Human Bones: A Scientific and Pictorial Investigation [Hardcover]

R. McNeill Alexander (Author), Aaron Diskin (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0131479407 | ISBN-13: 978-0131479401 | Publication Date: November 11, 2004 | Edition: 1

The world's foremost authority on biomechanics now focuses on our bones ina beautifully illustrated book of color photography combining expertknowledge of biomechanics and evolution with engaging discussion ofaesthetics and philosophy concerning our most surprisingly important organ.Nothing seems as lifeless as a bone in a museum case, but the bones in ourbodies are as truly alive as our muscles and guts. Alexander visits moments inevery age of our lives, showing how bones grow, how they get damaged, andhow they vary, as well as revealing how to read the story they tell of where wecame from and what we did. Interactive, "do-it-yourself" experiments, such asinvestigating the lubrication of joints in the hand, are presented so readers caninvestigate their own skeleton. Aaron Diskin's 115 color photographs areinformative works of art taken over weeks of shooting in the archives ofmuseums including the American Museum of Natural History, as well asprivate collections including Maxilla and Mandible in New York City.Their elegance is revealed, never before as colorfully and dramatically as in thephotographs of Aaron Diskin's showcased here.

Editorial Reviews

From Scientific American

If you are not up for something as weighty as Gray's Anatomy, this might well be the book for you. True, it covers only bones, not all the other essential tissues and organs. But its coverage of bones is exquisite--thanks in equal part to the gorgeous photo-graphs and the erudition and charm of the author. Alexander, emeritus professor of zoology at the University of Leeds in England and author of many books and articles on locomotion (including Dynamics of Dinosaurs), takes us from the living cells scattered throughout bone to the linked assemblages that form a human skeleton. Stops along the way examine specimens of the human skull (an astonishing number damaged by ax blows and other trauma) and offer enlightening comparisons--child to adult, abnormal to normal, diseased to healthy.

Editors of Scientific American

From the Back Cover

Human Bones combines an intriguing discussion of the function and design of human bones with stunningly beautiful color photographs that capture their unique elegance. R. McNeill Alexander, the world's foremost authority on biomechanics, takes the reader on a tour of the human skeleton, investigating and celebrating the human body's 213 bones.

Alexander explores the nature of human bones as well as their relationship with other parts of the body in this lucid and informative book. Beginning by reminding readers that bones are living organs-they grow, suffer damage, and repair themselves just like other organs-Alexander elucidates the form and function of the myriad bones in the skull, the arms and legs, and the torso. How the bones in the arm combine with the torso at the shoulder to create a wide range of motion, and the relationship among the various parts of the skull-the nose and mouth cavities, for example-are some of the topics explored. Counterintuitive insights are revealed along the way with the help of do-it-yourself interactive experiments that prompt readers to investigate their own bodies.

Why different people's bones are different is examined in detail by Alexander. This knowledge is behind important work in forensic science and archaeology: it informs the art behind the reconstruction of faces from skulls, and the composition of bones betrays information about the lives of individuals and their daily habits. Throughout the work Alexander places bones in their ancestral context, explaining the principles of evolution and how these relate to utility, and he devotes an entire chapter to exploring the evolutionary relationship between human bones and those of other mammals.

Alexander's authoritative, crystalline prose, Diskin's 115 color photographs, and superb graphic design have united in this remarkable book to showcase the extraordinary beauty at the core of our bodies.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Pi Press; 1 edition (November 11, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0131479407
• ISBN-13: 978-0131479401
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 10.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #818,798 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Human Bones by Alexander et al., July 18, 2005

By 

Joseph S. Maresca "Dr. Joseph S. Maresca CPA,... (Bronxville, New York USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Human Bones: A Scientific and Pictorial Investigation (Hardcover)

This book would be perfect for any student of medicine or science.
It depicts the function and design of bones-throughout the body.
Many important facts about the anatomy of the body are depicted:
- cells repair damaged bone
- the inner ear is the origin of balance
- a child skull is greater than an adult proportionately
- the sacroiliac joints are mostly responsible for back pain
( Between the sacrum and pelvic bones , there are a few
millimeters of sliding masse at 1-2 degrees rotation )

- baby skull growth is driven by brain growth
- new bone growth is added at the edge of individual bones

The body utilizes oxygen , as follows: ( at rest rates)
- skin uses 1 milliwatt/gm.
- bone utilizes .2 mW/ gm.
- kidney utilizes 14 mW/ gm.
- muscle utilizes 3 mW/g
- brain uses 8 mW/ gm.

This work would be perfect for students of biology, anatomy,
medicine, physiology, pathology and medical engineering.
It is easy to understand and cost effective for the value of
the technical content contained.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You'll see human bones in a new way, November 28, 2004

By 

Jane Pincus (Roxbury, VT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Human Bones: A Scientific and Pictorial Investigation (Hardcover)

Do you take your bones for granted? You won't any more, after reading this well-designed book. You'll embark on an extraordinary adventure into the usually invisble land of bones, You'll learn about their useful and asthetically beautiful design, and marvel at the astonishing capacity of each kind of bone to perform its specialized function. R. McNeil Alexander's knowledgeable text and Aaron Diskin's intense, beautiful and alive photographs link us to the ancient past (and to our inevitable futures!) and shows us the strength and fragility of the essential framework that sustains each one of us.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, Interesting Pictures- Well Written, September 20, 2009

By 

M. McClelland (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Human Bones: A Scientific and Pictorial Investigation (Hardcover)

The text itself is good and covers the usual- a few case studies, the difference between races, bone development and disease... it even delves into the biological process of bone deposition etc- but the supplemental pictures on each page are beautiful. They have all kinds of specimens as well- a hydrocephalic skull, infant to adult developmental skulls, etc- it's really quite well done. And- I got it really cheap by buying from a 'used' vendor so the price plus such quality- excellent buy.