INDEXES REVIEWED edited by Christine Shuttleworth These extracts from reviews do not pretend to represent a Cambridge University Press: The history of the English organ, complete survey of all reviews in journals and newspapers. We by Stephen Bicknell (£45). Rev. by Felix Aprahamian, Church offer only a selection from quotations that members have sent in. Times, 15Nov 1996. Our reproduction of comments is not a stamp of approval from 'It is unlikely that a finer book on this subject could yet be written the Society of Indexers upon the reviewer's assessment of an in our century... Before the well-organised index, a select index. bibliography lists all the titles to be found in the most comprehensive library relating to the subject.' Extracts are arranged alphabetically under the names of publishers, within the sections: Indexes praised: Two cheers! Chatham Publishing: Building a working model warship: HMS Indexes censured; Indexes omitted; Obiter dicta. Warrior I860, by William Mowll (1997,200 pp, £20). Rev. in Model Boats, 47 (558). Indexes praised 'There is a bibliography, further reading list... plus a useful index.' [Index by SI member Stephanie Rudgard-Redsell] Aldwych Press: Dictionary of Irish literature (2nd edn), ed. by De Agostini Editions: The atlas of literature, ed. by Malcolm Robert Hogan (2 vols, 1,413 pp, £99.50). Rev. by Patrick Bradbury (£25). Rev. by John Naughton, The Times, 21 Sept Crotty, Times Literary Supplement, 30 May 1997. 1996. 'In addition to hundreds of dictionary entries, Hogan presides a '... the book is redeemed by its livelier contributions, by having thirteen-page Chronology, as well as a useful bibliography of a bibliography and a decent index, and by retailing all kinds of criticism, before putting a seal on his book's impression of mad useless — if fascinating — information.' industry with an exhaustive index running to nearly a hundred Delacorte: Ask Barbara: the 100 most-asked questions about closely packed pages.' love, sex, and relationships, by Barbara De Angelis (1997,304 Argyll Publishing: Preparation for pregnancy: an essential pp, $21.95). Rev. by Marty D. Evensvold, Library Journal, Jan guide, by Suzanne G. Bradley and Nicholas Bennett (1995,239 1997. pp, £12.99). Rev. by Tricia Murphy-Black, British Journal of 'The index is ultra-easy to use. A fine addition to any public Midwifery, 4 (9), Sept 1996. library.' 'One of the strengths of the book is the excellent cross Gollancz Paperbacks: Death discs, by Alan Clayson (300 pp, referencing within the text and the detailed index.' £4.99). Rev. by Martin Kelner, The Guardian, 19 Nov 1996. BMJ Publishing Group: ABC of resuscitation, ed. by M.C. 'Since the demise of his group, the regrettably named Clayson Colquhoun, AJ. Handley and T.R. Evans (1995, 88 pp, and the Argonauts, [the author] has made death discs his life's £12.95). Rev. in Respiratory Medicine, 1996, 90 (370). work. If his book... .lavishly indexed and cross-referenced, is not '... includes a comprehensive index.' the definitive work on the subject, there is another very sick author out there.' BMJ Publishing Group: Epidemiology in old age, ed. by S. Ebrahim and A. Kalache (460 pp, £59.95). Rev. by M. Keith Hackett (Indianapolis, IN): Critique of pure reason, by Thompson, Update, 2 Oct 1996. Immanuel Kant, tr. by Werner S. Pluhar (1,030 pp, £29.95/ "The editors are to be congratulated on the superb layout of this £15.95). Rev. by Jonathan Ree, Times Literary Supplement, 29 important book and the indexing.' August 1997. 'It will also be valued for its large glossary (German, but not Bookprint Consultants (Wellington, NZ): Orthopaedics in Latin or Greek) and its heroic index (nearly 200 pages).' New Zealand, ed. by Colin Hooker. Rev. in Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, May 1997. Harcourt Brace: Pediatric otolaryngology (3rd ed, vols I and 'The book is very well produced and indexed.' II), by CD. Bluestone, S.E. Stool and M. A. Kenna (1996, 1,748 pp, £242). Rev. by A. Richard Maw, Developmental Butterworth Heinemann: Understanding anaesthesia, by Medicine and Child Neurology, 38, 1996. L.E.S. Carrie, P.J. Simpson and M.T. Popat (480 pp, £25). Rev. '...the two volumes are well indexed.' by Julia Moore, Hospital Update, June 1996. 'The sequence of chapters is occasionally surprising, but the Jane's Information Group: Jane's armor and artillery (16th index is excellent and allows easy navigations.' edn, 1995-96), ed. by Christopher F. Foss ($275 hard cover, $795 CD-ROM). Rev. in National Defense, 8 (519), July/ Aug Cambridge University Press: Feminism and Christian ethics, 1996. by Susan Frank Parsons (1996, xvii + 279 pp, £11.95/ £35). 'Particularly useful is a fully cross referenced manufacturers' Rev. by Colin Hart, Anvil, 14(1), 1997. index and alphabetical index.' 