Saturday, February 25, 2012

Finding Your Roots: The Official Companion to the PBS Series, by Henry Louis Gates

Finding Your Roots: The Official Companion to the PBS Series, by Henry Louis Gates

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Finding Your Roots: The Official Companion to the PBS Series, by Henry Louis Gates

Finding Your Roots: The Official Companion to the PBS Series, by Henry Louis Gates



Finding Your Roots: The Official Companion to the PBS Series, by Henry Louis Gates

Free Ebook Finding Your Roots: The Official Companion to the PBS Series, by Henry Louis Gates

Who are we, and where do we come from? The fundamental drive to answer these questions is at the heart of Finding Your Roots, the companion book to the PBS documentary series seen by 30 million people. As Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. shows us, the tools of cutting-edge genomics and deep genealogical research now allow us to learn more about our roots, looking further back in time than ever before. Gates's investigations take on the personal and genealogical histories of more than twenty luminaries, including United States Congressman John Lewis, actor Robert Downey Jr., CNN medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta, President of the "Becoming American Institute" Linda Chavez, and comedian Margaret Cho. Interwoven with their moving stories of immigration, assimilation, strife, and success, Gates provides practical information for amateur genealogists just beginning archival research on their own families' roots, and he details the advances in genetic research now available to the public. The result is an illuminating exploration of who we are, how we lost track of our roots, and how we can find them again.

Finding Your Roots: The Official Companion to the PBS Series, by Henry Louis Gates

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #1493770 in Books
  • Published on: 2015-09-15
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: .85" h x 6.17" w x 9.27" l, .0 pounds
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 352 pages
Finding Your Roots: The Official Companion to the PBS Series, by Henry Louis Gates

Review A painstakingly researched genealogical tapestry weaving a wonderful tribute to America as a very culturally rich melting pot.--Kam WilliamsOf interest to avid genealogy buffs.--Kirkus ReviewsIn telling these stories, Gates provides clues to readers of how they can conduct their own searches and the value to be found in immigration records and the 1870 census.--Booklist

Review Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I headed? These are all fundamental questions to which every human being, regardless of race, gender or background, wants answers. Professor Gates provides these answers to the people he profiles, but [Finding Your Roots] also encourage[s] viewers to explore their own family histories so they can know more about themselves.--Cal Thomas, Washington ExaminerAn accessible and engaging book, Finding Your Roots is a veritable how-to guide for readers to explore their own past. Henry Louis Gates Jr. brings a wealth of genealogical research expertise to his interviews, which are witty, knowledgeable, and touching, made more so by the fact that Gates himself enters the stories, changing places with the interviewees to reveal something of his own personal experience. Throughout, Gates imbues the stories with a kind of intimacy that speaks to all of us in our personal journeys searching for our own histories. There's nothing else quite like it.--Ira Berlin, University of Maryland

About the Author Henry Louis Gates Jr. is the Alphonse Fletcher Jr. University Professor and Director of the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard University.


Finding Your Roots: The Official Companion to the PBS Series, by Henry Louis Gates

Where to Download Finding Your Roots: The Official Companion to the PBS Series, by Henry Louis Gates

