Having been involved in family history research for thirty years, and being completely self-taught by trial and error, I have sometimes been tempted to invest in expensive reference books, but found many of them cumbersome, badly organised, or rapidly outdated. Genealogy is constantly developing but even so this book, in any edition, is an absolutely invaluable longterm reference. It is written in a hugely informative way, exciting and never patronising, and the sheer quantity and quality of information in it is breathtaking. You couldn't make a better investment if you're researching your family history (especially with the superb Amazon discount!) Can't fault it! BRILLIANT!!!