This is a collection of my book reviews that have appeared in a variety of places. You can click on a title in the left column to read the review.
Along the Grapevine Trail: Vineyards and Wineries in South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska. By Starley Talbot. Pierre, SD: South Dakota State Historical Society Press, 2008. 160 pp., Includes Maps, Glossary, Bibliography, Index. ISBN 0977795578 / 9780977795574
Starley Talbott's Along the Grapevine Trail is a delightful and informative book. As a northern California transplant now living in northern Colorado, I had no idea that there were vineyards and wineries in the Northern Great Plains. How is this possible? This is a very harsh climate. I learned that the most popular cold-weather grape, the Frontenac, was introduced in 1996 and it is hardy to −30° Fahrenheit!
No less than twenty-five vineyards and wineries are profiled. Each profile includes unique information about the operation. Talbott has certainly done her homework. In addition to viticultural and vinicultural details, readers are treated to local history, geography, and even geology. There is a lot of history because many of the locations fall along the Pony Express, Oregon, California, and Mormon trails. The author provides lovely color photographs for each location.
Along the Grapevine Trail includes maps, an appendix that lists contact information for 85 vineyards and wineries in the three states, a glossary of terms, a bibliography, and a very helpful index. The book is printed on coated paper and the photographs are in color. It will easily fit in the glove compartment of your car.
All in all, this book provides a fascinating perspective on a new wine region. The Napa Valley has its Silverado Trial, the Spey Valley in Scotland has its Whisky Trail, now the Northern Plains has its Grapevine Trail. I look forward to exploring the Grapevine Trail with this book in hand. (Sept. 12, 2008) Top of Page
Measure of the Heart: A Father's Alzheimer's, A Daughter's Return
By Mary Ellen Geist.
Foreword by Oliver Sacks,
New York: Springboard Press, 2008.
224 pp., includes resources and bibliography.
ISBN: 978-0-446-58092-2
Hope. Grief. Frustration. Exhaustion. Delight. Denial. Mary Ellen Geist touches on all these emotions and many more in her account of dealing with her father's struggle with Alzheimer's disease. She put her career and life on hold and returned to her childhood home in Michigan to help her parents. In the Foreword Dr. Oliver Sacks points out that Geist “has written eloquently of a whole family living with dementia.” This is indeed the whole family's story. Geist gently guides readers into the labyrinth of daily life in the household.
The book is emotional but also full of information. Stories of other caregivers are woven into the narrative. Facts and figures about the disease and caregivers (71% are women) are provided. Particular attention is devoted to caregivers. All too often caregivers take on too much and compromise their own health.
One chapter that surprised me was about the hospital experience. Geist's father (Woody) was admitted for orthopedic surgery, a double knee replacement. He was in the hospital for two weeks. The hospital personnel were not prepared to deal with a Alzheimer's patient; I was shocked. This chapter, “Hospital Hell and Healing,” should be read by any caregiver who will have an Alzheimer's patient in the hospital. Geist offers a list of suggestions that will be helpful.
Despite a cascading loss of mental acuity, Woody never lost his musical abilities. He remembered the words and melodies to songs learned long ago. Music remained in tact in Woody's brain. As Sacks notes, “he seemed to be completely present, to come together and bypass his dementia (though as soon as the singing ended, the dementia was evident again).”
Anyone caring for a person with dementia will find information and validation in this book. There are resources listed and a bibliography. Most importantly Geist brings her journalist's instincts to bear on this incredibly difficult and stressful situation. She honestly discusses personal difficulties and offers concrete suggestions for coping. (Oct. 29, 2008) Top of Page
Designing usable electronic text. Andrew Dillon. 2nd edn. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press LLC, 2004. viii, 214 pp. Appendix, bibliography, index. ISBN 0-415-24059-X (hbk)
Reading, not unlike breathing, is an activity we engage in without reflection. We read signs, newspapers, books, and magazines in an almost automatic manner. The delivery medium for much of the text we read is changing. More and more text is presented on a computer screen rather than on paper. The transition of text from paper to computer screen is often disappointing. In regard to lengthy text, most agree that paper is the preferred format. Andrew Dillon wants to know why this is so and what can be done to enhance the usability of electronic text.
