Genealogy can be confusing and sometimes what the family historian needs is something short and to-the-point that can help them get their research back on track. That's the intent of "Genealogy Tip of the Day."

Long-time genealogist Michael John Neill uses his thirty years of research experience to remind readers of things they had forgotten, make them aware of things they did not know, and encourage them to increase their research and analytical skills. This is not a typical how-to book that has a chapter for each content topic. Topics are spread throughout the book. Tips are based on actual research, actual families, and actual problems. Each day's tip is meant to be a relatively short read, is engaging, accurate, and occasionally funny.

Tip of the Day can be read front-to-back or browsed through at the reader's whim. Tips are about genealogical sources, pitfalls, and procedures based on Michael's extensive experience researching ancestors in the United States and abroad. Tips are practical, easy-to-understand, and applicable to those with ancestors in a variety of locations. Tips have been edited for clarity and updated when necessary. Any content that was time-sensitive has been removed. What's left is research advice and suggestions with some humor thrown in.

Table of Contents:

How Grandma Said it, Pond Crossing, Lying, and More
Grains of Truth, Reversed Names, and Date Fudging
Links, Cutting off, Soundex, Perspective, and Infants
Contemporary, "Paper or Plastic," and Eternal Neighbors
Undoing, Discrepancies, Math, and Avoiding Court
Reused Names, Absolute Relationships, Leave the 21st Century
Nicknames, Endogamy, Census Bridges, and Vacuums
Popularity, Wrong Grandmas, New Wife
Portable Ancestors, First Purchases, and Cousin Ken
Dead Reasons, Getting and Giving, Just Me, and Death Names
100%, Errors, Rushing Structure, and Homemade Abbreviations
Spousal Origins, Patronyms, and Death Causes
Validation, Copyright, Life Estates
Merging Saints, Circle Searching, Flukes, and Running Home
Self-Checking, Boarders, Farmed Out, and Widow Power
All I Need Is Love, Crossing a Line, and Joseph Conversions
Leaving Family, Dead Proofing, One Little Entry

Genealogy Tip of the Day can help fill in those gaps in your genealogical skill set without being overly academic or tedious.