Reviews, Notices and Opinions

of and about

ESTONIAN Experience and Roots

By Sigrid Renate Maldonado

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 96-85886
ISBN 0-9653936-0-7

originally of Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA.

By Aug 2001 of: P.O.Box 463, Goffstown, NH, 03045-0463, USA.

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Links to other web sites of Estonian interest - not only genealogical - and to
other pages of this site are at the end of this page, below. The Home Page
contains a "Search Box" to help you find with ease what you are looking for in our Web Site.
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Reviews of the above mentioned book:

Þ Þ "...the author presents Estonian genealogy from a historical perspective always keeping in mind the important social influences that contribute to fully understand one's family history...
...Those seeking names on ancestral districts, or other localities (all cross-referenced with the German, English, and Estonian terms) will find this work an excellent ready reference for beginning, intermediate, or advanced research. ..."

® The above is part of the review which appeared in "FAMILIES", the quarterly publication of the Ontario Genealogical Society, vol.37 - no.2, of May 1998, ISSN 0030-2945, on page 120. This society is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Þ Þ "....For a reader who has an Estonian heritage or knows they have Estonian ancestry on their family tree, especially ethnic Estonian ancestry, this title will be highly welcome.../...She has written this history-based genealogy guide out of her interest in pursuing her own family history and in laying the groundwork for other descendants of Estonian ancestors who also wish to find their ancestors.../...this book is an initial contribution to that end...."

® The inmediately above words are part of the review which appeared in the June 1997 issue of "The Bulletin", the periodical publication of "Genealogical Forum of Oregon, Inc." of Portland, Oregon, USA.

Þ Þ "....Research differs, of course, for those with German roots who might also live in the Baltic area. The author hopes this information will encourage other Estonian immigrants to record their own histories."

® The directly above is part of the review which appeared in the genealogical periodical "Everton's Genealogical Helper" of July-August 1997. (ISSN 0016-6359) This bimonthly publication appears in Logan, Utah, USA. The "Genealogical Helper" has an international readership and has been appearing for more than 50 years. http://www.everton.com

Þ Þ "...this book contains at least some information about all major aspects of Estonian genealogical research.../...I do not hesitate to recommend that anyone embarking on Estonian research study it thoroughly before proceeding..."/... The author of the review, a linguist and family historian, also applauded the fact that Mrs. Maldonado had written about the Estonian language and its difficulties for family history researchers who do not know that language. He continues: "...this is at present the only book accessible on the subject..."

® The preceding review, written by Mr. John C. Alleman, was published in the "Newsletter of the Federation of East European Family History Societies" in Vol. 5, Nos. 1-2 that appeared in September 1997. (ISSN 1077-1247) FEEFHS has its permanent address in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. http://feefhs.org

Note: Genealogical periodical publications receive an avalanche of books for review and most of them take many months, even years, to publish a review of a book that has been sent to them. Extracts of the reviews that will be published about "ESTONIAN Experience and Roots" in the future will be put on this Web page when they appear.

Articles & notices appeared:

Articles / notices of this book's existence and in most cases on how to purchase it have appeared in newspapers and in many genealogical publications.

They can be found in the publications listed below and others:

Uno Schultz, of the Universities of Stockholm and Uppsala in Sweden wrote an article about this book. It appeared in the Estonian language weekly publication called "Teataja" on 20 June 1998 on page 7. He titled his article "Sugupuu-uurijate maiuspala". (That translates roughly as "Dainty morsel for those who research their family tree".) In it he mentions also that the book contains an abbreviated description of Estonian history.

NOTIZIARIO, the internal - for members only - publication of the SOCIETÁ ITALIANA DI STUDI ARALDICI in Torino, Italy, included it in an article under "NOTIZIE LIBRARIE" in their Feb-Mar 1998 issue.
In this article it correctly states that this book is about genealogical pursuits of those without any claim to nobility.

Federation News & Digest, the publication of THE FEDERATION OF FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETIES in Birmingham, England, had it in the September 1997 issue.

FORUM, (ISSN 0894-3265) the quarterly publication of the Federation of Genealogical Societies in Richardson, Texas, USA. It was in their Summer 1997 issue under the "Ethnic / International" heading. http://www.fgs.org

"Australian Family Tree Connections for Australian and New Zealand FAMILY HISTORIANS", in Gosford, NSW, Australia, ISSN 1320-4823. This is a monthly magazine and in April 1997 it had this news item under "Resources". http://www.aftc.com.au

In "Teataja", the Estonian newspaper in Sweden, Mr. Uno Schultz wrote a notice about Sigrid Maldonado's book in the 20 June 1998 issue, pg 7.

In Canada the review has appeared in “Meie Elu” (Our Life) of 7 Feb 2002, page 10 and in “Eesti Elu”(Estonian Life) of 14 May 2003, page 12. In both cases the review was written in English.