Dillon states that the aim of this book ‘is to examine and subsequently describe the reading process from a perspective that sheds light on the potential for information technology to support that process.’ After an introductory chapter about usability, human–computer interaction, and design, Dillon jumps into an engaging review of the literature about reading from paper and from computer screens. This is a detailed collection of empirical studies about paper versus screen reading that cover topics such as the speed of reading, comprehension, fatigue, eye movement, and physical sources of differences between paper and screen.
Of particular interest to me is the discussion of cognitive sources of differences. When we open a book we have certain expectations, which vary depending on the type of book. In a non-fiction book we expect a table of contents, chapters presented in an organized fashion, ‘and an index at the back of the book, organized alphabetically, provides more specific information on where information is located in the body of the text. Experienced readers know all of this before even opening the text. It would strike us as odd if such structures were absent or their positions within the text were altered’ (p. 64). Our set of expectations for electronic text is far less developed.
Subsequent chapters focus on studies of categorization of text types, readers’ expectations of text types, and methods of observing readers. An entire chapter is devoted to Dillon’s TIME framework, which is proposed as a ‘basis for studying reader behaviour and performance’ (p. 150). Chapter 9 presents an application of the TIME framework. ‘This study examined readers’ performance in extracting answers to questions from a short text on the subject of winemaking presented in four different designs, one paper and three electronic’ (p. 151). The Appendix is a listing of one reader’s attempt to locate the answers to various questions in an electronic document during a 19.54 minute period. The index is the first item consulted (time = 11 seconds). There’s no information there. The reader fumbles about and decides to leave question 1 and go to the next question (time = 2.03 minutes). As we follow this reader, the index is consulted many times. However, the last index consultation is at 9.17 minutes and the reader concludes, ‘What a crappy index.’
Dillon concludes his book by acknowledging, ‘We still have a long way to go before we can come close to designing e-texts that compare favourably with paper for most routine uses, though we are making progress.’ Designing usable electronic text surely contributes to that progress.
While this book is not an easy read, it is an engaging presentation of elements that play a role in reading text, be it on paper or electronic. The book concludes with a lengthy bibliography and a short index. (Originally appeared in The Indexer, Vol. 24 No.2, October 2004, p. 115.) Top of Page
Looking for information: a survey of research on information seeking, needs, and behavior. Donald O. Case. San Diego, CA: Academic Press, 2002. xvi, 350 pp. Appendix, references, index. ISBN 0-12-150381-X (hbk)
Please note that this is a review of the 1st edition of the book.
It is easy to understand why Donald Case’s book, Looking for information, received the American Society of Information Science and Technology’s 2003 Best Information Science Book Award. With a broad and detailed brush, Case surveys concepts and research in information seeking behavior studies during the 1990s. Also, relevant work of the 1950s through the 1980s is presented. The entire book is heavily referenced. The bibliography contains over 700 works. The book is divided into five sections. Each chapter begins with a detailed chapter outline and ends with a summary and often recommendations for further reading.
The opening chapters introduce the issues and research that have developed over the years regarding information and information seeking behavior. Included are down-to-earth examples of information seeking scenarios: buying a car, using a library to find information for writing a history paper, constructing a bet for a horse race, a lawyer conducting legal research, and a lay person trying to find information about cancer. These examples are all engaging and Case explores the information seeking behavior deftly. The next section of the book is composed of three chapters that explore concepts relevant to information behavior. Personally, I found this section of the book most fascinating. Case begins with looking at what does ‘information’ mean. He finds that ‘information’ made ‘an early appearance in one of Chaucer’s tales sometime between 1372 and 1386.’ From here, Case presents extensive evidence that this word has enjoyed many distinct usages over time and in various disciplines. In the end, he argues ‘in favor of treating information as a primitive concept that is so basic to human understanding that it does not require a tight definition.’ The remaining chapters in this section review definitions of other terms such as browsing, foraging, overload, information anxiety, pertinence, relevance, and context.
Section three addresses the models, paradigms, and theories used in the study of information behavior. The next section presents various methods for studying information behavior. The last section, composed of four chapters, presents research results and suggests topics for further research. Chapter 11 gathers results of research conducted by occupation. Occupational categories run the gamut from scientists and engineers to humanities scholars and journalists. Chapter 12 addresses research conducted by social role (e.g. citizen, consumer, patient) and by demographic group (e.g. age, socioeconomic status, racial minorities). These chapters provide a framework for further investigation of audience as it relates to index design. For example, in the discussion of information seeking behavior of attorneys, an article is referenced and Case writes, ‘The focus of his article is improving information retrieval systems for the law, but it contains a fascinating discussion of the way lawyers think about legal cases.’ Undoubtedly indexers working on material for an audience of attorneys may find this reference of interest. Throughout the book Case constructs tables that pull together topics discussed. These tables prove to be very helpful. The appendix presents on a chapter-by-chapter basis questions for discussion and application. The index is detailed, but I would like to find fewer strings of undifferentiated locators and more analysis and breakdown of entries.
