Ancestor Stories Book
Your ancestors' true stories, told in their own words from the journals, letters, and histories your family saved on FamilySearch, and printed as a hardcover to keep.
From $129with your first copy · extra copies $35
- 30–45 stories, each opening on the ancestor's portrait
- Written in a few days; you read it and change anything before it prints
- 6×9″ hardcover, shipped free
Sign in with FamilySearch to see which books your family's memories can fill. It takes about a minute, and we never change your tree.
How it works
- 1
See what your family left
Sign in with FamilySearch. In about a minute we show you which ancestors left enough written memories for a book. Free, and nothing to fill in.
- 2
We write the book
In a few days we turn their journals, letters, and life histories into 30–45 stories, each with a portrait and the memories it came from.
- 3
Read it, then print it
Read every page online. Reorder stories, fix a word, or swap a photo, then send it to print. Your hardcover ships free in 10–14 days.
Inside the book
The people behind the names
- In their own words
- Quotations come straight from their journals and letters, spelling and all.
- A face for every story
- Each ancestor's portrait, with how they're related to you beneath it.
- Something for every reader
- Stories tagged Funny, Inspiring, Love story, and more.
- Nothing invented
- Every story names the FamilySearch memories it came from.
Up to four volumes
A book for each side of your family
One volume for each of your grandparents, or for each set of grandparents on both sides if you're married. When both of your parents have passed, one volume holds them and every line above them. We tell you which ones your family's memories can fill before you buy anything.
Three ways to give it
Give someone their family's stories
Every book is about the ancestors who have passed away, written from the journals, letters, and life histories they left on FamilySearch.
- Someone in your family
- A parent, cousin, aunt, or uncle. Choose the ancestors you share. You read the book first, then we ship it to them.
- A gift card
- We email it on the day you choose. They sign in with FamilySearch, pick whose stories to tell, and we write their book.
- A friend or neighbor
- A friend or neighbor outside your tree. Tell us what you know, and we find their family. We charge your card only if we can write the book.
Common questions
Do I need a FamilySearch account?
Do I have to write or design anything?
Can my family get copies?
What if my tree doesn't have enough stories?
Where do the stories come from?
Do you use AI?
How long does it take?
Similar products
01For a parent or grandparent
Ancestor Book
A hardcover book about the generations behind you: a portrait page for each ancestor, their weddings and children, and the old family photos from your tree. We make it for you from FamilySearch.
02For a new baby
My First Ancestor Book
A polished first-words board book that opens on your family pedigree, then gives each of the eight great-grandparents behind you a spread of their own.
03For grandchildren
My Grandma & Her Ancestors
A ten-spread board book about one grandma, what she loved as a child, and the six parents and grandparents behind her.