Reviews and Comments from Readers

"...There are so many valuable gems that I like in Inside Indexing that I have to stop myself. This review is already way too long. One more mention is the design of the book. Different fonts are effectively used to distinguish the writings of Smith, Kells, and their common voice. The book is wider than long (hence the sub sandwich analogy at the beginning of the review actually makes some sense), and this shape allows a nice amount of space on the right side of each page for text boxes containing examples of the actual index being composed by each author..."
~ Jerry Katz, author of One: Essential Writings on Nonduality
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"Inside Indexing fills a void that has existed for decades. The thought process of analyzing text has been a topic of discussion in the indexing world for years, but no one - until now - has documented how they do it. Every indexer needs a copy of this book

KeyWords' review

The Indexer's review

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Full Reviews
from which quotes on this page are taken

in their libraries. It's an indispensable, priceless resource."
~ Cheryl Landes, STC member
In-house technical indexer
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"What a treat: simultaneous windows into the working minds of two indexers! This book promises to be a valuable addition to the literature."
~ Do Mi Stauber, author of Facing the Text: Content and Structure in Book Indexing

"Inside Indexing will surely become a classic for all indexers. It is a book to be read and re-read at various points in an indexer's life - the kind of book that will continue to yield fresh insights, no matter where in your career or development you are! It isn't an 'easy read.' It takes work - there's a lot to think about and digest. But it's definitely a 'must read'!"
~ Janet Perlman, winner of the 2006 Theodore C. Hines Award
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"It is exactly the kind of information I was wishing for!"
~ Jan Flatoff

"I am finally getting some free time to read and am catching up on stacks of stuff. I am so enjoying your book. One of the most intriguing (and comforting!) aspects is the way the two indexes are so different from each other, yet both are so clear, useful and effective. I have often heard how no two indexes are the same, but it is fascinating to see how two different indexes can both be so clear."
~ Dona Roell

"Very helpful! It is influencing the way I am doing my current index."
~ Judi Gibbs

"The book looks great! will keep it on my reference shelf next to my desk, right next to CMS, Mulvany and Lancaster. Thank you for writing this book which will be an asset to all indexers - novice and experienced alike."
~ Beth Nauman-Montana

"I have just finished reading Inside Indexing and I got a lot out of it...I won't forget to ask myself the questions you suggest to keep it in mind. I think you and Sherry did a terrific job and have added a valuable resource to indexing literature. Great stuff."
~ Adrian Mather

"I love the format - it makes the book feel very accessible and reader friendly. The wide margins provide plenty of space for note writing."
~ Dona Roell

"New indexers should find it reassuring to see the process that even seasoned professional indexers go through when turning a rough initial index draft into a refined and polished final index."
~ Julie Kawabata, ASI member, Pacific Northwest chapter
ASI Board member

"A fascinating look inside the indexing process. Proof that the human mind is required for the art that is indexing. I can't think of anyone in the publishing industry who shouldn't read this book."
~ Cynthia Landeen, IASC member

"Inside Indexing goes beyond providing indexing rules and tackles the most challenging element of indexing: deciding how to craft index entries. As we read about Kari and Sherry's individual approaches to indexing a single text and follow their reasoning and examples, we become engaged in the decision-making process ourselves. It is through this experience that we become better at reviewing and refining our own indexing style."
~ Elizabeth Bell, IASC member
IASC Past-President

"Inside Indexing is a concrete, thought-provoking, and tip-filled book that beginning indexers will find invaluable, and established indexers will find intriguing."
~ Jan Wright, indexer and taxonomist
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"Sherry and Kari have allowed us to sit as flies on the wall while they each wrote an index for the same work. They have provided a real service to book indexers everywhere. Any indexer who does not take the time to read and study their text is letting a rare opportunity slip through their fingers."
~ L. Pilar Wyman, Key Words editor
USDA indexing course instructor
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"One of the unique aspects of this book is that it offers mid- to high- level indexing information. It's not a how-to book... Inside Indexing provides a realistic glimpse into the depth and breadth of thought processes, focusing on the "why" of indexing more than the "how"."
~ Martha Osgood, ASI member, Pacific Northwest chapter

"This book is really helpful for beginners because it walks you through the entire process with just one index... Seeing the evolution of entries during different stages of your processes is liberating for newbies - it shows that your first drafts are rough drafts."
~ Katrina Lemke