Family Matters: A History of Genealogy
by Michael Sharpe, Pen & Sword 2011. ISBN: 978 1 84884 559 6

Signed copy

Michael Sharpe’s landmark history of genealogy in Britain. Family Matters charts the development of family history from an esoteric interest of scholars and the upper classes to a popular pastime enjoyed by millions.

As the first popular history of the subject, rather than yet another ‘how to’ guide, Family Matters puts the study of family history into a historical and social context. It describes in vivid detail the landmark events and the personalities behind them, telling the story of the evolution of genealogy in Britain through the eyes of those involved. It also looks forward to some of the challenges facing family history in the future, as a result of factors such as commercialisation, legislation and new technologies. In so doing it offers a fresh perspective on an activity that is not just a fast-growing leisure pursuit but also a rapidly expanding business sector and an important field for public policy.

Family Matters will be fascinating reading for family and local history enthusiasts, providing them with an engaging account of the development of their favourite pastime. It will also appeal to social historians and to everyone who is interested in the role of public information and archives in popular culture.

Further details at the dedicated website: www.familymattersbook.net