Indexing Books

by Nancy C. Mulvany

Since 1994, Nancy Mulvany's Indexing Books has been the gold standard for thousands of professional indexers, editors, and authors. This long-awaited second edition, expanded and completely updated, will be equally revered. Like its predecessor, this edition of Indexing Books offers comprehensive, reliable treatment of indexing principles and practices relevant to authors and indexers alike. In addition to practical advice, the book presents a big-picture perspective on the nature and purpose of indexes and their role in published works. New to this edition are discussions of "information overload" and the role of the index, open-system versus closed-system indexing, electronic submission and display of indexes, and trends in software development, among other topics.Mulvany is equally comfortable focusing on the nuts and bolts of indexingand broadly surveying important sources of indexing guidelines such as The Chicago Manual of Style, Sun Microsystems, Oxford University Press, NISO TR03, and ISO 999. Authors will appreciate Mulvany's in-depth consideration of the costs and benefits of preparing one's own index versus hiring a professional, while professional indexers will value Mulvany's insights into computer-aided indexing. Helpful appendixes include resources for indexers, a worksheet for general index specifications, and a bibliography of sources to consult for further information on a range of topics.Indexing Books is both a practical guide and a manifesto about the vital role of the human-crafted index in the Information Age. As the standard indexing reference, it belongs on the shelves of everyone involved in writing and publishing nonfiction books.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Writing, Books About Books, Library Science

320 pages, Hardcover

First published May 2, 1994

Reviews

[JULIE · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thorough examination of what indexing books entails. I have just completed a certificate course in editing and am preparing to launch an freelance editing and proofreading business. I am considering whether to add indexing as a service.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorough introduction to the trade and business of indexing.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive, authoritative, and sensible, but a technical sections are now out of date.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book and necessary if you're interested in a career as a back-of-the-book indexer. There are issues though on which version you should read.

I have both the hardcover book and the Kindle version. I mostly read the Kindle version. There is also the Kindle version you can read on your laptop. I stopped reading the laptop version pretty early on. When reading about creating indexes, it is important that the indentations are correct. Indexes are made up of headings, subheadings (and sometimes sub-subheadings), and locators. Publishers have standards on the spacing of indentations. Things like en- and em-dashes are important.

On the laptop version of this book, the formatting of the index examples do not work. Several times I had to grab the IRL-book to see what the author was talking about. The Kindle was closer to the book in that regard. Therefore, I have to recommend if you want to read this book to only read it in the actual-book form.

Unfortunately, I left the actual book at home as I'm traveling now. The Kindle version does have a few instances of messed up indentations, but by the time I got to them, I knew what she was trying to show.

This was an expensive book for Kindle, but an important addition to my library. It cost me $24.75 back in 2011, bringing 2020's book expenses up to: $461.86.

For the Dewey Decimal challenge, this one is 025.3.

[Danielle Szabreath · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5

Excellent resource on the topic—indexing is much harder than I thought! I do think it's time for an updated edition with the changes in technology.

The part that explains indexing or "thematic thinking" is an inherent skill and can't be learned felt off. Mulvaney only referenced one study for this and her evidence was otherwise anecdotal. I would want to see more evidence in the text for such a bold claim.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you need to make an index for a book this is the basic guide to get you started. I picked it up because I index my journals and was wanting to see how I could improve my system. It gave me what I needed and more.

[Willy Marz Thiessam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The expert and her masterpiece.

[Jerry Yudelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Does what it says it does. I used it for indexing my latest book.

[Desi A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did not technically read everything; saved a few chapters for another time when (if) they are more relevant. The core discussion of theory and methodology was accessible and helpful.

[Sue Klefstad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a standard in the indexing community, often used as a textbook in indexing courses.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the most part, this was a helpful look at the basic issues of back-of-book indexing. There were a few sections that I did not find as relevant, such as the extended section on embedded indexing. I also felt that the author was a bit idealistic about the whole process—for instance, she says that indexers must have an innate “knack” for the craft, it can’t be taught. This seems a bit much to me.

If you are someone who is just getting into back-of-book indexing, this would probably be an ideal starting point. It also would make a helpful reference work to have in a collection about this topic. The clarity and the interest level were pretty high for a book of this type.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Call me a book nerd, but a good index is vital to nonfiction. If I can't flip around with the use of a good index, sometimes I don't bother finishing the book. Indexes are so important to me that out of frustration with A Thomas Jefferson Education , I taught myself how to index. This is pretty much *the* indexing text.

[Mark Boszko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to indexing, even for me who is indexing periodicals, and not a book. I sought out another book to find more information on indexing periodicals, but there's not much that isn't already covered here. You just have to expand your thinking to how are you will cover multiple volumes — basically, knowing that authors write differently, and that preferred terminology will change over time.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Halfway through I find out there is a second edition. Which would have taken care of all the outdated computer references. Great.

Anyway, it is a very well-written book. She knows how to give you a "feel" for indexing, using few and well-chosen words. That shouldn't be surprising, since that's what writing an index is all about.

[Tope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful and fairly comprehensive reference in terms of the planning and process of creating an index. Not the place to find fine grained details about styling and formatting, but good for understanding what indexers do, what the necessary components of an index are, and what kind of thinking goes into creating an index that will be a resource for the reader.

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never thought about it, but someone has to write the indexes that appear in the back of books, and this book explains how to do it. Not as easy as it sounds, but after reading this book it seems like it might be an interesting career option...

[Titus Hjelm]

It's boring, as you'd expect from the title, but probably very good for someone who wants to be a professional idenxer. For an author like me--who panicked and bought this--it's a bit too heavy. The publisher's guidelines will usually be enough, I'd say.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for school. I can't say that I "liked" it, because it is about indexing and I don't plan to become an indexer. That said, it is an excellent resource for someone considering the profession. Mulvany is readable yet thorough with what can be a pretty dry subject. Excellent reference book!

[Jenny]

if i ever start indexing again, i'd like this around.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Useful but not exactly a page-turner. Did you know that there was an annual award for best index?

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a thrilling book to sit down and read straight through, but it will be a great source for me as I put together the index for my own book...

[Linda Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you need to learn how to index a book (or a web page) this is THE book to read.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mulvany explains it all.