The book has extensive references for both beginners and the more experienced family historian, and is a practical guide to help readers trace their ancestry and family story. 

This publication has a long history and was first published as Family History for Beginners in 1981. The 10th edition was renamed Family  History for Beginners & Beyond in January 1998. The most recent 15th edition was published in 2017 with major updates and amendments.  This 16th edition builds on these solid foundations and includes five new chapters  – Australian land records, Chinese Australian ancestors, DNA, Military records, and Writing your story. The publication is B5 in size, spiral bound for ease of reading and contains 310 pages of revised, updated and new material.