Looking for information is a welcome and important work. Donald Case’s writing style is commended. His scenario examples are engaging and his discussion of complex topics is concise and refreshing. Undoubtedly this will be the classic work about information seeking, needs, and behavior for many years to come. (This review originally appeared in The Indexer, Vol. 24 No.1, April 2004, p. 52.) Top of Page
The Chicago manual of style, 15th edn. University of Chicago Staff. Chicago, IL and London: University of Chicago Press, 2003. xvii, 956 pp. Bibliog., illus., index. ISBN 0-226-10403-6 (hbk)
The much-anticipated 15th edition of The Chicago manual of style is here. In this review I focus on Chapter 18, ‘Indexes’. In the USA it is the de facto standard for indexing. First, however, I would like to provide a brief overview of this new edition with an emphasis on material outside of Chapter 18 that is of interest to indexers.
One of the first things I noticed when I first looked through the book was its visual appeal. While the overall format of the chapters is the same as previous editions, with numbered paragraphs, the pages are not visually as dense. Subtle changes in typefaces have made a dramatic difference. This is particularly noticeable in Chapter 14, ‘Mathematics in Type’. I should add that indexers will find Table 14.1, ‘Mathematics signs and symbols’, very helpful.
Chapter 10, ‘Foreign Languages’, provides a bounty of information for indexers working in the humanities. Special characters and capitalization rules are addressed on a language-by-language basis. Transliteration guidelines are presented for Arabic, Chinese and Japanese, Hebrew, Russian and South Asian languages. This is followed by discussions of classical Greek, Old and Middle English and American Sign Language.
The Manual of style continues to be primarily addressed to writers and editors of scholarly books and journals. However, the growing prevalence of electronic publications is discussed throughout the Manual. In Appendix B, ‘The Publishing Process of Books and Journals’, flowcharts outline the steps involved in the editorial and production stages for print and electronic publication. Beginning indexers not familiar with the publication process will find these diagrams, and associated reference chapters, enlightening. A far more detailed discussion is presented in Appendix A, ‘Design and Production’.
One index entry that caught my eye is ‘abbreviations, specific’. This is a lengthy entry (over 8 column-inches) that ranges from abbreviations for biblical references to time. Indexers working in many fields will benefit from the guidance offered for abbreviations of specific types of terminology.
A glossary of key terms appears in Appendix A. These include traditional publishing words (‘folio’, ‘recto’, ‘verso’) as well as electronic publishing terms (‘DTD’, ‘metadata’, ‘XML’). The definitions are clear and succinct. Many include see also references to other terms in the glossary.
Chapter 18, Indexes
One of the most welcome changes in Chapter 18 can be summed up with one word: clarity. I have used the indexes chapter from the 13th and 14th editions as a text for my indexing classes. In these previous editions an attempt was made to cover alternative aspects of indexing style but students were often confused. They would ask: ‘What is the Chicago style?’; ‘What does Chicago want?’ In this major overhaul of the chapter we now know what Chicago wants.
The chapter has been rearranged in a very sensible manner, beginning with (18.1):
This chapter offers basic guidelines for preparing and editing an index. It covers both general principles of indexing and specifics of Chicago’s preferred style in matters of typography, alphabetizing, and the like. Many of the guidelines apply equally to electronic works, which often require indexes (see 1.186).
This is immediately followed by ‘Who should index a work?’ After outlining the qualities of an ideal indexer this section concludes with: ‘Some authors produce excellent indexes. Others would do better to enlist the aid of a professional indexer (18.2).’ Bravo! This is followed by a section (18.3) about the indexer and deadlines.
Good indexing requires reflection; the indexer needs to stop frequently and decide whether the right choices have been made. A professional indexer, familiar with the publisher’s requirements, may be better equipped [than an author] for such reflection.
A strong stand is taken in regard to computer software. ‘No computer can produce a good index on its own, however; human intervention is always required (18.4).’ If you are beginning to sense that there is a change in tone, you are correct. The writing in this edition is more succinct than in previous editions. For example: ‘Cross-references should be used with discretion; an overabundance can be irritating’ (18.14). So true.
