Welcome to Litsy!

The title of this book with its words ordered as they might appear in an index entry, is a hint of the clever and witty writing contained inside. Who knew that the index - that set of pages at the back of books - had such a long and interesting history?

Done with humor and fondness I think it will appeal even if you think you are only marginally interested in the idea at first.

Full review: https://tinyurl.com/2k76ke8t

It takes a particular kind of nerd to pick up a book about the history of indexing, I am that nerd. But this book is delightful! Duncan is a funny and engaging writer. From the Library of Alexandria to political jabs coded within a book's index to the benefits and detriments of computer rather than human indexing...there's a ton of fascinating history here.

I heard the author give a radio interview yesterday, and this sounds like a fun and interesting read, though I think I'll wait for the paperback edition.
He said that the book index arose due to the development of universities and Christian preachers, both of which groups needed a quick way to find citations and references for study and sermons. 👇🏼

I love the fact that people used indexes to snipe at each other, and it even cost someone an election.

Received to review! I love taking something mundane and everyday (like white bread or indexes or whatever) and looking at its history, so I'm looking forward to this.