Customer Reviews

Manwatching: Field Guide to Human Behaviour

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If you want a book that answers all of the why's of human behavior, this book is it. It covers everything from dialation of the eyes to how we ward off someone in our personal space. This book is a good source for those studying human behavior, as well as those who are more interested in the nonverbal communication of humans. I read the book almost five years ago, and the information is still clear in my mind. Well written and concise, this book is interesting as well as educational.

Desmond Morris has never been known to cater to popular opinion in his research; either you have the emotional maturity to deal with his observations, or you don't.

This man's books are a must have for anyone who wants to better understand why the people around him (or her) do the strange things they do. While every theory may not be perfect, his works demonstrate a classic scientific method of discovery through social observation that remains useful in any situation

Chock full of photos, this book explains quite a bit about human behavior, including gestures (which vary somewhat geographically). It also explains non-behavioral cues, such as pupil dilation, body adornment, or sexual cues inherent in our body proportions. It's so well illustrated, it was a favorite coffee table book.

Again and again, Morris' writing displays itself as the work of a purely humanistic scientist. His style is excellent, his scientific method cannot be faulted. His observations are concise and thoughtful, well-worded and intelligent. However, I cannot agree with what seems to be his prevailing opinion - that man is purely an animal, sometimes better, more often worse than the other animals that he shares the planet with. Morris' stream of what he no doubt considers to be purely rational thought leans toward being offensive to persons of faith - persons who believe that humankind is a species that differs from his animal neighbours in a profound and fundamental way. He seems to have lumped Humankind in with the rest of the life on the planet, and while it is true that man is as much a part of this planet's life as any other life form, it is also true that man is a creature with an imagination that sets him apart from his animal neighbours. Humans possess souls that animals cannot fathom. This is the major shortcoming of Morris' research: that he has overlooked the imagination and emotional sentience of humankind. Man may be no better than an animal with regard to issues of savagery, war, and conflict resolution. But on the other hand, man has the capability to analyze his own actions and to distinguish between right and wrong. Mr. Morris would do well to turn his own analytical skills toward himself, if ever he should need proof of this.