The Five Sons of Charlie Gisby, by Brendan Gisby and Phil Gisby

Having grown up thinking he had few blood relations, Brenden was surprised when Facebook brought so many Gisby family members out of the woodwork.  Through the miracles of social media, the progeny of Charlie Gisby were able to connect, and learn the rich tales of their family history.

I am a sucker for a great memoir, particularly when it involves family lineage.  Having come from a family with its own rich history, I simply adore learning about other families, particularly of the same time period.  Brendan and Phil allowed me, through this book, to glimpse the drama of their family.  Since my own grandmother was born in the early 20th century, I was able to relate to a lot of the issues that the Gisby family encountered, including both World Wars, having seen the impact of the same issues on my own family.

I love that the history of this family blends personal accounts with historical documents from the same period.  It helped to reinforce the living history which all our families hold.  I found myself really rooting for all of Charlie's sons, and feeling quite connected to them.  

If you are interested in genealogy, and the types of personal stories that can be revealed through genealogical studies, I think you will love this book.  Additionally, the book will appeal to fans of historical writing and memoirs.

I received a review copy courtesy of the author.



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