Index, A History of the

The idea of page numbers, chapters, and indexes (there's a whole section in the book about why for written works one should call them "indexes" and not "indices") are so basic that it's hard to imagine that they were invented at all. However Duncan reveals that due to the nature of books, it wasn't until the 1300s that proto-indexes actually emerged, with the printing press spurring further development and innovation in the space. As a work on the history of technology there are some asides that are entertaining but not informative, but overall this is a fascinating look at technological and scientific development. Highly recommend.