The next several sections describe the components of an index, including main headings, subentries, locators, cross-references and index style (run-in/indented). Section 18.13 addresses the format of inclusive reference locators. In the 14th edition this information was not included in the indexes chapter; readers were referred to another chapter where two types of abbreviation systems for inclusive numbers were presented. Although the 15th edition acknowledges that there are various ways to present inclusive page numbers, the Chicago preference is stated clearly: there is no doubt that the Chicago style for ‘234–235’ is ‘234–35’. This is typical of the clarity found throughout this chapter.
Naturally, many indexers are wondering if Chicago has changed its preference in regard to alphabetizing. The answer is ‘not really’.
Chicago, most university presses, and many other publishers have traditionally preferred the letter-by-letter but will normally not impose it on a well-prepared index that has been arranged word by word (18.56).
Chicago still does not adhere to a strict letter-by-letter system. However, it clearly explains both letter-by-letter and word-by-word systems. It provides an order of precedence for each system and describes the handling of a parenthesis, comma and other punctuation marks. Indexing software programmers will easily be able to incorporate the 15th edition’s alphabetizing style into their programs. The most important change in the alphabetizing rules is that commas, regardless of their usage, are treated in the same way.
Chapter 18 includes guidance for the handling of personal names, foreign personal names, organization and business names, and names of places in indexes. A very nice addition is a summary of punctuation use in an index; students will surely welcome this presentation. The following marks are discussed: comma, colon, semicolon, period, parentheses, em dash and en dash.
The ‘Mechanics of Indexing’ sections have been moved toward the back of the chapter. The section begins with a discussion of the schedule (18.100): ‘Anyone making an index for the first time should know that the task is intensive and time-consuming.’ Moving along, the sections address various index specifications such as the format for footnote/endnote locators, author indexes (‘Preparing an author index, though somewhat mechanical, takes more time than often supposed’), and citation format for illustrative material.
In regard to author indexes, Chicago tackles the indexing of multiple authors’ names (18.116).
Should Jones, Smith, and Black 1999 share one index entry, or should three entries appear? And what about Jones et al.? Chicago recommends the following procedure: Make separate entries for each author whose name appears in the text. Do not index those unfortunates whose names are concealed under et al. in the text.
Sound advice is offered about editing an index. A distinction is made between the editing tasks of an index author and an index copy-editor. Section 18.136 includes a copy-editing task list. Typographical considerations for the layout of an index are also outlined and the chapter concludes with examples of various display formats for indexes.
The index to the 15th edition
The index to this edition is much longer and more comprehensive than the index to the 14th edition. There are 75 pages of dense index, resulting in a 9 per cent index, compared with 50 pages of index (6 per cent index) in the previous edition. Over the years the index to The Chicago manual of style has provided the most comprehensive example of Chicago’s preferences for the indexing of technical material. In previous editions the indexes have been in the indented style, with main headings and subheadings. The avoidance of sub-subheadings led to many index entries with long strings of undifferentiated page references.
I found no examples of long strings of page references in this new edition; on the contrary, index entries reflect analysis and precision. Topics are sensibly broken down into useful subheadings and sub-subheadings. Cross-referencing, particularly see also references, is appropriate and helpful. It is obvious that the indexer was given a free hand to write an index that reflects the complexities of this text. It is perhaps the most comprehensive and eloquently designed index to a technical work that I have ever seen. Readers should have no problem locating specific information in this index.
Also of interest is the format of the index. In previous editions of the Manual of style, the recommendation for three-level indexes was to present them in indented format. Now, the recommendation is: ‘In an indented index, sub-subentries are best run in’ (18.28). While this format is not new to Chicago (it was described in the 14th edition (17.146)), that the format is now recommended is new. How does it work? Quite well. Had the sub-subheadings been formatted in indented style, the index would be considerably longer. The pages would be visually complex with multiple indention levels and inevitable turnover lines. The run-on format for sub-subheadings pulls the index entries together and creates a visually satisfying page that is easily scanned. Unlike in previous editions, all bad breaks between columns of index entries are accompanied by ‘continued’ lines. Therefore, the top line of every column clearly indicates the reader’s location in the index. Put quite simply, this index is a showcase for the presentation of dense technical indexes.
