Collecting Dead Relatives: An Irreverent Romp Through the Field of Genealogy

by Laverne Galeener-Moore

This book looks on the comic side of genealogy, with humorous descriptions of the people and situations familiar to all genealogists.

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, Reference

168 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Linda Trostle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Collecting Dead Relatives is a humorous look into the difficulties encountered when researching genealogy. Published in 1987, the book is dated when it comes to technology and the increasing availability of digital records. If you are looking for a genealogy book of anecdotal humor, this might be the book for you. But if you are looking for a book with practical, how-to advice on genealogy research, you would be wise to look elsewhere.

[Jess Saravia 🧚‍♀️✨ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Though an attempt to be witty and informative, this book is filled with maybe 5% of useful information and racist/ sexist language and ideologies; if you prefer not to read a piece that could have come from a racist elder in the family, avoid this book. This reads more like complaints about experiences and bitterness towards anyone younger than 60 than an actual guide about genealogy.

Worst money spent on a book this year thus far.

[Linda Brough · Rating 3 out of 5]

Humorous writing about finding your ancestors. Written before acces to internet records made the search easier and more convenient.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a die-hard family researcher, who has devoted half a lifetime to that addictive hobby, this book made me laugh and laugh (while simultaneously groaning at the error of my ways). It is for the avid, rabid, and old-fashioned genealogists among us. I classify it as humor, not genealogy (though the humor is directed at genealogy junkies and generated by a reformed one). Hindsight is everything. The story is true, too painfully true, for researchers who plowed their way through stacks of paper and microfilm, stared dismally at the ruins of old, burned courthouses, fell into unmarked sunken graves, and got rebuffed by cold, snotty county clerks. Modern-day genealogists may not relate, never having experienced such pleasures. The humor would be altogether lost on those who never went beyond the Internet for genealogy...

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are a few laugh-out loud moments, but overall I felt the sarcasm eclipsed the humor. I thought the description of the Commercial Hotel was wonderful. The details of what it must have been like to do genealogical research pre-Internet do reveal the hurdles of the past, and also the miracles they performed ingetting that information.

I see that Laverne did write a follow-up novel, which I will probably read.

[Fallon Green]

Just added it to my read list! Looks like its gonna be funny!

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rounded up from 2.5 stars. The author sometimes gets carried away with her sarcasm, and she certainly is negative about children, unpleasantly so.