An Easy Guide to Online Genealogical Research

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

There are many things to learn about genealogy, and with the advent of new technology the amount of information available on this topic has literally exploded. The internet has blossomed overnight with increasingly updated data about a wide range of topics - genealogy included - and with this super-nova like expansion, many people who are interested in genealogy, neophytes and experts alike, got sucked into this fascinating world of kinship, lineage and ancestry.

That's one problem solved. Tracking down data used to be a huge problem because of the lack of resources as well as its inaccessibility. Now, the problem isn't how much data you can mine from the internet, but how you can filter it and make sure you've got correct and accurate information that is clearly distinguishable from fraudulent material.

To help professionals as well as beginners negotiate the vast world of online information to aid them in their genealogical research, authors April Leigh Helm and Matthew L. Helm another book about online genealogical research that is the latest in a slew of "Dummy" books designed to be easy guides to some of the most fascinating yet complicated topics in the world.

A five part book, it starts off with the easy stuff, guiding beginners through an introduction to the topic that includes helpful tips for starting their research on the internet. Parts 1 and 2 cover valuable nuggets of wisdom about surnames, government records, ethnic research and geographical locations.

Part 4 then delves into one of the most important sections of the book, where a lot of online resources are found and sorted into accessible chunks of information. In this part, the authors list down their top ten for all things genealogical: ten internet genealogical publications, ten guidelines on how to design a genealogy web page, ten genealogy beginner's sites and ten guidelines for a smooth sailing genealogical research. Also included are yellow page listings on various sites and descriptions to aid your search for genealogical information.

The directory provided by the book doesn't just make the search for information easier but also makes it a lot more fun. All the sections in the book that detail information about search engines allows readers to acquire the most important information provided by search engine bots called "spiders". The thing to know is that the better researchers understand how the online search process works, the easier their work will be and consequently, the more fun it'll be. By following the guidelines provided by the book, users can avoid common mistakes most beginners make, which is to pick a random search engine and just type the surname they are looking for. This method yields millions of web pages of information, but unfortunately, doesn't really narrow down the search.

Another notable thing about this book is that it provides a database of land patent from the previous GLO or General Land Office provided through the Bureau of Land Management's Eastern State Office or BLMESO. Readers have a chance of downloading copies of their ancestors' land patents through this service. Because of this, a lot of people have found the book a good source of information for aspiring genealogists as it covers not just content found on websites but also tips on how to obtain important genealogical skills.

For true techies, the book is also available in CD format, which allows them to access the same information found in the book through their laptops, however, it is worth noting that books are simpler to use and are more accessible.

Rated "cool" and "informational", the book seems to be a hit among genealogy readers, among whom, this "Dummy" book has truly found its niche and a resounding applause of appreciation.

Bill Turnbull has been studying genealogy for 15 years and in that time has discovered the secrets to building family trees effortlessly online. For more great information on Genealogy [http://www.voodoogenealogy.com] visit Build Family Tree Online [http://www.voodoogenealogy.com/build-family-tree-online/]

Historical Dictionary of Hong Kong Cinema

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Filmmakers and film fans interested in more than a century of Hong Kong cinema can find what they're looking for in this new reference book. Stokes, a humanities and film professor who also wrote "City on Fire: Hong Kong Cinema," includes enough background information to educate newcomers, while also adding plenty of scholarly insight to enlighten devoted film buffs, industry professionals, and even Hong Kong filmmakers.

This extensive reference begins with a chronology that traces the area's history back to its 1841 occupation by the British to the 2005 Hong Kong Entertainment Expo, which brought together eight creative events including the Hong Kong International Film Festival and the Hong Kong Film Awards. A fascinating introduction follows the chronology, in which the movers and shakers in Hong Kong cinema are highlighted, in addition to economic, social, and political factors that influenced filmmaking there over the years.

The bulk of the book, of course, is the dictionary itself, which describes as well as defines the directors, actors, writers, films, production companies, genres, and other significant people, places, and things that surround Hong Kong Cinema. For example, let's say a reader wants to learn more about filmmaker Stephen Chiau, whose recent film Kung Fu Hustle broke box-office records in Hong Kong and enjoyed critical and economic success in the United States. Besides brief mentions in the front matter, his listing under "Chiau" provides his name in various languages, birth date, personal and professional background, a listing of his awards, partial listing of numerous television and film credits, descriptions of his acting/directing style, and insider information about his two big international hits Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle. Readers also learn that he is called "The Chinese Jim Carrey" because of his slapstick and pratfalls. Boldfaced items listed under each dictionary entry (in the case of Stephen Chiau: Tony Leung-wai, Danny Lee, television, Golden Horse Awards, Michael Hui, Ng Man-tat, kung fu, martial arts, and Hong Kong Film Awards) represent cross-references with their own listings.

In the center of the book, a brief section is included with photographs of films and filmmakers cited in the text. "Historical Dictionary of Hong Kong Cinema" concludes with a bibliography that lists online, magazine, journal, and book sources used in compiling the text.

Stokes writes in the preface that her goal is to provide "a comprehensive and detailed overview of the immense contribution of Hong Kong to film culture." She surely succeeds in this endeavor, as the book will serve fans, filmmakers, and scholars ready to delve into the intricacies and peculiarities of Hong Kong cinema.

Copyright 2007

For more movie news and reviews visit: http://home.roadrunner.com/~lesliehalpern Central Florida entertainment writer Leslie Halpern wrote the book "Reel Romance. The Lovers' Guide to the 100 Best Date Movies" (Taylor Trade Publishing), which reviews date movies and suggests romantic ideas inspired by these films. She is also the author of "Dreams on Film: The Cinematic Struggle Between Art and Science" (McFarland & Company), an analysis of representations of sleeping and dreaming in more than 125 movies.

By Lisa Odham Stokes
Publisher: Scarecrow Press, Lanham, MD
ISBN: 978-0-8108-5520-5
2007, Hardcover, 590 pages, $99.00

Writing-World's Guide To Paying Markets For Fiction and Poetry - Book Review

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Writing-World.com's Guide to Paying Markets for Fiction and Poetry by Moira Allen, is more than just a book of data for writer's submissions. The author includes only paying markets of periodicals (E-zines, magazines and a few newspapers). The author created a highly valuable section entitled "About this Guide", that explains what each section of details listed under the publications means. She even goes as far as describing the various rights that are often required by periodicals. I learned within the first 17 pages that I had been addressing envelopes incorrectly for international shipping by placing the country in mostly small caps beside the state or province. And what a surprise that was for me - I had no idea there was a protocol for shipping out-of-country! This important chapter also discusses common issues and problems with email and online submissions. Moira's discussion on literary magazines was also very informative and interesting.

Listing markets for short stories, poetry, fiction, fantasy, horror, Christian, adult and many other genres from romance to mystery - this book is sure to help authors market their books and freelance writers sell their articles. Author Moira Allen, goes a step farther and sub-groups markets into smaller categories, such as Children/Christian and Flash Fiction, to make the selection easier for writers.

Reference books like these tend to be dry and boring to read, but Moira's book is written personably - which is difficult to do when listing data. Each listing has numerous helpful tips and information including what kind of material the publication accepts submission for, what the publication's pay rate starts at, what rights are requested and contact information (including emails and website URLs).

This book has definitely found a spot on my writer's reference shelf in my office!

Publisher: Writing-World.com
Available at: http://www.writing-world.com/bookstore/index.shtml

~ Lillian Brummet: co-author of the books Trash Talk and Purple Snowflake Marketing, author of Towards Understanding; host of the Conscious Discussions radio show (http://www.brummet.ca/)