Whether you've been doing genealogy for a day or a decade, you've probably wondered how to handle some seemingly unanswerable ancestor question. Beating genealogical brick walls isn't just a matter of how, though, but also of what. Trying to get by without the right resources will get you nowhere quickly - a lesson James M. Beidler, author of the syndicated newspaper column Roots and Branches, likens to a classic family history joke: A genealogist dies. Much to her chagrin, she learns she's not going to heaven. But her spirits improve after the devil gives her the grand tour of hell - which, as it turns out, contains the biggest family history library anyone could imagine. What's more, the genealogist gets her own desk, pedigree charts and countless records at her disposal. So she begins working in the library. A week later, the devil returns to ask how she's doing. “It's great,” she says, “except I can't find a pencil or anything else to write with.” The devil replies with a chuckle, “Yes, that's right. Hell, isn't it?”

Clearly, lacking the proper tools can deliver you into eternal genealogical torment. So as you reconstruct your family tree, you'll maximize your potential for success - and minimize frustration - by stocking up on some key roots research supplies and resources.