This book is listed in:

"GENEALOGICAL & LOCAL HISTORY BOOKS IN PRINT", 5^th edition, "General Reference & World Resources Volume", 1997, ISBN 0-8063-1538-5, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. of Baltimore, Maryland, USA. This reference work was compiled and edited by Marian Hoffman. Today, 2003, it is listed on their Web Site www.genealogical.com.

A few opinions of readers & some of the messages in the Guest Book:

We ask those who have read "ESTONIAN Experience and Roots" to give us their opinions about this book. Also mail us suggestions and information you might have of ethnic Estonian (Latvian) family history. Our address can be found in the Ordering Form. (See below.)
Or if you prefer, leave your comments about this Web Site, the book, etc. at the Guest Book in our Home Page. (Return to it through the link below.) You can read their comments there.
We also will do extracts from your messages and post them here with your names.Thank you. J

From many of you came thanks for this Web Site and the above mentioned book. Many have sent us information about Estonian web sites and other genealogical data.
It is interesting to observe the different last names females of Estonian descent have today. Their offspring are truly international in their "national backgrounds"!

From The international secretary of The Federation of Swedish Genealogical Societies, on 7 Jun 1998 sent notification of their Web Site (see our Home Page for a link) and their interest in Estonian genealogy.

From J. F. Holberg Sr. on May 15, 1998: "Your book is a great help in my research for my Grandfather's family and contacts in Estonia. My grandfather was born 1886 at Emmaste on the island of Hiiuma. He arrived at the port of Mobile, Alabama, aboard the ship "Domingo J. De Silva" in 1913. Due to the Russian occuption of Estonia he was not able to maintain contact with his family and was never able to return to his homeland. Your book provided me a way and method to make contacts in Estonia and recieved the church records on the family. Using the internet and a local newspaper, my brother and I were able to contact descendants of my grandfather's sisters (in Estonia). I would like to THANK YOU for this great and valuable source. There is still a lot to learn, but you have made that start for us."

From M. Saarniit on May 6, 1998: "I was born in the US and speak fluent Estonian. My 24 year old son also speaks fluent Estonian. Thank you Sigrid for a marvelous website!"

From F. H. Scheme on May 1, 1998: "Congratulations... Your story is very similar to mine and therefore I understand fully well your wish to see it known.
We have great ancestors, a great 'little' country, determined and proud peoples who have fought for many centuries to show the world who Estonians are and what they can do!
My parents escaped from Estonia, to Poland, Germany, Sweden and later moved to Peru (37 years) and finally Canada (11 years now)."

From J. Klasmann on Apr 20, 1998: "I have been referred to you and this website by my aunt, a native from Rakvere. Only quite recently I came to understand the importance of my ancestors and roots. Though I did not yet manage to get to Estonia, I feel very much 'pulled' by the homeland of my father. I enter my name to state the soul-bondage to Estonia, its newly resurrected hopes for a brilliant future and all those sharing the destiny of either rebuilding this wonderful country or the one diaspora my (and your) family had to suffer."

From R. Ülesoo on Apr 7, 1998: Thank you for starting this very important site. I will be happy to submit my meager data when I have put it into Family Tree Maker. Thanks again!

From A. Valvas, on April 4, 1998: "I am thinking of undertaking a family history search. I can go back now I believe 5 generations but I have no idea of ages at death or birth dates. Thanks! ..."

From G. J. Rebane, on April 2, 1998: "Thank you for a great site, hope you will maintain and expand it over time. Am looking forward to reading your book and giving copies to our kids."

From A.A.Allik, on March 30, 1998: "I was born in Argentina, now living in Canada. My parents are Estonians. They were active in the Estonian Society in Buenos Aires..."

This Web Site will be updated again

Last update was on 1 January 2000.

Did it again June 2003.

A description of this book can be reached by clicking here.

If you click on "Table of Contents" (here) you will have a better idea of
what the book is all about.
Hopefully you want to know more about the subject of the Baltics and
of ethnic Estonian (Latvian)
Ancestral Research in particular. If you wish, with a print-out of
the Ordering Form you can buy

"ESTONIAN Experience and Roots"

by Sigrid Maldonado.

Just click here on "Ordering Form" and make a print-out.

If you want to know of a few additional writings about ethnic Estonian families by
other authors then use this link. Other useful links are included. There also are links to genealogical web sites in Estonia itself.
One of them has suggestions of how to find relatives in Estonia.
There also are ideas on how to search for documentation of DP Camp happenings.
There also is a link to a site where you can check on
those who disappeared during Soviet times.

If you suspect that one of your ancestors might have gone to school
or worked as a teacher or inspector
in Rakvere (Wesenberg), Estonia
you might find him/her in our page about graduates of the City School there.
Just click on Rakschl to reach our new page.

Links to other Web Sites of Estonian interest are in our Home Page. (See below.)

If interested, a few Estonian Web Sites to visit would be:

The Web Site of the weekly Estonian paper in New York, "Vaba Eesti Sõna",
has links to many Estonian sites
in Estonian and English. It can be reached by clicking VES.

Since 08 March 1998, you are visitor number

Please, do not forget to leave your comments at the Guest Book in the Home Page.

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