusses next how to find vital records before there was civil registration. She then gives you ideas of how to troubleshoot your genealogy and how to avoid common mistakes. From there, chapters detail how to work with particular types of records like the census, court records, and land records. There’s even a chapter about replacing burned court records. She instructs on how to analyze what you find to figure out how reliable it is and what you can take from it. There are two new chapters in this edition that give ideas about how to work with websites like Ancestry and MyHeritage as well as how to use DNA results from AncestryDNA or 23andMe to help figure out your roots.

I found this book to be rather densely written, and the author seemed almost condescending at times if people didn't agree with her definitions or do things as she would do them. Some of the examples given seem longwinded. Still, she does give very concrete methods for researching and figuring out problems as you trace your family roots. If you can tolerate her attitude and are very serious about genealogy, you will most likely find this book worthwhile,

The Family Tree Problem Solver is hyper-focused on solving challenging problems for genealogists in the USA. As such, it could be really really helpful for some people.

The book runs through various problems, such as "the court records that I need burnt years ago" and suggests alternate methods for finding the information in places you wouldn't normally look. This ranges from searching for duplicates of the records, and checking whether the records actually burnt, to seeking out entirely different records that might give similar enough information to be of use.

It does this through a series of case studies from the author's own work, and some of the stories involve some impressive detective work! It could definitely inspire an American genealogist to making a leap and discovering new information.

As a genealogist working almost solely in the UK, it was pretty much useless. The general methods might be useful, but the vast majority of the book deals with specific records that don't exist in the UK. I tried to follow the methods used by the author in order to use it in my own searches, but because it was so specific it was extremely difficult to read and follow.

Ultimately, I think this could be good for American genealogists who've already done the basics and have hit some dead ends, but if you don't have ancestors over there, I wouldn't bother.

Family Tree Problem Solver is exactly that. If you registered on any of the genealogy sites, this book can help you make better use of their tools and perhaps save you some frustration.

Beginning with five steps to solving genealogical problems, the book takes the amateur genealogist through the entire process of finding their roots. This edition has updated website addresses and two new chapters. One new section covers what to do when receiving a new hint email from a site where you have placed your family tree. Another describes how to use DNA kit results, either your own or family members, to further your genealogical research.

Family Tree Problem Solver is an excellent tool for any amateur ancestor detective’s armory. 4 stars!

Thanks to Family Tree Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book helpful but overwhelming at times. Some of the examples were very hard to follow and I found myself skipping over them. I'm one of the researchers of her own family tree that has hit a wall due to no records because of fire and flood of courthouses plus the spelling of my maiden name (Brocato) has been spelled very many ways. I will be using techniques learned in this book to try and get farther in my research.

This book can be very helpful but is not one to be used for new researchers. I think they may get overwhelmed and frustrated very easily. I would suggest reading after you have researched regularly for a couple of years.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from F + W Media and Family Tree Books through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review is entirely my own.

The cover of "The Family Tree Problem Solver" seemed so bright and cheerful, it grabbed my attention from the start. Early on in the book the question was asked "Has your family history research hit a brick wall?" Why yes, it has hit some brick walls, a few of them if I'm being honest. I've also had other problems with my family tree, so I was eager to see what solutions were available inside the pages. This is the 3rd Edition, which has been revised to include guides and recommendations on recording hints from Ancestry.com and other genealogy websites. There is also an added chapter on DNA results and a glossary of genealogy terms.

Inside you will find many research tips and learn the difference between search and research. You will learn how to avoid common mistakes in your research, and where to find valuable information in unlikely places. There is ample information on gathering data and evaluating the information you compile. "Analysis is the most crucial step in the research process." The author(s) goes into great detail using case studies and examples on how pursuing the trail of clues (often overlooked the first time) will lead you to find the solution to your problem. It inspired me to start back at the beginning of my research. I highly recommend having a notepad ready while you read this book. My mind was spinning with ideas that I was eager to write down.When I began my journey up my family tree, I was so excited to find ANY information. I would attach sources and censuses to my growing family tree, eager to just keep moving back further and further. I was on a mission to go as far back in time as I possibly could. In my haste along the way, I can see how I neglected to properly analyze what I was saving. What had I missed the first time? I learned to Read. Every. Word. Don't just skim, but read it. I have my work cut out for me, but I am very excited to see where it leads. Who knows, I might just break through a few of those brick walls.

I found the book informative and useful, although I have to admit that in reading through all of the case studies in the The Family Tree Problem Solver, I found myself wanting to skip ahead to the "good stuff." But then, I had a lightbulb moment... isn't this skipping ahead what got me into trouble in the first place? Wanting the trophy at the end without actually having to run the entire marathon myself? Couldn't I just piggyback? The short answer is no, nothing good comes easy. If I want a complete, and more importantly accurate family tree, then I need to take each step along the way.

Just another quick note on the formatting... I think that I would have preferred the physical version of the book over the digital. I tried to read it on both my iPad and my Kobo and found the formatting to be choppy. Sometimes it was a word or two jumbled, sometimes sentences were interspersed and choppy. The physical book looks to be much more clean and neat, including the charts, map, screenshots and photographs.

