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Buzzy Jackson in front of Donner Lake Kitchen. |
CommentsInevitably, We're All Cousins
Local author introduces the workings of genealogy
By Eve QuesnelPublished: August 15, 2010
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Picture journalist Jon Krakauer meets author Elizabeth Gilbert meets fictional clue sleuth Sherlock Holmes, and a portrait of former Truckee resident and author Buzzy Jackson begins to form. Using meticulous investigative reporting described in a fluid, conversational manner, Jackson takes her reader on a genealogical journey to answer some of her family’s mysteries. A series of questions — “Did some of my ancestors really live in a circus tent?” “Why did my grandparents name their home ‘Windswept?,’” and “Is it possible that I’m related to a slave?” — prompted Jackson to dive into her family’s past. To find the answers, one would have to be a library geek, book junkie, and archive addict, which Jackson proudly claims to be. She’s all for declaring herself a genealogy nerd, and by the end of the book I wanted to be one, too! Initially, I had no interest in searching my own family’s history, the Australians and Swedes, but Jackson’s book made me want to go there; to the cemeteries, to the quaint towns, to the depths of archival wonderland. But, really, this isn’t about me, or you. Or is it? If there’s one thing I learned from Jackson’s genealogical exploration, it’s our connection to one another. We’re all cousins. Really.
If you want to find out anything about your family, anything, anything at all (or to validate that you, and I, and Buzzy Jackson are indeed cousins), “Shaking the Family Tree: Blue Bloods, Black Sheep, and Other Obsessions of an Accidental Genealogist” is the perfect place to start. With a PhD in American history from Berkeley, Jackson knows research, plus she’s tenacious, which is an essential characteristic for a genealogist. She admits to dead ends, but assures us that the successes outweigh all the hard work.
The Gilbert likeness comes into play in Jackson’s voice. When on a genealogy cruise (yes, there are such things), one can’t help but laugh and commiserate with Jackson’s discomfort amongst other genealogy geeks; we feel it too at her 20th high school reunion. In the DNA section, Jackson returns us to high school for a preliminary DNA explanation, then begins her own journey into DNA testing by swabbing the lining of her cheek. Along her journey, Jackson keeps us apprised of the latest technological miracles on the Internet and the attributes of genealogical societies, and in the end takes us to the apex of genealogy: the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, the largest family library in the world (not just Mormon families but all families, yes, all of mankind).
“Shaking the Family Tree” is like a treasure hunt. But one might ask: Why spend the time, money, and effort to unearth relatives, dead relatives? Isn’t genealogy just a selfish enterprise? In Jackson’s words, “Most of them [genealogists] would probably argue that the genealogical impulse is the opposite of narcissism: It’s an effort to connect with others — other people, other eras, and other histories.” Connection, simple as that.
Interview with a Genealogist
Buzzy Jackson recently visited Truckee for an event in her honor, hosted by the Friends of the Truckee Library. The next day I delved further into her wily ways of research and her writing process.
Moonshine Ink: In “Shaking the Family Tree,” who was your target audience and what was your main purpose?
Buzzy Jackson: I wrote this book for family members who admire genealogists but don’t understand them, what they do, and why. I wrote it for people already interested in genealogy, but also for someone who knows nothing about genealogy. As for purpose, I had an axe to grind. There is sometimes a snobby attitude that genealogy isn’t recognized for its high level of research, the validation of facts. My hope is to reveal the quality of research, even to professional historians.
MI: What is your writing process?
BJ: I start with research and an initial anxiety. In a few months, I build up a healthy reservoir of material. It took 18 months to research and write “Shaking the Family Tree.” Having a kid makes you efficient because you have to organize time to work; therefore, writer’s block isn’t a luxury available to me because I have to write while my son is in preschool.
MI: What have you learned about yourself as a researcher and writer?
BJ: The writing process is the thinking process, how I understand the material. If I waited for perfect words to come spilling out on the page, I’d never write. So I write and gain confidence in the process, and in the end, after many revisions, I feel competent.
MI: It seems there is a renewed interest in genealogy. Why?
BJ: A few years ago, PBS played “African American Lives” by the historian Henry Louis Gates, which brought new interest. NBC and the BBC have shows called, “Who Do You Think You Are?” Oprah’s background was recently researched by Henry Louis Gates, and of course the 1970s TV series “Roots” spurred a whole new generation of genealogists. On a more personal level, people become interested because of medical reasons or as they start a family. The Internet has a large role, too, as it has made dabbling in genealogy so much easier.
MI: What does it feel like to return to Truckee and see such endearing support? And how has Truckee influenced your future?
BJ: I loved growing up and living here (since age seven). Truckee is a small, supportive, and friendly community that gets excited about what its kids are doing. It’s like a home team always rooting for you. I grew up with books when the Mescherys owned and operated Truckee River Book and Tea in downtown Truckee; my mother managed the “Tea” part of the store. I started becoming interested in research in high school and was inspired by my English teacher Candy Carter, who assigned us 1980s journalism pieces by Thompson, Wolfe, and Didion.
Jackson is the recipient of numerous writing and teaching awards and author of “A Bad Woman Feeling Good: Blues and the Women Who Sing Them,” published in 2005. Jackson currently lives in Colorado with her husband and son. To contact Jackson and find out more about her latest projects visit buzzyjackson.com. For a preview of her new book, watch the two minute video at youtube.com/watch?v=s7Jprn7tP_4.
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