Overall this revision of the indexes chapter is most welcome. The writing style is crisp and clear. Indexers and editors now have precise guidelines for the presentation of indexes from The University of Chicago Press. (This review originally appeared in The Indexer, Vol. 23 No. 4, October 2003, pp. 236-237) Top of Page
Software for indexing. Edited by Sandi Schroeder. Medford, NJ: Information Today Inc. for American Society of Indexers, 2003. xvi, 275 pp. Index. ISBN 1-57387-162-1 (pbk).
This book is a collection of articles about software used in indexing. It is divided into five sections: Part 1 covers dedicated indexing software, Part 2 embedded software, Part 3 online and web indexing software, Part 4 database and image management software and Part 5 voice-activated, automatic and machine-aided software.
The press release for this book states that ‘objective review of the software products used in indexing’ will be provided. Approximately 70 pages of Part 1 are devoted to dedicated indexing software products: CINDEX, MACREX, Sky Index, Authex Plus and wINDEX. These are the programs most frequently used by freelance book indexers. With the exception of one article written by Michael Wyatt, a review of CINDEX and Sky Index, there are no objective reviews. It is both disappointing and shocking to see so much vendor-written material. Readers hoping for a reissue of Linda Fetters’s Guide to indexing software, known for thorough and unbiased assessment, will be disappointed. Even the first chapter, ‘Choosing a Program for Indexing’, is vendor-written.
No fewer than 15 pages of Part 1 are devoted to software comparison charts (Tables 2.1–2.17) filled out by the vendors. These charts cover various features that we expect to find in dedicated indexing software. Unfortunately, there is nothing to indicate how these programs comply with accepted standards. We have no independent verification of how well they deal with the specifications outlined in the charts. While the charts themselves were designed by the editor, Sandi Schroeder, the content of the charts is vendor-written.
In order to round out the presentation, professional indexers using the various software products were asked to write brief product recommendations for the various products. These recommendations are their own and are not endorsed by ASI, nor were they solicited or endorsed by the software vendors.
Yet in the case of my own two endorsements (MACREX and Sky Index), they certainly were marketing pieces solicited and endorsed by the vendors. The byline for every article begins with ‘Review by’. Even the marketing pieces I wrote include a ‘Review by Nancy Mulvany’ byline. These are not software reviews. As a former member of the Computer Press Association I am well aware of the difference between a formal review and informal description. I did enjoy reading how my colleagues use their indexing programs. However, I am not sure that the new indexer trying to decide which program to buy will find this type of narrative discourse helpful.
The last chapter in this section discusses utility programs that can be used with files produced by the dedicated indexing programs. Again, the lead author is the vendor of these programs. Most interesting to me is a rather esoteric application that involved the need to change 10,000 names in an index file. Thankfully we don’t run into problems like that too often.
The next section of the book, Part 2, deals with embedded indexing software. It begins with an article by Peg Mauer, ‘Embedded Indexing’, that covers embedded indexing in general and Microsoft Word and FrameMaker in particular. The remaining chapters are devoted to ‘hands-on’ discussions of indexing with Word, PageMaker, QuarkXPress, Index Tools Professional, and Ixgen for editing FrameMaker indexes. These chapters will be of interest to indexers working with these particular programs that make embedded indexing such a chore.
Part 3, ‘Online and Web Indexing Software’, is composed of four chapters, two of them vendor written. The first chapter, by Kevin Broccoli, is an excellent introduction to the tools that are available for web indexing. Unfortunately it was reprinted from a 1999 publication by the Indexing SIG (Special Interest Group) of the Society of Technical Communicators. Some of the URLs referred to now no longer work properly. Despite that, Broccoli’s article provides a good introduction to these software tools. The next two chapters are vendor-written presentations about HTML/Prep and HTML Indexer. Jan Wright wraps up the section with an article about indexing in RoboHELP.
Part 4 is composed of three chapters about database and image software. The first article, ‘Software for Database Indexing’, written by Shana Milkie, is an interesting presentation of results derived from a survey of database indexers. Milkie’s table, ‘Database Indexing Software Survey’, lists a wide variety of programs and vendors, none of which are discussed in this section of the book. Readers seeking information about specific database indexing programs will need to look elsewhere.
Next Kim Schroeder discusses software for image indexing. Her article includes screenshots from image database management software as well as a discussion of what indexers and archivists need. The last article in this section of the book is rather baffling since it has nothing to do with either image or database indexing. ‘Writing an Index with Microsoft Excel’, by Seth Maislin, is another reprint from STC’s Indexing SIG publication. The author even states that using Excel to write an index ‘is not pretty, and it is not recommended’. So why is this article even present in this book?
