"Richard Hill's true and intensely personal story of how he pieced together the long-kept secret of his own origins. This highly suspenseful book is a page-turning saga of personal detective work that will appeal to anyone who loves a good mystery. But this isn't fiction. It's an engrossing account of an adoptee trying to reclaim the biological family denied him by sealed birth records. This fascinating quest, including the author's landmark use of DNA testing, takes readers on an exhilarating roller-coaster ride and concludes with a twist that rivals anything Hollywood has to offer."--back cover.
"With a message from David S. Ferriero, Archivist of the United States" --t.p.
Includes bibliographical references.
Contents
Message from the Archivist -- Introduction -- Getting started -- The U.S. census -- Immigration and naturalization -- Military service -- Federal land records -- Genealogy tool kit order sheet -- Family tree charts -- Appendix.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 235-240) and index.
Summary
Explains how to locate and obtain family records and documents from libraries, family history centers, archival reposititories, microfilm, and the Internet.