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Archiver > RHEA > 2002-02 > 1012763050


From: "anne bruce" <>
Subject: Re: [RHEA] Re: RHEA-D Digest V02 #20
Date: Sun, 3 Feb 2002 11:06:31 -0800
References: <200202021801.g12I1DX20915@lists5.rootsweb.com> <3C5C8FAB.9020609@oip.net>


Norma,
The post you just wrote is excellant and absolutely true. The errors others
put into their works, without ever reading a history book , a census ,or the
county or state documents, just multiply and go on forever. The real
researcher wants only facts that are supportable and provable to any and
all. This takes time and money.
True, the researcher does it for her or his own sense of what research
should be, and then, so very often, goes out on a limb to print the history
of that research.( I could not charge enough for a book to repay me for the
years, often, of research) .
In more cases than not, a compiler looks up and shares the fruits of all
that time, money and labor with those who simply ask for help. At the very
least, someone who queries should be just as willing to share everything
possible back again.
I have worked for nearly 30 years on all my lines, and post queries to
various lists. I always share back what I have in detail. These are the
ancestors of so many of us. I urge seekers to dig out the substantiating
proof of what is given to them, otherwise, they aren't really a researcher,
but a gatherer of the work of others .Then share it generously.
Prove the data given.
Best wishes,
Anne Rhea Bruce
----- Original Message -----
From: "Norma Lewis" <>
To: <>
Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2002 5:17 PM
Subject: [RHEA] Re: RHEA-D Digest V02 #20


> In defense of book authors and sellers (notice I deleted the "tail" in
> this digest message) there are all kinds of books and all kinds of
> authors. We can tell from the info we get from these Rhea and Ray family
> authors that they have done good research and their books are worth
> spending some money on ~ if your family lineage is included, or it
> covers an area of history you need data on ~ I have always been
> impressed with authors who will look up your family data in their own
> books for you. They don't have to do that, they could just say your
> family is in the book, buy the book. It is very costly to publish books
> privately and the only way they can get their initial investment back is
> to sell the books themselves. Most of these authors don't make a profit
> on their books
> and the time they have put into the research. They do it for the pure
> love of genealogy research. A book should be the end result of a
> lifetime of family research.
>
> Some of these books can be obtained through interlibrary loan if a copy
> has been offered to libraries. Many privately printed books don't get
> that far. This would be a good solution if you know your family may not
> be mentioned, or is only mentioned briefly. These books are wonderful
> family heirlooms.
>
> I work with a researcher who has published several books, hardbound, at
> $15,000 a crack ~ soft bound is less expensive. I've never bought one of
> her books because I know they have lots of errors. She is jumping the
> gun, she should wait until her research is at a more complete point, and
> she is holding back on one book we are still researching since we havn't
> found the progenitor of the family.
>
> I've always planned to do a book too, but I have a different idea. I'm
> going to put my data on the net and offer it free ~ with the suggestion
> that the data can be inserted into a three-ring binder. This way
> researchers can print off only their own branch of the family if that is
> all they are interested in, along with the early research. They can add
> plastic inserts for photos and clippings, add their own family sheets in
> the future, and they will have a complete book of their own family
> history. This family history was published in 1892 and is full of
> errors, it is available at LDS with the errors. Many researchers have
> copied it over the years and claim it as a bible, but these people
> probably havn't read the whole book anyway. This isn't genealogy.
> Finding the true history is real genealogy and the "meat" of this hobby.
> A book is somebody's research and the data should be checked against
> primary sources. This is the rule taught by expert researchers. It has
> been a hard lesson for me to learn over the years. But, another good
> rule is to become familiar with the author, as we have done on this
> list, to learn which authors can be trusted for their research.
>
> Sorry, I'll climb off my soapbox now ~ couldn't resist, this has been
> such a large part of my own family research, and I'm really sympathetic
> with people who publish books and try to get their money back. And when
> they do sell them all, people continue to ask for copies, not realizing
> that to reprint the author must order a certain number from the
> printer, and they may get stuck with those copies if they don't sell.
> So, we should really appreciate these guys who publish books and support
> their efforts.
> Norma
>
>
>
>
>
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