The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy, Third Edition (Hardcover) by Val D. Greenwood
The standard & authoritative text, clearly written & comprehensive.
Michael K. Smith:- Since its first edition in 1972, and especially with the completely revised and greatly expanded 2nd edition in 1990, this comprehensive work has become the standard guide and textbook in the pursuit of U.S. genealogical research.

Unpuzzling Your Past: The Best-Selling Basic Guide to Genealogy (Paperback) by Emily Anne Croom
Excellent how-to guide, especially for the complete novice.
Amazon.com:- If you've ever thought of finding your roots, Emily Anne Croom's is the genealogy guide to get you going.
Oregon Genealogical Society Quarterly:- "A must for the beginner, and a plus for the more advanced genealogist!"

The Sleuth Book for Genealogists: Strategies for More Successful Family History Research (Paperback) by Emily Anne Croom.
How-to for the "advanced beginner" & intermediate researcher.
Veteran genealogy author Croom has done it again. She's produced a "strategy" book for genealogy detective work that is a sure-fire winner for beginning searchers, a delight for mystery lovers, and a valuable learning tool for advanced genealogists.

The Source : A Guidebook of American Genealogy (Hardcover) by Loretto Dennis Szucs & Sandra Hargreaves Luebking.
Detailed guide to every category of "original" source material.
Midwest Book Review:- Now in a newly revised edition, The Source: A Guidebook Of American Genealogy continues to be the primary reference work in its field.

Printed Sources: A Guide to Published Genealogical Records (Printed Sources a Guide to Published Genealogical Records) (Hardcover) by Kory L. Meyerink.
Companion volume to the above, for secondary sources.
Michael K. Smith:- This may be the most important general genealogical resource to appear since the revised edition of "The Source", to which it is the companion volume.

Hidden Sources (Hardcover) by Laura Szucs Pfeiffer.
Another companion volume, covering little-used & overlooked sources.
Discover facts about your ancestors in unexpected places--some right under your nose! Now, anyone wanting quick, easy-to-access information about how to find their ancestors will be immediately pointed in the right direction.

The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual (Paperback) by the Board for Certification Of Genealogists.
Clarifies & codifies the most reliable methods for research.
Dick Eastman:- "Anyone who wants to become a certified genealogist will need to read this book. "

Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian (Hardcover) by Elizabeth Shown Mills.
Core title by a leading specialist in genealogical analysis.
Michael K. Smith:- Every serious family researcher should be not only aware of, but thoroughly familiar with, the late Richard Lackey's _Cite Your Sources,_ which, on its publication in 1981, quickly became the Bible of genealogical source citation.

Genealogical Evidence: A Guide to the Standard of Proof Relating to Pedigrees, Ancestry, Heirship and Family History (Paperback) by Noel C. Stevenson.
Classic in genealogical evidence, with many examples & case studies.
Vincent E. Vizachero:- I heartily recommend this book to any budding genealogists, and encourage them to read it sooner rather than later.

The Handybook for Genealogists : United States of America (10th Edition) (Hardcover) by George B. Everton
The highly anticipated 10th edition of Everton's Handybook for Genealogists is one of the most valuable genealogy bibliography collections currently available. It is an indispensable resource for any genealogist attempting to trace their heritage using the county record system of the United States.

Bibliography of American County Histories (Hardcover) by P. William Filby.
Standard & comprehensive bibliography of county & local histories. This comprehensive work provides a state-by-state listing of all county histories of any significance. For each is given information concerning the title, author, place and date of publication, as well as details of editions, reprints, and indexes.

A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your Female Ancestors : Special Strategies for Uncovering Hard-To-Find Information About Your Female Lineage (Paperback) by Sharon Debartolo Carmack.
Well thought-out techniques, records analysis, & case studies.
Michael K. Smith:- Despite the fact that half of everyone's ancestors are women, they traditionally have received short shrift from genealogists.

Genealogists Guide to Discovering Your African-American Ancestors: How to Find and Record Your Unique Heritage (Genealogists Guide to Discovering Your African American Ancestors) (Paperback) by Emily Anne Croom, Franklin Carter Smith.
Smith, amateur historian, and Croom, author of several genealogy books, offer a helpful resource for overcoming the particular challenges and obstacles faced by African Americans doing genealogical searches.

Land and Property Research in the United States by E. Wade Hone
"...an indispensable tool!" Land records are among the oldest and best-preserved records in the U.S. Researchers often overlook the importance of land records as a source for genealogical information. But significant and often hidden clues can be found in land and property records.

Your Guide to Cemetery Research (Paperback) by Sharon Debartolo Carmack.
Best thing available on death & burial information by a recognized expert.
Booklist:- Carmack, a noted genealogist and an admitted cemetery addict, addresses a specialized area of genealogical research that can yield a wealth of historical and ancestral information.

A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your Immigrant & Ethnic Ancestors: How to Find and Record Your Unique Heritage (Genealogist's Guides to Discovering Your Ancestor...) (Paperback) by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack.
Divided into three parts, A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your Immigrant and Ethnic Ancestors will show you how to get started on your search, how to focus your search using profiles of forty-two distinct ethnic groups, including American Indians and African Americans, and how to leave a written legacy of your unique heritage.

Locating Lost Family Members & Friends : Modern Genealogical Research Techniques for Locating the People of Your Past and Present (Paperback) by Kathleen W. Hinckley.
Thorough discussion of new sources created in the Information Age, by an expert (and professional PI).
Lost loves. War buddies. Biological parents. Estranged siblings. Distant cousins. Where are they now? Locating Lost Family Members & Friends has all the answers.

U.S. Military Records: A Guide to Federal and State Sources, Colonial America to the Present (Hardcover) by James C. Neagles.
Best single volume on military records of all types from all periods.
Library Journal:- This groundbreaking effort from notable author Neagles (Summer Soldiers, Ancestry, 1986) is one of the best genealogical research aids to come along in some time.

Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920 (Paperback) by William Thorndale, William Dollarhide.
Comprehensive collection of nearly 400 maps, with all county boundary changes every 10 years.
The county has always been used as the basic Federal census unit. Genealogical research in the census, therefore, begins with identifying the correct county jurisdictions. This work shows all U.S. county boundaries from 1790 to 1920.