Hi list members, I just bought the April 19, 1999 edition of Time magazine because the front cover caught me eye. "How to Search for Your Roots" There was an article in there about these "Family History Books" that are apparently making the rounds again. So I thought I would share it with the list. "CAVEAT EMPTOR" "If you are one millions who have received an offer of a personalized family that will help locate ancestral 'namesakes' remember the old warning Buyer Beware'. Various companies have sold such books over the years, but the enduring master is Ohio-based Numa Corporation, parent company of Halbert's. Though their pitch carries a disclaimer 'no direct genealogical connection...implied ore intended-the actual product is a glorified and often inaccurate, phone listing of everyone sharing your surmane, culled from public sources like auto registries and phone books, padded with general information easily found in history textbooks, plus advice freely given by many genealogical societies. Coats of arms, emblazoned on everything from plaques to shot glasses are another huge money maker for Numa. Since heraldry was awarded to only a few families and typically passed on to male descendants, chances are slim you deserve a crest at all. That hasn't stopped Numa from filling customer requests; it's legal and, as a Numa spokeswoman argues, the company has millions of satisfied customers. Quips Victor Wlaszyn, head of the Akron Better Business Bureau, which has been field Numa complaints for decades: "They'd send me one with two kielbases crossed with some sauerkaraut sprinkled over the top.' " That is all of the article. It seems to me to be wrong to take advantage of someone, just because you can. We all know how frustrating genealogy research can be, but we all also know the joy of a real find. So I just thought I would share this will all of you. Pass it on if you choose. Mary Wright, Santa Fe, NM