The index, tucked away in the back of a book, is often overlooked. But after reading Dennis Duncan’s delightful history of the tool, you’ll never forget to check the index again. In Index: A History of the: A Bookish Adventure from Medieval Manuscripts to the Digital Age, Duncan traces the index’s 800-year history, from medieval monasteries and universities to its uses for the tech boom in the present day. In doing so, he makes a case that indexes have not only impacted our literary and intellectual culture, but also shaped the way we communicate and engage with power. They might even have saved lives along the way. —Cady Lang
Buy Now: Index, A History of the on Bookshop | Amazon
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Global Climate Solutions Exist. It's Time to Deploy Them
- What Happens to Diane Feinstein's Senate Seat
- Who The Golden Bachelor Leaves Out
- Rooftop Solar Power Has a Dark Side
- How Sara Reardon Became the 'Vagina Whisperer'
- Is It Flu, COVID-19, or RSV? Navigating At-Home Tests
- Kerry Washington: The Story of My Abortion
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time