Generations and Change: Genealogical Perspectives in Social History.
Edited by Robert M. Taylor, Jr. and Ralph J. Crandall. Macon: Mercer University Press, 1986. Appendix. Index. 332 Pages. $28.50.
One of the more interesting and fruitful developments in history in recent years has been the utilization of statistics and family histories to investigate many aspects of our past. These approaches have been especially significant in local history research and writing. The methods, sources, and topics of this "New Social History" have brought history close to genealogy in many ways. This merging of interests has been recognized in Generations and Change: Genealogical Perspectives in Social History. The essays in this book are grouped under three headings, "Bridging History and Genealogy," "Genealogical Approaches to Community and Family Research," and "Genealogy in Migration Research." The articles are mostly by leaders in their field and are usually highly instructive. Not a book for the casual reader, Generations and Change deserves the attention of all serious historians who use statistics or family history in their work.