Most helpful customer reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful. Will help you to find out where you came from By James Denny "Finding Your Roots" is the companion guide to the PBS series of the same name hosted by Harvard historian, Henry Louis Gates.Like the television series, the focus of the book is a combination of genealogical and genetic research on a wide mix of individuals, public figures from sports, entertainment, science, medicine and politics. The usual approach is to develop paternal and maternal lines for as far back as oral history, family record sources and public record sources can go. The next step is to highlight and often intensely focus on certain lines or ancestors that present different and perhaps unique aspects that would especially excite viewer and reader interest.The concluding sections on each individual focus on the results of the "swab" test, typically a simple mouth swab of the cheek done with a Q-tip type device. There is no need to draw a blood sample. Results of the swab test are matched against empirical data in different genetic databases, identifying key DNA strands that serve as genetic markers. It is always interesting to see how closely the results of the genetic tests confirm or contra-indicate the results of the genealogical research. Some genealogical lines must be "ruled out" on the basis of what comes through.A common perception among African Americans noted by Gates is that they have an Native American (Indian) ancestor in their line most often described as a "Cherokee." Gates presents results compiled over many, many African-American genetic tests performed that show that fewer than five percent of African-Americans actually do have a Native American in their ancestral line. Hard-held views and oral family traditions die hard. Many American blacks cling tenaciously to this belief.The research shows that most African-Americans have in the range of 20-to-30 percent European (white) ancestry, a figure above what most African-Americans typically believe to be the case. Of course, a significant percentage of African-Americans are actually more white than they are black and many African-Americans do know this is their makeup. Gates will sometimes delve into the subject of "passing," if and when socially, that has been found to be the case.Another general finding that comes as a result of the genetic testing is that more people find a Jewish ancestor in one of their ancestral lines than they had previously known to be the case.Henry Louis Gates does not do this research alone. Indeed, a whole team of genealogical researchers, historians and archivists are involved and consulted. Meeting and getting to know these experts is an inherent part of the appeal of the series.There are two items I hoped would be included in the companion series: first, an appendix with a list of contacts or museums or historical societies that Gates and his team have found especially useful. Maybe a top-ten or top-twenty sort of thing. The second item might be a presentation of a spectral analysis of DNA strands to serve as an example of how a particular gene presents itself and compares to a genetic line that would confirm or contradict. This should not be too technical but would reveal pictorally how a genetic marker actually proves a biological line.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful. Finding Your Roots: Candy for the Family Historian By Ty Alexander An engaging continuation of the stories presented in the PBS series. While one reviewer was disappointed that this book was not another "how to" guide to genealogy, I found it insightful, delightfully written, entertaining, and enlightening. There are some take-away genealogical lessons in this book for the astute reader. Dr. Gates' writing style is as pleasurable as his on-camera persona. I hope Professor Gates provides us with a similar volume for his next season of stories from Finding Your Roots.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful. A History To Be Understood By Genealogy By Barbara J. Ross This is a more indepth study on the Genealogy of several persons with similar backgrounds but surprisingly different genealogical histories. Dr. Gates is to be commended for his efforts to help others know and understand the mysteries of their family history. It brings more clarity to their lives and also healing when unknown secrets are revealed. You can feel the impact made on each individual as their story is heard. You have to be interested in the subject to appreciate what has been done. It inspires me to continue my work in this area for my own family. For the past 10 years he has inspired me to delve into the subject by his PBS specials and books.

See all 8 customer reviews... Finding Your Roots: The Official Companion to the PBS Series, by Henry Louis Gates

Friday, February 10, 2012

The Wars of the Roses: The Key Players in the Struggle for Supremacy, by Matthew Lewis

The Wars of the Roses: The Key Players in the Struggle for Supremacy, by Matthew Lewis

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The Wars of the Roses: The Key Players in the Struggle for Supremacy, by Matthew Lewis

The Wars of the Roses: The Key Players in the Struggle for Supremacy, by Matthew Lewis



The Wars of the Roses: The Key Players in the Struggle for Supremacy, by Matthew Lewis

Read and Download Ebook The Wars of the Roses: The Key Players in the Struggle for Supremacy, by Matthew Lewis

In the second half of the fifteenth century, for over thirty years, civil war tore England apart, but its roots were deeper and its thorns felt longer than this time frame suggests. The Wars of the Roses were not a coherent period of continual warfare. There were distinct episodes of conflict, interspersed with long periods of peace. But the struggles never really ceased. Motives changed, fortunes waxed and waned, the nature of kingship was weighed and measured and the mettle of some of England's greatest families was put to the test.Matthew Lewis examines the people behind these events, exploring the personalities of the main players, their motives, their successes and their failures. This book will uncover some of the lesser-known tales lost within the broad sweep of the Wars of Roses, the molehills that made up the mountain, in a very personal look at a period of complex loyalties and shifting fortunes. By exploring some of the lesser-known events, the period as a whole will become clearer. We will discover when the Wars of the Roses really began, what drove England into civil war and whether it is possible to pinpoint an end to the troubles.

The Wars of the Roses: The Key Players in the Struggle for Supremacy, by Matthew Lewis

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #1691354 in Books
  • Published on: 2015-09-11
  • Original language: English
  • Dimensions: 9.21" h x 1.02" w x 6.14" l, 1.30 pounds
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 304 pages
The Wars of the Roses: The Key Players in the Struggle for Supremacy, by Matthew Lewis

About the Author Matthew Lewis is the author of two histories and two historical fiction novels about Richard III and the Wars of the Roses. The medieval period is a particular passion of Matthew's, a passion he hopes to share through his blog. He is dedicated to teaching and discussing this period, operating two history podcasts and providing bitesized facts to his Twitter and Facebook following.