'The book will, however, be a valuable resource for some of the people who might find it indigestible to read, because the index HMSO: Legal issues and the Internet (2 vols, 1996, £ 150). Rev. will lead them to helpful summaries and evaluations of the by Bernard Barrett, Library Association Record, 97 (11), Nov thinking of most of the feminist writers who might be of interest 1996. to them.' 'Both volumes have good indexes as well as glossaries.' The Indexer Vol. 20 No. 4 October 1997 219 INDEXES REVIEWED Information Resources Press: The art of abstracting, by Scarecrow Press/ Salem Press: British women writers, Edward T. Cremmins (1996, vii + 230 pp, $34.95). Rev. by 1700-1850: an annotated bibliography of their works and Bob Duckett, Library Association Record, 98 (8), Aug 1996. works about them, by Barbara J. Horwitz (1997, xiv + 231 pp, 'There is commendable depth to the author's appendixes, £35.15). Rev. by H.G.A. Hughes, Library Association Record, bibliography and index.' 99 (7), July 1997. 'The quite remarkable quantity of facts and opinions she has Kohlhammer: Die religiose Umwelt des Urchristentums (The amassed are, blessedly, made easily accessible by well-made religious environment of early Christianity) (2nd vol.), by author and subject indexes.1 Hans-Joseph Klauck (1996, 200 pp, DM 34). Rev. by Ernest Best, Expository Times, 108 (7), April 1997. Sinclair Stevenson: Somerset Maugham and the Maugham dynasty, by Bryan Connon (396 pp, £20). Rev. by Brenda 'There are copious extracts from the relevant literature, and Maddox, Observer, July 1997. although these are given in German translation they are so well indexed that they can quickly be traced in English translations.' "This book is a must for the gay bookshelf, and its index is superb.' New York Publications Program/ HarperCollins: The New York Public Library writer's guide to style and usage, ed. by University of California Press: Art and artists of Andrea J. Sutcliffe (1994, 794 pp, $35). Rev. by Durthy A. twentieth-century China, by Michael Sullivan (354 pp, £50). Washington, Technical Communications, 4th quarter 1996. Rev. by B.D.H, Miller, Times Literary Supplement, 11 July 1997. 'It also includes a detailed, user-friendly index with numerous cross-references that uses boldface numbers to indicate principal 'It includes an imposing biographical index, with Chinese coverage of a topic, making it easy for users to skim pages to characters, of more than 800 painters, engravers, sculptors and locate information.' graphic designers...' [With Chinese characters?] Oxford University Press: Psychiatry in the elderly (2nd edn), University Press of Florida: A history of the Timucua Indians ed. by Robin Jacoby and Catherine Oppenheimer (788 pp, £95/ and Missions, by John H. Hann (1996, 399 pp, $49.95). Rev. £45). Rev. by David Ames, International Journal of by James F. Doster, Journal of American History, 83 (4), Psychiatry in Clinical Practice, 1(113), 1997. March 1997. 'The new index [by SI member John Gibson] represents a 'His maps are inadequate, but his bibliography is useful, and his considerable advance on that of the first edition. For example, index is excellent.' [Index by Margie Towery ofASI.] the entries on behaviour and behavioural disturbance are comprehensive and lead directly to detailed exposition of these John Wiley: Encyclopaedia of common natural ingredients crucial topics, a service which the index and text of the first used in food, drugs, and cosmetics, by Albert Y. Leung and edition performed less well.' Steven Foster (1996, 649 pp, £95). Rev. by Ann F. Walker, International Journal of Food Science and Technology, Oct Robson: Lord High Executioner: an unashamed look at 1996. hangmen, headsmen and their kind, by Howard Engel (256 pp, 'I prefer the use of Latin names of plants rather than common £16.95). Rev. by PR, Times Literary Supplement, 16 May names to avoid confusion, but the authors have stuck to common 1997. names for their entry listing. However there are two 'This eloquently written catalogue of vindictive violence comprehensive indices [sic] (general and chemical) at the end of contains well-indexed references to such diverse personalities as the book to appease people like me. Strangely, the authors have Ned Kelly ("As the hangman adjusted the noose around his neck, divested themselves of responsibility for these: we are informed Kelly sighed and said 'Such is life' ") and two Afghans slowly that these indices were "... prepared by a professional indexer throttled in 1992 by the expedient of deliberately inefficient under commission from John Wiley & Sons. The authors assume nooses and a short drop.' no credit or responsibility for the accuracy, comprehensiveness or quality of such indexing." This smacks of some contention in Routledge/ International Thomson Business Press: the book's preparation, but nevertheless, the indices are International encyclopaedia of business and management, ed. invaluable for tracing the many common names and (often) by Malcolm Warner (5 vols, 1996, c. 1,000 pp, and index vol., several systematic names used for a single herb.' 424 pp, £800).