Lyla Ann May

My name is Lyla Ann May. My book, From Prairie To Palestine, is the story of Eva Marshall Totah. It includes Eva's autobiography, which she wrote in 1975-77, and her personal letters written home from Palestine between 1927 and 1944 while she was teaching at the Friends Boys School in Ramallah and raising a family. It also includes a section on Eva's family history, including detailed genealogical information. So really, the Author's Bio is for her as well as for me.

I got into genealogy by taking a wonderful free online class with Emily Croom, an expert in the field and author of several books including Unpuzzling Your Past. I had fun building my family tree and later remembered her handwritten manuscript filed away in a drawer somewhere in my mother's cabinet. Long story short, I typed/edited/footnoted, transcribed her letters and added the results of my research.

What I love about genealogy and history in general is the sense of connectedness it brings me, knowing that any person you see crossing the street could be a distant cousin! I also love the thrill of the hunt & solving the puzzle. Finally, I love how it brings history to life, knowing when you read about the Revolutionary War, "Hey, Ancestor X had just bought a new farm the year before the War broke out!" It really makes it real and meaningful. I hope you all will enjoy it as much as I do. There's a photo of me at the Renaissance Fair on this page, getting into the spirit of history!

Contact the author at lyla.a.may@hotmail.com.