The last section of Software for indexing includes four chapters that deal with voice recognition software, automatic indexing, custom software for indexing newspapers, and machine-aided indexing. Charles Anderson’s article ‘Indexing with Voice Recognition Software’ is excellent. He discusses using Dragon Naturally Speaking with dedicated indexing software. Next, Jan Wright discusses the trials and tribulations of generating an automatic index with Sonar Bookends. Her conclusion is: ‘Unfortunately, Sonar’s claims of producing professional indexes in minutes do not bear out under real-world conditions, and I would be embarrassed to print the final result in any publication.’ Alice Redmond-Neal’s brief article about NewsIndexer from Access Innovations is an introduction to the specialized field of newspaper indexing and the development of the NewsIndexer program. ‘Machine-Aided Indexing and Automatic Filtering’, by Marjorie Hlava, is the last chapter in the book. These last two chapters are also vendor-written.
Who is the audience for this book? New indexers looking for unbiased, thorough and independent evaluations of dedicated indexing software, upon which their businesses will be built, will not find that information here. For those curious about the use of embedded indexing software, Part 2 does provide nitty-gritty discussions of real-world use of those products. People interested in indexing HTML material will find the discussions in Part 3 a very good starting point.
With a few exceptions I find most of this book disappointing. Many of the chapters are reprints from other publications with little or no updating. However, the amount of vendor-provided material is inexcusable. Of the 25 chapters, 5.5 are vendor written; that accounts for 22 per cent of the book. The absence of thorough and objective reviews of dedicated indexing products especially troubles me. These are small-market products that will not be reviewed in the mainstream computer press. I remember when I was shopping for my first indexing program. This was long before the appearance of CINDEX and Sky Index. There were several other programs on the market at that time. Victoria Agee’s article, ‘Why I Use MACREX’, reminded me of many of them. Had I relied on vendors’ claims, I would have purchased a product that was destined to disappear from the market. But I was lucky; I discovered Linda Fetters’s column, ‘Electronic Shoebox’, in the ASI Newsletter, and I found helpful guidance from an objective reviewer. I amsurprised that the American Society of Indexers and their publisher, Information Today, would so thoroughly blur the line between objective review and product marketing. (This review originally appeared in The Indexer, Vol. 23 No.4, October 2003, pp. 237-238) Top of Page
From Flock Beds to Professionalism: A History of Index-Makers. Hazel K. Bell. Oak Knoll Press, 2008 (ISBN 978-1-58456-228-3) HKB Press, 2008 (ISBN 978-0-9552503-4-7) 340 pp., hardcover
It is the rare person who does not stare at me bewildered when I say that I am a book indexer. Most people never think about how an index is created. The index is just there, in the back of the book. Indexes may be praised or condemned, but often the indexer is given no thought. Barbara Ehrenreich dedicates her 2008 book, This Land Is Their Land, “To all the under-celebrated people who make books possible and available — editorial assistants, copy editors, proofreaders, publicists, print industry workers, truck drivers, and bookstore workers.” Alas, no indexers.
Hazel Bell’s From Flock Beds to Professionalism celebrates the index makers of past and present. In his preface to this book David Crystal asks “has not the time come to make a case for the public and permanent recognition of indexers, as individual names rather than as mysterious underlying forces?” This book certainly pulls away the cloak of invisibility from indexers. Who better to make the case for indexers than Bell who has been a freelance indexer since 1964, winner of the Wheatley Medal for an outstanding index in 2005 and 2006, editor of the international journal, The Indexer, for 18 years, and a prolific writer of articles and books about indexing.
The book is divided into three parts. The first section, “Developing techniques, training and traits,” presents a concise and thorough overview of the history of indexes, methods of indexing, training, and personal traits of indexers. Contemporary indexers who know only of computer-aided indexing methods will surely be amazed at the effort devoted to index compilation in the past. It takes almost two pages to describe the method used by John Locke (1632–1704). It is exhausting just to read!
