The Helms have put together an excellent introductory guide to doing genealogical research online. They've avoided the usual trap of organizing their book by resources, which may be easy for the author but makes it harder on the user. So instead of devoting this chapter to useful Web sites, that chapter to valuable newsgroups, and so forth, they've organized the book in a way closer to the way you'd organize good family research.

They begin with a series of chapters on preparation, including doing initial groundwork, developing a plan, picking the names to begin researching, and locating ancestors geographically. Next, they deal with the means for finding valuable records and then delve into getting the most from your resources. Chapter 8, for example, discusses organizing and presenting your findings, while chapter 9 deals with cooperating with other researchers so that you can all be more effective (and probably make some new friends in the bargain).

As is always the case with a Dummies series book, the Helms present a "Part of Tens" section, in this case four chapters each covering 10 top online genealogical sites, tips for designing your genealogical Web page, sites for beginners, and general tips for "smooth sailing." An enclosed CD-ROM contains nine genealogy programs plus a wide assortment of Internet tools and utilities. --Elizabeth Lewis

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Is your great-grandmother's meticulously hand-sketched, parchment paper family tree yellowing in your attic and four generations out-of-date? Or maybe you're the first in your family to research your lineage. With help from Genealogy Online For Dummies, you can research your family history, establish your own genealogy Web site, communicate with other researchers, and catalog your findings -- all from the comfort of your own computer.

Inside, find helpful advice on how to: Plan, organize, and undertake an efficient online genealogy project Identify important resources, find the information you need, and document it on your computer Locate other members of your family tree in cyberspace Discover genealogical associations, newsgroups, and mailing lists on the Internet Verify the family data you find Place your personal genealogy site on the World Wide Web

SYNOPSIS

Building your family tree in Cyberspace or just searching online for a bit of history about your ancestors? Whether you're corresponding with far-flung relatives or tracking down elusive family records around the world, a treasure trove of information on family histories is at your fingertips when you log onto the Internet. The trick to finding all that information is knowing where to look.