Who Do You Think You Are (WDYTYA), the show sharing family histories to famous people, was a huge hit last year. WDYTYA was so successful; it was picked up for a second season. On February 4, 2011, the first show will feature Vanessa Williams. Also chosen to have their family histories revealed this season include Steve Buscemi, Kim Cattrall, Ashley Judd, Tim McGraw, Rosie O’Donnell and Lionel Richie.

"WDYTYA? 2" premieres Friday, Feb. 4, 2011 at 8pm EST on NBC.

If you missed episodes from Season 1, you can watch them from HERE! Season 1 included Brook Shields, Matthew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker, Emmitt Smith, Lisa Kudrow, Susan Sarandon and Spike Lee.

I really enjoyed watching the episodes last season. While I realize the television show makes research seem so easy and documents are there for proving your ancestors, it does show the possibilities for all of us are out there. We should watch the show and see what records they used, where they found those records and how did it apply to their family histories. Then, we need to think about our own research. Would that record they used be something that could help me? Then, travel is something we all realize that most of us can not do. We are not able to just jet across state lines to that library that houses our documents. That is where the Family History Center, National Archives or online databases can assist us. We need to realize that while the show may last an hour, many hours of research and interviews were done to put the show together. Many brick walls were hit and they had to move on to other sources. We are only viewing the final product.

Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak has released a companion book, Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History. This book can assist you if you are getting started. From Amazon we read:

With the Who Do You Think You Are? companion guide, you will learn how to chart your own journey into your past and discover the treasures hidden in your family tree. Featuring step-by-step instructions from one of America's top genealogical researchers, Who Do You Think You Are? covers everything a beginner needs to know to start digging into their roots, including:

• Full-color profiles of the celebrities' surprising revelations
• Starting the search-it's as easy as pulling out the old family photos
• Census information-where to find it and how to use it
• What birth, death, and marriage certificates have to tell us
• How to track down immigration and military documents
• The latest breakthroughs in DNA testing
• The best online resources to conduct your searches, and store your newfound discoveries to share with family and save for future generations. It has never been easier to bring your family history to life. You will be amazed at how much there is to discover!