“Lone Workers” provides short biographies of 65 indexers, beginning with Bernardo Machiavelli in the fifteenth century and ending with Michael Robertson in the twentieth century. Each profile is a delight to read. Although not all were written by Hazel Bell, she has pulled together disparate information deftly. Some of the personalities profiled are known for accomplishments other than indexing, such as Samuel Pepys, Lewis Carroll, and Friedrich Nietzsche. While others are revered figures in the history of indexing: Henry B. Wheatley, Gordon Carey, and G. Norman Knight. I have had the pleasure of meeting many of the contemporary indexers who are profiled. Even so, I learned more about them and must conclude that we are a diverse and fascinating collection of modern indexers! For those who have passed on, Bell has provided a memorable synopsis of their indexing lives. There is only one significant omission, the biography of Hazel K. Bell.
The third section of the book, “Banding Together,” is a history of indexing societies. The development of these groups in the nineteenth century signaled the move to professional. Without a doubt, Bell has compiled the most comprehensive overview of organizational activities, beginning with the Index Society formed in 1877 by Henry Wheatley. The founding of the contemporary Society of Indexers in 1957 is documented. The first issue of the Society’s journal, The Indexer, was published in 1958. This issue included a “Message from the Prime Minister,” Harold Macmillan. This was indeed an impressive beginning for a scholarly journal that remains in print today.
The Society of Indexers continued to grow and expand its influence. Eventually the Society welcomed affiliation with the American (founded in 1968), Australian (1976), and Canadian (1977) societies. In recent years the Society has formed associations with indexing groups in China, Germany, The Netherlands, and South Africa. Bell traces the developments within the original four societies from 1968 through 1995.
Bell marks 1995 as the end of print-only indexing. She comments, “By 1996, indexing was no longer in its Printed Works Only era, but was entering the age that was also of virtual text and ethereal indication. It seems an appropriate point at which to conclude this account of indexers who worked wholly, or, latterly, at least chiefly, on the printed word.”
The book also includes a minihistory of The Indexer (1958–1995), a chronology of print-only indexing, extensive references, and detailed index written by the author. Throughout the text, many of the “Lone Worker” profiles are accompanied by photographs. As readers of previous works of Hazel Bell have come to expect, the references within the text are detailed. For example, each profile includes endnotes as needed.
It is difficult to express the breadth of this book. Yes, indexing activities spanning several centuries are presented. However, Flock Beds to Professionalism is greater than the sum of its parts. Hazel Bell has embraced the profession of indexing and made it visible and entertaining. She serves indexers well. This book will surely be a revelation to anyone curious about this previously anonymous profession (This review originally appeared in LOGOS Vol. 19 No. 4, 2008, pp. 207-208) Top of Page
The Perfect Scent: A Year Inside the Perfume Industry in Paris and New York. Chandler Burr. 2009. New York: Picador. 336 pages, Index.
Chandler Burr's The Perfect Scent follows the development and marketing of two perfumes within the walls of two major players in the industry: Hermès and Coty. The fast-paced story bounces between Paris and New York. Jean-Claude Ellena provides a thoughtful and intimate account of the development of "Un Jardin sur le Nil" for Hermès. In New York, Coty worked with Sarah Jessica Parker to create "Lovely."
The perfume industry is highly secretive and speculative with an aura of glamour. Readers will be treated to mounds of information about the business and science of perfume. While the development of a formula involves "techie" chemistry, Burr is able to present the details without losing readers. He also has a superior ability to describe scents in words. The description of natural musk (muscone) is a fine example:
Muscone is found, at a concentration between 0.5 percent and 2 percent, in something called Tonquin musk, a richly stinking secretion mixing hundreds of molecules that comes from a gland inside the male musk deer. Extract the rich secretion, separate out the little bit of muscone from it, and by itself this one molecule has the warm, sensual, rich scent of clean warm skin. It’s only this molecule (not the full, richly stinking, animalic Tonquin musk secretion) that perfumers call the scent of musk.
Here is Burr’s depiction of L’Eau d’Italie’s “mesmerizing, shadowy” Bois d’Ombrie:
… putting it on was like slipping on an organza silk shirt. You saw the material―the silken, shadowy wood smell―it had immense, gorgeous form, an yet it was transparent, if not invisible, and you saw every bit of skin underneath. Bois d’Ombrie was an olfactory garment. It sat on you like the most gorgeous Givenchy haute couture piece, and yet it became part of you somehow.
I found the comments of perfumers particularly interesting. For example, Ellena notes: "They say cooking is an art and pastry is a science. Perfumery is a math, specifically an algebra. All these interactions."