I received an advanced digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. #TheFamilyTreeProblemSolver #NetGalley

This is a very interesting research book for all those people who are in search of their family tree. The book explain various pitfalls family researchers find in their quest to verify their family lineage. For instance many people will consider information a primary source just because it looks old. The book is extremely thorough and brings up many things that beginner researchers probably have not considered. If you are on the hunt for your ancestors this book is definitely worth a read. A ton of information is to be had here. Well done.

A useful book for looking at the problems family tree researchers come up against. There are plenty of case studies and examples to clarify problems. For experienced researchers many of the suggestions would be plain common sense but nevertheless it does give ideas that may not have been considered. This new edition has been updated to include chapters on online hints and using DNA analysis. The book is aimed at American researchers but most of the suggestions are applicable to any situation.

This is the brand new 2019 Third edition of the 2005 book, The Family Tree Problem Solver. I had not previously read the previous editions, but after I read the new version, I found a copy of the Second Edition (2011) to compare it and see what's new. Most of the main text is unchanged and the changes in the first eleven chapters are mostly to acknowledge the vast amount of records that have been digitized and are available online now. However, many records are still hiding in courthouses and archives and are not available online yet, so if you are a serious genealogist, knowing how to find the information you need is vital. There is a new chapter written by Sunny Morton to address evaluating online hints, and a chapter on DNA has been replaced by a brand new chapter on DNA by Diahan Southard to address how much has changed since 2011 on that front.

To be honest, I found these added chapters the best part of the book for my research. The main text, as comprehensive as it is, is limited to United States genealogy and records, and mostly pre-20th century records. Therefore, if your family lines have only been in the U.S. for a few generations, this may not be the problem solver you had hoped for. On the other hand, the general search strategies are sound and it's always a good idea to review them, such as how to tackle identifying people with similar names, and how to analyze evidence for reliability.

If you have many ancestors who lived in the U.S. in the 19th century and before, you'll find this an excellent resource to have on hand. Others may find that checking it out from the library may tide them over until they find more U.S. ancestors in their tree.

Table of Contents

1. Analyzing Research Problems and Planning Strategies
2. Avoiding Ten Common Genealogy Mistakes
3. Finding Births, Marriages, Deaths Before Civil Registration
4. Locating Missing Ancestors in the Census
5. Researching Friends, Associates, and Extended Family Members
6. Problem-Solving With Court Records
7. Replacing Burned Courthouse Records
8. Utilizing Land Records
9. Sorting Individuals With the Same Name
10. Finding Pre-1850 Ancestors
11. Analyzing Evidence
12. Accepting Online Family Tree Hints
13. Applying DNA Test Results to Your Research

(Thanks to F&W Publishers and NetGalley for a digital review copy.)

This review applies to the 3rd edition (2019) of the book. Marsha Hoffman Rising's [The Family Tree Problem Solver] inspired many genealogists to move beyond basic ancestral searches to more meaningful research which meets the genealogical proof standard. Marsha died in 2010, so I was curious why a third edition bearing her name alone was being released. Although it is obvious someone edited the original work to include website addresses and even information about the FamilySearch Wiki and other resources which did not exist during Marsha's lifetime, no one takes credit for these revisions. A chapter about "tree hints" was added by Sunny Morton, a well-known popular press genealogical author, and a chapter on using DNA was written by Diahan Southard, a well-regarded genealogical DNA lecturer. Neither of these chapters lives up to the standards the original author set, weakening the overall book. While care was taken to include web addresses and resources, references to <i>Everton's Genealogical Helper</i> and to the censuses on CD-ROM illustrate a problem in the new edition's editing. <i>Everton's Genealogical Helper</i> suspended operations years ago. While a person might find a clue about someone who researched an individual or family in the past, the contact information, if the query submitter remains alive, may be dated. While a few of us still own some of those CD-ROMs, very few use them. Ancestry, FamilySearch, and other online databases provide the access we need to the censuses. The book needed to be edited more thoroughly, and someone needed to take credit for their editing and revision role with an added author. The chapter on "tree hints" just does not fit the nature of the book. It is too basic of a topic. It remains at the "search" level described by Rising rather than the "research" one. While I appreciated Diahan Southard's comments when she talked about researching specific families, the chapter did not adequately demonstrate using DNA as evidence. Also missing from the chapter was a bibliography of published case studies demonstrating how to use DNA, which Rising would have provided if she were alive. The content originally written by Rising remains valuable although researchers may need to discover resources current researchers use in place of some of those no longer available. This review is based on an advance electronic copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley with expectations of an honest review. (3.5 stars)

Rising's book on solving common problems when searching family histories provides excellent tips, hints, and advice. It begins with the most important tip: searching is not the same thing as researching. With topics ranging from researching land deeds and church records to court records and people with the same name, this book covers it all. Speaking as someone who has researched family histories for more than twenty years, and as someone whose ancestors recycled names more often than people change their socks, the advice given is fabulous.

Thank you NetGalley and F & W Media for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy.

This is an amazing insight into the true genealogical research beyond the typical avenues. If you are just beginning your journey or if you are well into it and need some new ideas, this book can hello you. The suggested sources of hidden information and how to interpret them will guide you in your journey to the past.