Ready to Buy Some Genealogy Books? Let the Holiday Shopping Begin!

The holidays are fast approaching, and this week, we have some great book buys for you and the genealogy/history lovers on your shopping list. The first notice is time-sensitive, but the second item we have for you is a recommended reading/book buying list for anyone wanting more information about DNA and genealogy. Here you go!

The St. Charles County Historical Society is having a used book sale on Saturday, 15 November from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Foundry Art Centre, 520 North Main Center in St. Charles, Missouri. They will have "thousands of books at a discount," and they say that there will be an emphasis on Missouri history books. They are hoping to see many of us at the book sale as we start our holiday shopping!

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Although you may find a lot of online reading lists, Courtney Eberhard, the senior marketing specialist for FamilyTreeDNA, recently published a blog post that contains a comprehensive list of books that are widely available and range from technical to just good reading. There is such an interesting variety in Courtney's newest blog post that we wanted to share the link with you and give you some details about what you will find there. 

Courtney's post has a summary of each book, the best audience for each book, and a reason why it made her list, which includes the following: 

For "DNA Detectives":

• The Complete Guide to FamilyTreeDNA by Roberta Estes
• The Genealogist's Guide to Y-DNA Testing for Genetic Genealogy (Second Edition) by Dave Vance
• Your DNA Guide: The Book (2025 edition) by Diahan Southard
• DNA for Native American Genealogy by Roberta Estes
• The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy (Second Edition) by Blaine Bettinger
• Guide to DNA Testing: How to Identify Ancestors, Confirm Relationships, and Measure Ethnic Ancestry through DNA Testing by Richard Hill
• Genetic Genealogy in Practice by Blaine Bettinger and Debbie Parker Wayne
• Advanced Genetic Genealogy: Techniques and Case Studies by Debbie Parker Wayne
• Phylogenetic Trees Made Easy (Fifth Edition) by Barry G. Hall
• The Adoptee's Guide to DNA Testing: How to Use Genetic Genealogy to Discover Your Long-Lost Family by Tamar Weinberg
• Living in the Know: The Adoptee's Quick-Start Guide to Finding Family with DNA Testing by Geraldine Berger

For "History Buffs"

• Britain Begins by Barry Cunliffe
• The Origins of the Irish by J. P. Mallory
• Neanderthal Man: In Search of Lost Genomes by Svante Pääbo
• Ancestral Journeys: The Peopling of Europe from the First Venturers to the Vikings by Jean Manco

For "Story Seekers"

• The Forensic Genealogist Series by Nathan Goodwin
• The Stranger in My Genes: A Memoir by Bill Griffeth
• Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in my DNA by Richard Hill
• Bird of Paradise: How I Became Latina by Raquel Cepeda
• The Juggler's Children: A Journey into Family Legend, and the Genes that Bind Us by Carolyn Abraham
• Halito, Gianna! by Becky Villareal

You can find Courtney's post, which also includes links to purchase each book online, at

https://blog.familytreedna.com/best-genealogy-books-2025/?utm_source=FamilyTreeDNA&utm_campaign=3d205344a0-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b0f8841478-3d205344a0-189230329