This Genealogist's Holiday Wish List

1. Mastering Genealogical Proof by Thomas W. Jones – The genealogy community makes it pretty clear that this book is a must-have for any genealogist committed to accurate and ethical genealogy research. I feel that my library, as well as my genealogical education, is really not complete without it. I understand that the book provides valuable, clear instruction on how to apply the Genealogical Proof Standard. Perhaps the best part, the reader can evaluate his or her understanding of each chapter through corresponding workbook exercises. For these reasons, Mastering Genealogical Proof is at the top of my Holiday Wish List.2. Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy – The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, held 11-15 January, is an intensive, week-long genealogy education opportunity in Salt Lake City where students learn under some of the foremost genealogists in the field. The institute offers 13 different courses or tracks, from which the student chooses one. Many of the courses are already sold out, but some still have availability.To be honest, it will be a Christmas miracle if I can attend SLIG this year. The timing of it simply seems impossible for our family right now. This is a shame because we will be changing duty stations soon, and this may be my last opportunity to go. Nevertheless, I take comfort in the fact that there are many people (maybe even some of your reading this) who likewise have family and work responsibilities which prevent them from taking advantage of these types of learning opportunities. I am grateful that there are still many, many other ways for us genealogists to educate ourselves if we are committed to learning. Plus, there's always the future. Ya never know.3. Urban Green: Nature, Recreation and the Working Class in Industrial Chicago by Colin Fisher – My interest in this topic began when I decided to investigate the history behind an old photo of my great-grandmother in a baseball uniform.Well, that statement isn’t completely true. A few years back I earned my Master’s Degree in Recreation, Sport and Tourism from the University of Illinois. While I appreciated almost all my coursework in the program, I most enjoyed the unit on the social history of leisure. So that’s likely where the spark initially ignited.Anyhow, this book caught my attention as I was learning about recreation in industrial Chicago, thanks to the aforementioned photo of my great-grandmother. It might sound strange, but I found Gem's 1997 Windy City Wars so fascinating I decided to put this recently published book on my wish list.4. Chicago and Cook County: A Guide to Research by Loretta Dennis Scucz – This book maybe be a little older, but it is still considered one of the best resources for Chicago Genealogy. Since my family tree is so heavily comprised of Chicagoans, I think I definitely need it on my bookshelf.5. Tracing your Irish Ancestors by John Grenham – Last St. Patrick’s Day, I took advantage of a special rate on John Grenham’s online Irish Ancestors course, which I found to be incredibly detailed and informative (I’m actually still working my way through it). I already knew when I began the course that Irish research can be a bit tricky, and the course only reiterated that truth to me. There are so many nuances to Irish research that no genealogist could begin to remember them all. This book is the definitive reference to Irish research and I would very much like to have it in my library.6. A to Zax: A Comprehensive Dictionary for Historians and Genealogists by Barbara Jean Evans - I think the title says it all. Which of us couldn’t benefit from this book, right? The documents we come across in our research must be understood within their historical context, or we will fail as genealogists. A to Zax seems like an essential reference work for this genealogist. What about you? Do you have any genealogy related items you are hoping for this year?