Left-handedness seems to be no big deal. Many of us are left-handed and those of us who aren’t don’t tend to give left-handedness much thought. Yet throughout history left-handers have been associated with clumsiness, untrustworthiness and insincerity. The Latin word for left, sinister, is redolent of all kinds of ominous connotations. Rik Smits uncovers why history has been so unkind to our left-handed forebears. Through an array of historical anecdotes, strange superstitions and old wives’ tales, Smits explains why left-handedness continues to be associated with maladies of all kinds, including mental retardation, alcoholism, asthma, hay fever, diabetes, insomnia, suicidal urges, criminality and shorter lifespans. But apart from folklore and myth, the notions of left and right have a real and deep influence on the way we experience the world. These influences show up everywhere, from engineering and architecture to music, painting, photography, film and comics. This book shows how, contrary to what many might think, left-handers can write just as well as the rest of us, and explores how and why we came to prefer one hand over the other and how left- and right-handedness are represented in the brain. The greatest puzzle is why in every country one in ten people favours the left hand. It is a mystery as yet largely unsolved, whose solution may very well lie in the secrets of twinning. The Puzzle of Left-handedness is an enlightening and entertaining odyssey through the enigmas and paradoxes, theories and experiments surrounding the left-handed among us.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Rik Smits is a linguist based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. His books include The Puzzle of Left-handedness (Reaktion, 2011) and Dawn: The Origins of Language and the Modern Human Mind (2016).
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Good condition ex-library book with usual library markings and stickers. Seller Inventory # 00096456311
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
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Seller: World of Books Inc, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Hardback. Condition: Good. Presenting an array of historical anecdotes, strange superstitions and weird wives' tales, Rik Smits takes the reader on an enlightening and entertaining odyssey through the puzzles and paradoxes of left-handedness lore. Seller Inventory # CIN1861898738G
Seller: World of Books Inc, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Hardback. Condition: Very Good. Presenting an array of historical anecdotes, strange superstitions and weird wives' tales, Rik Smits takes the reader on an enlightening and entertaining odyssey through the puzzles and paradoxes of left-handedness lore. Seller Inventory # CIN1861898738VG
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hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Translation. Used - Very Good. Seller Inventory # 16-W-5-0015
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
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Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Translation. Former library copy. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # GRP70009905
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Condition: Very Good. Translation. Former library copy. Pages intact with possible writing/highlighting. Binding strong with minor wear. Dust jackets/supplements may not be included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # 7196518-6
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Seller: Midtown Scholar Bookstore, Harrisburg, PA, U.S.A.
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