The index, or that part of the book in the back with an alphabetized list of items and associated page numbers, is given little thought on many occasions. I was always uniquely curious about how the index evolved and the work that goes into it. Organizing all of the pertinent information in the pre-computer age was a rather laborious undertaking, but thanks to the work of researchers and librarians, a gradual system and standard for how indexes look today came about.
Index, A History of the: A Bookish Adventure from Medieval Manuscripts to the Digital Age is Dennis Duncan’s account of the cleverness and wordplay that occasionally goes into a book’s index and how something that is a tool of reference, and occasional narcissism for those wanting to see if they are mentioned within a book’s pages, came about. The index has served a useful role for scholars and researchers as well over the centuries, helping catalog and organize information. It wasn’t until the 19th Century when standardization began to take shape in indexing, and it wasn’t until the mid 20th Century before a modern professional association was codified to help train indexers.
The index’s useful role is evolving - beyond books, it now takes the form of #hashtags on Twitter and other social channels, providing a way for social media users to group themes or topics together. Google’s search index is a beast unto itself, helping organize the world’s websites that can be accessed with a quick, index-like query. Duncan’s book also highlights the role technology will have in indexing going forward.
Index, A History of the has moments of insight and humor woven within a topical history book. Its subtitle, A Bookish Adventure from Medieval Manuscripts to the Digital Age, is poignant and accurate. It is bookish, occasionally wonky, but enjoyable if you’re into history.
MY RATING - 4