Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing:

Book excerpt: The acclaimed genealogist and New York Times–bestselling author reveals how she solved some of the most fascinating mysteries of family lineage. Part forensic scientist, part master sleuth, Megan Smolenyak has a unique way of digging up our historical roots. She discovered Barack Obama’s Irish ancestry—and his relation to Brad Pitt. She revealed the true story of Ellis Island’s first immigrant, Annie Moore. And she shed light on a startling link between politicians Al Sharpton and Strom Thurmond. In Hey America, Your Roots Are Showing, the “Indiana Jones of genealogy” reveals how she cracked these and other news-making cases. Along the way, she shares her own story of becoming genealogy’s celebrity face. She even explains why her name is squared (Buzzy Jackson, author of Shaking the Family Tree). Whether she's scouring websites to uncover the surprising connections between famous figures or using cutting-edge DNA tests to locate family members of fallen soldiers dating back to the Civil War, Smolenyak's historical sleuthing is as provocative, richly layered, and exciting as America itself. “Megan is a genealogist's dream, a forensic investigator who can also tell a great story.” —Sam Roberts, The New York Times