Customer Reviews

Indexing Books (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
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I just recently finished co-authoring my first full-length book. It is an extremely technical medical manual, and my co-author and I decided that we needed to do the indexing ourselves, both to aid in document debugging and because, as the authors, we understand the material in a way that even a medical indexer would not. I bought this book, read it twice and underlined it, took a deep breath, and then plunged ahead. We made a couple of newbie errors early on, but Mulvany helped keep us on the true path. And the index turned out very well.

Mulvaney's "Indexing Books" is one of the two books most recommended by professional indexers (the other being the indexing chapter from the "Chicago Manual of Style"). Mulvaney writes in easy to understand, no-nonsense language to first explain what is an index, why you need a professional indexer (vs. say, a computer program), and then goes into detail about how to index books. "Indexing Books" is a must-have for anyone wanting to be a professional indexer.

This books tells you everything about indexing, its standards, how to cross-reference, which mistakes to avoid. The author discusses the traditional indexing method with cards. Her advice on software is outdated, we are far beyond DOS. Otherwise the book provides all the information you need and gives a good idea of what's involved, e.g. that it's not a leisurely job, why not everyone who can read can index, about indexing associations, etc. A very useful book for the professional.

Like writing, indexing is an art form. Some people can do it, and some people can't. If you want to attempt your own index, buy Mulvany's book. She's an instructor of index courses and she knows her stuff-- it shows. Notice how this book has ZERO negative reviews. The only complaint that I had was the price, but you really get what you pay for, so how can you complain when you buy the best?

She should trademark the definition of the "Ideal Index"; it's a must read. She covers structure, arrangement, names, everything. It's all there.

This helpful book was invaluable when I had to prepare an index for my book. The author knows her stuff and clearly explains what to do and--just as important--precisely how to do it. If you are indexing your own book, and you really want readers to get the most from your work, this is the guide for you.

Mulvany's Indexing guidebook is a must have for anyone seeking to become an indexer. I purchased the book in connection with the United State Deparment of Agriculture Basic Indexing course that I am taking.

I liked the book overall, most notably the expanded coverage of software used in indexing. I didn't agree with every word I read, but the value of Ms Mulvany's 30 years of experience is apparant in her treatment of style guides and her knowledge of industry practices. I'd recommend this book for anyone in the business.

Es importante expresar en idioma español mi más amplia recomendación acerca del libro Indexing Books (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing) by Nancy C. Mulvany, del cual estoy convencido es el mejor libro para definir metodologías a seguir en la indización de documentos unitarios como es el caso de las monografías. Especialmente se desea recomendar para instituciones de educación suprior que ofrezcan carreras de Bibliotecología, Biblioteconomía, Documentación y en general de las Ciencias de la Información, ya que funciona perfectamente como libro de texto dentro de las materias de Indices y Abstracts. Es importante indicar, que este tipo de libros, deberán complementarse con otros más que oferta Amazon respecto a elaboración de índices de conujuntos de documentos, así también en la profundización de elaboración de resumenes o abstracts, mismos que complementarían el desarrollo de materias académicas que permitan a nuestros estudiantes dominar la panarámica de esta disciplina.

Great reference book. Beautifully done. For people who like to hold a book in their hands this is pleasing. Good design, easy to use. A treasure in our library. I like it.