[scott123]

Originally Posted by Suzanne

Don't blame McGee for that. He probably had no control over the index. (FWIW, Shirley Corriher hates the index in the original Cookwise.) The way the publishing industry works, someone separate is hired to write* the index, and the quality of the index depends on that person's skill and knowledge of the book's subject matter and his/her empathy with potential readers, and the space available (which determines the possible number of entries). Obviously space was not an issue. It may just be that the indexer does not think the way you do.

*For those who think that indexes are created by computer programs: no. A real, live person actually reads through the entire book, noting the major concepts and important phrases, names, places, events, etc. and subconcepts. All that is then organized, cross-referenced, and rephrased in the ways the indexer imagines a reader will USE the book. So if you dislike an index, it's probably not the author's fault.

[Disclosure: I am trained as an indexer and have written indexes for two books so far.]

Huh... that's good to know, thanks!

[cakerookie]

If you do not have it.Get it! Worth every penny of the money spent. I went out and got my copy 1 day after the forum Cheftalk had with Mr Mcgee here. And I would not live in the kitchen without. Like Chrose said INDISPENSIBLE!!! And he's right!

[MikeLM]

I've always said that Joy of Cooking and Beard's American Cookery are the two indispensable reference books for the serious amateur cook.

Both of them have, in my opinion, absoluetly TERIFFIC indexes.

I've got a bunch of otherwise very good cookbooks that don't.

Mike

[cakerookie]

Everyone is confusing me with this index thing. I don't mean to sound stupid but what could the index possible have thats so important. Kind a new to this. Could someone enlighten me. Thanks...

[scott123]

Cakerookie, with a reference book as large as this, it's important to be able pick a topic and/or keyword, find it in the index and then turn to the appropriate page. If, say, I was having a problem with gelatin setting, I could look up gelatin in the index and quickly find a page that talks about the ingredients that prevent gelatin from setting. Quickly finding information like that in an 800 page book is close to impossible without a good index.

[cakerookie]

Thanks. Now I am straight...................