Scotland has possibly the most complete and best-kept set of vital records and other documents on the planet. Given both this and the extraordinary worldwide Scottish diaspora (approximately 28 million people can claim Scottish ancestry), the lack of a really thorough guide to Scottish genealogy is a significant gap. Bruce Durie's book bridges that gap with authority and provides a lively sense of the excitement of the historical chase. Scottish Genealogy covers not only sources and records (physical and electronic) but is also firmly based on established genealogical practice, with worked examples, templates, and methods which will enable family historians everywhere to exploit the rich resources in Scotland. Bruce Durie strives to disabuse the reader of the many canards which have accompanied the recent upsurge in interest in family history—notably that it's "all on the internet," that there is such a thing as a "family coat of arms," and that everything written down must be true.

Scotland has possibly the most complete and best-kept set of vital records and other documents on the planet. Given both this and the extraordinary worldwide Scottish diaspora (approximately 28 million people can claim Scottish ancestry), the lack of a really thorough guide to Scottish genealogy is a significant gap. Bruce Durie's book bridges that gap with authority and provides a lively sense of the excitement of the historical chase. Scottish Genealogy covers not only sources and records (physical and electronic) but is also firmly based on established genealogical practice, with worked examples, templates, and methods which will enable family historians everywhere to exploit the rich resources in Scotland. Bruce Durie strives to disabuse the reader of the many canards which have accompanied the recent upsurge in interest in family history—notably that it's "all on the internet," that there is such a thing as a "family coat of arms," and that everything written down must be true.