The Wars of the Roses: The Key Players in the Struggle for Supremacy, by Matthew Lewis

Where to Download The Wars of the Roses: The Key Players in the Struggle for Supremacy, by Matthew Lewis

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Brilliant! By Sarah Bryson Matthew Lewis’ book has to be one of the best books on the Wars of the Roses that I have ever read. I went into the book having some previous knowledge of the Wars of the Roses but I openly admit I did not know who all of the players, events or battles were. (Let’s face it, spanning well over thirty years the Wars of the Roses can be quite confusing at times with multiple Kings, people and even a whole country involved!) Matthew Lewis’ book was clear, concise and brilliantly written. I was able to read through the events of the Wars of the Roses to gain a deeper understanding of not only what was happening at the time, but also the motives behind decisions that ultimately changed the course of English history.Lewis book is not simply a retelling of the events of the Wars of the Roses it is an experience to be relived. From the very start of this book I was captivated. The first two sentences of the book depict such vivid imagery and set a detailed tone that is carried throughout the rest of the book. Lewis does not just write about the Wars of the Roses he paints the most lucid, life like scenes that unfolded as each sentence is read and create the most amazing, breathtaking and sometimes horrific images of real life events.As the title suggests Lewis works though the events of the Wars of the Roses in an orderly manner, detailing the major players of the later 15th century as well as people and events that sometimes get overlooked. By providing information about people and events not commonly written about the reader is able to gain a greater understanding of one of England’s most turbulent periods of history.The detail which Lewis provides within his book is just astounding and it is evidence of a great wealth of research to ensure that all the events and players within the Wars of the Roses are explored and detailed. It was simply fascinating to learn the deeper reasons as to why people during this time period made the decisions they did. It is clear that Lewis delved deeper in his research to not just provide the facts but to explore each player’s reasoning behind their actions. I also greatly appreciated that when no clear reason as to why a decision or action was made Lewis provides several possible theories. He appreciates the reader’s intelligence and allows them to make up their own mind, rather than forcing an idea or opinion upon them.The Wars of the Roses is often considered to be a battle between Lancaster and York, starting in 1455 and ending at the Battle of Bosworth when Henry Tudor claimed the throne. Yet Lewis shows that tensions were simmering long before this date and by no means ended with the new Tudor King. Lewis provides in depth details as to the events that led up to Richard, Duke of York’s claim to the throne as well as the many perceived threats that even King Henry VIII felt long into his reign. While it seems easy to reduce the Wars of the Roses into a nice, neat thirty year time frame, this is simply not the case and Lewis does a marvellous job of detailing events before and after this time period.At the end of his book Lewis leaves the reader with one final thought: “In the absence of irrefutable evidence you can only make up your own mind, but do so without centuries of prejudice and reach a conclusion dimly illuminated by those facts that we do have.” This I feel is perhaps one of the most important ideas to take away from his book. There are many events and decisions that were made during the Wars of the Roses that we in modern times simply do not have any hard evidence to explain why they happened. A classic example of this being who killed the Princes in the Tower? There is no secret diary, no parliament record or document to state who killed the Princes or if they were killed at all. The only conclusions that can be drawn are based upon examining the scant pieces of evidence available to us. This of course means that each person’s natural bias comes into play.Lewis also stated on social media that two people can look at the very same piece of evidence and draw two completely different conclusions. This is how the Wars of the Roses can be understood and it is vital that the author does not impose their own personal biases into a book. Lewis has steered away from this, providing the details of what is known while offering suggestions as to what might have happened but ultimately leaving the reader to make up their own mind based on the known facts.I absolutely adored Matthew Lewis’ book on the Wars of the Roses. It is one of the very best books on this period of history that I have ever read. It was well written, thoroughly researched and provides the reader with a wealth of information. Not only would I recommend this book, but I would also strongly urge everyone to get a copy of Lewis’ book and read it immediately!

See all 1 customer reviews... The Wars of the Roses: The Key Players in the Struggle for Supremacy, by Matthew Lewis