An example of one of The Best Genealogy Research Books I never used to read is: "Shakespeare's England, An Account of the Life & Manners of his Age" Vol. I & II, published by the Oxford University Press, 1916, with reprints to 1950 in Great Britain. PR 2910 S4 "The purpose of this book is to describe the habits of the English people during Shakespeare's lifetime." [1564-1616] The attempt would be worth making even if Shakespeare had never lived. CONTENTS: Vol. I The Age of Elizabeth Religion The Court The Army: Military Service and Equipment [The Soldier & Armour and Weapons] The Navy Ships and Sailors Voyages and Exploration: Geography: Maps Land Travel Education Scholarship Handwriting Commerce and Coinage Agriculture and Gardening Law Medicine The Sciences [Astronomy and Astrology, Alchemy & Natural History, including Animals and Plants] Folklore and Superstitions: Ghosts and Fairies: Witchcraft and Devils. . . . On page 231 of Vol. I is a picture of a hornbook of the time of Charles I, found in 1881 during excavation at Brasenose college, Oxford. CONTENTS: Vol. II The Fine Arts [Painting, Sculpture and Engraving; Music; Architecture] Heraldry Costume The Home: Furniture Food and Drink: Domestic Customs: Christenings, Weddings, Funerals London and the Life of the Town Authors and Patrons Booksellers, Printers and The Stationers' Trade Actors and Acting The Playhouse The Masque Sports and Pastimes [Hunting, Falconry Coursing, Fowling and Angling; Archery, Fencing and Duelling; Horsemanship, with Farriery; Bearbaiting, Bullbaiting, and Cockfighting; Dancing, Games] Rogues and Vagabonds Ballads and Broadsides Shakespeare's English . . . On page 144- of Vol. II are such things as: "The actual wedding ring was the most important emblem of marriage. A popular form was two hands clasping a heart made of a jewel, or an enamelled hoop with small stones and a motto engraved inside. . . . The plain gold hoop was not introduced till Puritan times. . . . English ladies at this time are occasionally represented in portraits as wearing their wedding rings on the thumb. . . . This fashion originated from the Catholic ritual of marriage, in which the husband placed the ring on the top of the thumb of the left hand, with the words 'In the name of the Father', then moved it to the forefinger with 'and of the Son', then to the middle finger, adding 'and of the Holy Ghost,' finally leaving it on the fourth finger with the closing word 'Amen'." The Best Genealogy Research Books you may never read are located within the walls of the local University library. All you need to do is check out what RICH and FAMOUS persons lived in the areas of your ancestral research. The millions of hours and money used to research and publish these records will then become an invaluable aid for your own family history and pedigree. Respectfully yours, Tom Tinney, Sr. http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~vctinney/ Listed in: Who's Who In The West, 1998/1999 Who's Who In Genealogy and Heraldry, [both editions]