Hands

by John Napier, Russell H. Tuttle (Editor)

Overview

Intended for all readers—including magicians, detectives, musicians, orthopedic surgeons, and anthropologists—this book offers a thorough account of that most intriguing and most human of appendages: the hand. In this illustrated work, John Napier explores a wide range of absorbing subjects such as fingerprints, handedness, gestures, fossil remains, and the making and using of tools.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780691025476
Publisher:	Princeton University Press
Publication date:	03/14/1993
Series:	Princeton Science Library , #9
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

The late John Napier was a physician specializing in hands, and was also a professor and writer on primates and evolution. Russell H. Tuttle is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Chicago.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations and Figures

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Pt. 1 Nature and Evolution of the Hand

Ch. 1 "You Need Hands. . ." 3

Ch. 2 Structure of the Hand 13

Ch. 3 Function of the Hand 55

Ch. 4 Evolution of the Hand 73

Pt. 2 Social and Cultural Aspects of the Hand

Ch. 5 Tool-Using and Tool-Making 97

Ch. 6 Handedness 121

Ch. 7 Fingerprints 131

Ch. 8 Gestures 143

Suggested Reading and References 159

Index 169

Editorial Reviews

"Maybe Newton was right about the thumb [that it was evidence of God's existence], but there is far more to arouse wonder in the hand than he knew, and Dr. Napier indicates its scope with authority and imagination."

The New York Times Book Review

"Each fascinating chapter in this book is a conjured mixture of anecdote, entertainment, and instruction."

Annals of Human Biology

"[John Napier's] book is deliberately 'not too technical,' light and full of wit. . . . Fingerprints, gestures, nerves, bone, hand hair—all are given attention . . . in this interesting survey."

Scientific American

"[John Napier's] book is deliberately 'not too technical,' light and full of wit. . . . Fingerprints, gestures, nerves, bone, hand hair—all are given attention . . . in this interesting survey."—Scientific American

"Each fascinating chapter in this book is a conjured mixture of anecdote, entertainment, and instruction."—Annals of Human Biology

From the Publisher