We recently received three new reviews for David Dobson’s new guidebook, Scottish Genealogy: The Basics and Beyond. The good notices came from the Midwest Book Review, the long-running genealogy column “Kinsearching,” and Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter. We have excerpted the reviews for this issue of “Genealogy Pointers.”
“Dobson has compiled an extensive list of the publications and archival records that will enable historians to advance their research. Another unique feature of “Scottish Genealogy: The Basics and Beyond” is the inclusion of numerous excerpts from publications and archival records, which will help lead researchers to the sources most applicable to their research.
“Critique: An absolute ‘must’ as an instructional guide and reference manual for novice (and even experienced) genealogists wanting to work with and research Scottish records, “Scottish Genealogy: The Basics and Beyond” is an ideal and unreservedly recommended resource for personal, professional, community, college and university library Genealogical Studies collections.”—James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief, Midwest Book Review, May 2021.
“David Dobson is a familiar name to many family historians. Drawing on his vast experience over a fifty-year period of historical and genealogical research in archives and libraries throughout Scotland, he shares the culmination of his knowledge in his new book, SCOTTISH GENEALOGY: THE BASICS AND BEYOND.
“Throughout his book, Dobson shares his extensive list of publications and archival records—an inventory that would take years for other individuals to glean and compile from such a far-reaching and huge amount of relevant materials he has discovered during his endeavors. Dobson’s sharing of his vast wealth of expertise in all aspects of family history in Scotland and abroad makes SCOTTISH GENEALOGY: THE BASCIS AND BEYOND a worthwhile addition to all genealogical libraries.”—Marleta Childs, “Kinsearching,” April 25, 2021.
“Dr. Dobson wrote this genealogy research guide sprung from his masterful grasp of Scottish source materials that he has explored, compiled, and documented over the course of his fifty years of looking into archives and libraries as he continues chronicling the Scottish Diaspora.
“The book includes illustrations, maps, an introduction, index, and surname index. Chapters describe research in major record sources (birth, marriage, death, divorce, and the Old Parish Records of the Church of Scotland); church and other religious records (Church of Scotland, Free Church of Scotland, Methodist Church, and more); secondary sources (Heritor’s Records, sasines and land registers, maritime records, and more); emigration (Netherlands, Germany, Asia, Africa, and more); and a list of family history societies with their addresses and URLs.
“This guide sets the beginning researcher off on a very good start. But it also offers the advanced researcher some very sound advice for looking into less commonly used resources and repositories. Overall, this should be a win-win for both sides of the research spectrum.—Bobbi King, Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter, April 29,2021.
