If you were looking for a book on the history of alphabetical order, which letter would you start with? It's actually a trick question, because as best as Judith Flanders could tell, there has never been a comprehensive history of the practice.
But think about what alphabetical order has given us: a way to organize the world so that we can find accumulated knowledge. Judith Flanders tells the story in A Place for Everything: The Curious History of Alphabetical Order.
We cover the story, from the Library of Alexandria to the contacts on your phone (first name, not last?); the author visits.