After my mother's death in 1993, I learned that the woman she always told us was her sister, was really her mother. This began my search for my ancestors.
I begin with my mother's parents in Northern Vermont and trace her family back to some of the first immigrants to New England in the 1630s. I even discover that Christopher Martin who was on the Mayflower is an ancestor. I discover that I am a direct descendent of Edward III as well as almost everybody who was anybody in English medieval royalty. There are some touches of humor and some sightings of famous people. The book alternates between historical fact and childhood memories. I am fascinated by English medieval history and have done extensive reading on the subject. I do not just list a bunch of names. I focus on a selected number of interesting ancestors and talk about their historical time period, their relationships to other ancestors and their relationships to famous people. A knowledge of early American history informs the book and makes it more than just a recitation of facts. I talk about being raised Catholic in contrast to my Protestant ancestors. I also discuss the tension between Protestants and Catholics throughout American history. I do not present this as a scholarly work but a popular work which has a lot of history in it.
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