I enjoyed the book. There are memorable characters, excitement, historical insights, and wonderful descriptions of various locations, including Egypt. Quite frankly, I had never given much thought to perfume. I am paying attention now! The nuances of illusion that perfumers create are fascinating.
There are a few caveats. The book could be somewhat shorter. There are sections that feel patched together, possibly from previously published articles. I found the use of French in the text distracting. Those who can read French will naturally examine the English translation that follows the French to find out if it is translated correctly. Some of the translations are banal: “She paused again, then said, ‘Non, je ne pense pas.’ No, I don’t think so.” Lastly, the index is shallow. Proper names and nouns are included, but there is very little analysis of the thematic substance of the book.
The Perfect Scent provides a delightful introduction to the multi-billion dollar perfume industry. It is a “good read” and full of information about the power of scent. Top of Page
A Tradition of Soup: Flavors from China's Pearl River Delta by Teresa M. Chen North Atlantic Books (2009), Paperback, 408 pages. Maps, Photographs, Bibliography, Appendixes, Index. ISBN: 978-1-55643-765-6
The first thing I noticed about A Tradition of Soup is that is a beautiful book. It is a feast for the eyes. The North Atlantic Books production team deserves many kudos. The pages are oversized, printed on heavy coated paper. The photographs are excellent, most in full color and abundant. In her Preface, Teresa Chan writes, “This cookbook is written to promote Chinese food and culture, and to promote health. It pays tribute to my kindred Cantonese people from the Pearl River Delta and to our soup tradition that explicitly links food to health and healing.” The book is divided into four parts that indeed cover Chinese culture, healing traditions, history, and of course, food.
Part One introduces readers to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the tradition of soup, and the history of Cantonese people in two deltas: the Pearl River Delta in China and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in California. The Cantonese people have a rich history in the California Delta region. As a co-founder of the Pacific Complementary Medicine Center and as a member of the Board of Directors of Jen Wah, Inc. both in Stockton, CA, Chen was able to draw on the accumulated wisdom of Chinese elders for the recipes and techniques in this book. In Appendix B the soup contributors are profiled.
Part Two focuses on the basics of Cantonese soups, techniques, and equipment. Of particular interest to me is the section about reconstituting dry ingredients. Since many recipes require dry ingredients, this is a critical step in the process. Also here is where I find a great marinade recipe and the discussion for preparing soup stock including “Top Stock,” the all-purpose stock.
Perhaps the most fascinating section of the book is Part Three: Ingredients. Some are familiar, like chicken; others are exotic, such as wolfberry leaves. Color photographs are provided for the ingredients. Each ingredient is listed with its Western name, Mandarin and/or Cantonese pronunciation, and Chinese characters (Mandarin pinyin and Cantonese Romanization). The uses for each ingredients are explained as well as tips for choosing and medicinal values. This part of the book is subdivided into four groups: Animal Sources, Plant Sources, Medicinal Herbs, and Other Food Products.
The bulk of the book is devoted to Part Four: Soup Recipes. Naturally, following TCM practices there are recipes for the four seasons. This makes a great deal of sense for those persons devoted to eating locally produced food, it will be seasonal. There are also sections for all-season, vegetarian, medicinal, exotic, and expensive soups. Most recipes occupy a full page accompanied by a gorgeous, often full-page photograph of the soup in a serving dish. Recipes often begin with a brief description of the soup and its benefits. The ingredient list and clearly written instructions are followed by suggestions and variations when appropriate. The Soupy Snacks and Light Meals section is fun. There are recipes for rice soups, sweet soups, and noodle, wonton and dumpling soups.
If you are looking for “typical” Chinese restaurant soups, you will find Shrimp and Pork Wonton Soup. Although of Sichuan origin, Chen includes Hot and Sour Soup because of its popularity. Many of the recipes remind me of soups served in small, family-run Chinese restaurants in East Bay area of San Francisco. While there were the usual types of soup available, there was also “Today’s Soup.” Often I had no idea what was actually in the soup, but it was always wonderful.
From beginning to end, A Tradition of Soup is a comprehensive reference work that is thoroughly engaging. People interested in health and nutrition will discover much of value here. The index is thorough. However, the design could be improved for easier scanning through the use of a smaller type and less leading in between lines. My only complaint is that some ingredients are not available in places without a significant Chinese population. Unfortunately the book does not provide Internet resources for obtaining many of the ingredients. Thankfully, many recipes do not contain exotic ingredients. My biggest problem will be choosing which of the delicious recipes to make first. Top of Page