Anthony Adolph's Reading Interests

Julian Cope, The Megalithic European
A wonderfully fresh insight into a very old subject. This book reminds us of and helps us to understand the common, ancient beliefs and practises that underlie the whole of European (and, really, world) civilisation.

Sir Anthony Wagner, Pedigree and Progress
This, together with the same author’s ‘English Genealogy’ is the best overview in print of what genealogy is all about, and contains fascinating pedigrees that link modern humans back to the ancient world.

John Prebble, The Highland Clearances
It broke new ground when it first appeared, by reconstructing and telling the story of the clearance of vast swathes of Scotland’s Highland population to make way for sheep-farming. It is also an excellent example of how history can be written exquisitely.

John Van Setters, Prologue to History: the Yahwist as Historian in Genesis
Any decent genealogist or historian should be absolutely rigorous about what sources actually say, as opposed to what messages they are perceived to convey. This book is an extraordinary example of this analytical process in action. Whether or not you agree with his conclusions (that Genesis was written in imitation of Greek genealogical narratives) it is worth reading simply as an exemplar of how historical or genealogical arguments should be put.

Thomas Cahill, How the Irish Saved Civilisation
A bold, new and compelling look at the collapse of the Roman Empire and how many aspects of Roman civilisation found unlikely sanctuary in the newly founded monasteries of Ireland. Beautifully written and clearly argued.

Michael Gandy, Family History: Cultures and Faiths
Michael Gandy is one of the leading experts on the way the ins and outs of society affected the way families have behaved over the centuries. Religion played a massive role in shaping family history: this thought-provoking book is the first of its kind to explore the question properly and provides many ideas for thinking around research problems caused by religion.

Stella Colwell, The National Archives
This is a guide to the (British) National Archives’ records that is specifically geared to the needs of family historians, anticipating questions and even providing suggestions for further searches when initial ones don’t work.

Jayne Shrimpton, Family Photographs & How to Date Them
Simply the best and most useful guide to dating family photographs by analysing their composition and, mainly, by studying what people were wearing. Terribly useful.