Unlike its British forebears, the early American magazine, or periodical miscellany, functioned in culture as a forum driven by manifold contributions and perpetuated by reader response.
*A TIME, New Yorker, Financial Times and History Today Book of the Year*'Hilarious' Sam Leith'I loved this book' Susie Dent'Witty and affectionate' Lynne TrussPerfect for book lovers, a delightful history of the wonders to be found in the humble book indexMost of us give little thought to the back of the book - it's just where you go to look things up.