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Hands Paperback – February 22, 1993

by John Napier (Author), Russell H. Tuttle (Editor)

8 customer reviews

ISBN-13: 978-0691025476 ISBN-10: 0691025479 Edition: Rev Sub

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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.

Hands

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Product Details

Series: Princeton Science Library
Paperback: 200 pages
Publisher: Princeton University Press; Rev Sub edition (February 22, 1993)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0691025479
ISBN-13: 978-0691025476
Product Dimensions: 0.5 x 5.5 x 8.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #534,664 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A physician who specialized in hands, Napier draws on a variety of disciplines to give his account of our crucial appendages.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"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

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

Customer Reviews

(8)

4.8 out of 5 stars

5 star		6
4 star		2
3 star		0
2 star		0
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I learned a lot reading this book.

mjmulgrew

Afterwards, I found another person interested in my marked up book and bought another for myself (to keep for later reading/reference).

Hambergler

This is a great book for anyone who loves hands, and appreciates how perfect a perfect hand can be.

Lupu Shinge

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

Interfaces that are worth the "Hand"

By Sohel Khan on October 3, 2012

Format: Paperback

I read this book after Bret Victor's allusion to it in his rant against Microsoft's vision of touch screens [...] ). The book does challenge one's estimate of "hand", its design (and the Designer). As I am waiting for carpal tunnel syndrome diagnostics for my right hand, I wish we can come up with better interfaces than mouse, keyboard and touch screens.

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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

Exceptional science and witty writing

By T. F. Mccoy on February 12, 2009

Format: Paperback

As a physician and ergonomist I found this book to be stimulating, fun, informative, and very useful. The hand is too often overlooked or treated shabbily in our work and daily living. Though it connects us to our world, we tend to take it for granted. This book helps all of us to overcome that error. Get the book, enjoy it. It is worth the money and the time reading it.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

A NEW APPRECIATION OF MY HANDS

By mjmulgrew on December 20, 2013

Format: Paperback Verified Purchase

I recently had to have surgery on my thumb after a car accident. My hand was in a cast for six weeks and I needed physical therapy before my thumb and hand were of much use. This got me interested in hands and how they work, especially the thumb. I learned a lot reading this book. I will never take my thumbs for granted, again.

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5 of 9 people found the following review helpful

Amazon.com sells refurbished items as new

By Hambergler on February 21, 2010

Format: Paperback Verified Purchase

This book was a great read. It has a wide variety of applications (law enforcement, anthropology, medical etc) and is suitable for even a novice reader.

On the hand, I purchased my book "new" from Amazon. I received a book with a dog-earred page and highlighting. Because I needed this book for a college assignment, I could not just send it back. Afterwards, I found another person interested in my marked up book and bought another for myself (to keep for later reading/reference).

I've recently purchased yet another item from Amazon that was used and is being sold as new. I called their support (well they call you after you request a call) and complained. I ended up getting a refund (only for items under $40 they say) and didn't have to return my item.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

Informative insight into the study of hands

A wonderful addition to any one with an interest in hands or palmistry, academic or amateur, the artistic aspect was also interesting

Published 18 months ago by Robert W. Martin

Awe Inspiring!

In our erotic touch technique series and couples massage videos, we show how to use your hands for maximum pleasure - the hands are the most dexterous, sensitive part of the human... Read more

Published on December 21, 2011 by Chris Rose

hands-down the best book on hands

This is a great book for anyone who loves hands, and appreciates how perfect a perfect hand can be. There is nothing like it on the market. Read more

Published on June 28, 2006 by Lupu Shinge

Good hands

This book is a fascinating account of the most "human" parts of the human body, the hands. Worth owning.

Published on July 6, 2000