One of the first things I look for when reviewing a non-fiction book is whether or not it contains an index. If it does, the next thing I check is whether the index is actually useful.

If the answer to either of these is “no”, I mention this failing in my review. This is unfair on the author, unfortunately, because the blame lies with the publisher. As someone who has been on the other side, as it were, I can tell you what happens as a rule.

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