Family stories are often passed from generation to generation and many times simply accepted as truth by all who hear them and continue to pass them forward. Good researchers, however, will want to verify the facts and get to the bottom of the legends as much as possible. The author concentrates on debunking family mythology by thorough research. He uses the lessons he has learned in his own family to help others to avoid similar pitfalls. He covers diverse topics such as where surnames originated, using nineteenth-century family history books effectively, making sense of chronology, and sorting out truth from fiction. This short volume is very readable, as it is set up much as a novel would be, in short chapters with catchy sub-headings. It is an easy read and filled with valuable information for both new researchers and those that have "been there, done that."