Right Hand, Left Hand [Paperback]

Chris McManus' Left Hand, Right Hand will be of interest to lefties who may have slightly resented the historic association of right-handers as being correct and dextrous (Latin dexter: right-hand side) and left-handers as sinister and gauche (Latin sinister: left-hand side with the heraldic bend sinister indicating illegitimacy). Chris McManus could hardly be more appropriately named (Latin manus: hand) and, as a university professor and one of the world's leading authorities the extraordinary and fascinating intricacies of our fundamental asymmetry. Wherever you look in nature there is asymmetry with an inclination to handedness and, like the law and life, it is almost impossible to be even-handed.

Right Hand Left Hand is a wonderful read, reaching from the fundamental depths of atomic structure (sub-atomic particles called neutrinos are left-handed) and the stuff we are all made of (the DNA double helix has a right-handed twist, although one of its co-discoverers Jim Watson is left-handed) through anatomy (our hearts generally are on our left side) up to Zulus, who reputedly cured any left-handed child's tendency by so scalding the hand so that the child is bound to use the right hand. Whatever your inherited or chosen handedness, there is a surprise and a good story here for the general reader. You will be able to keep family and friends entertained for hours retelling the details, although they might appreciate it more if you just handed round copies of the book since it is over 400 pages long. Accompanied by illustrations, notes, further reading and an excellent index, this is one of the best popular science books of the year. --Douglas Palmer --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Chris McManus has given four very successful public lectures at the Hay Festival, Royal Institution (200 people attending), Edinburgh Science Festival about 150 attending and at the Institute for Cultural Research about 150 attending, with the event being listed in the Sunday Times Books Events Section. His lecture at the Hay Festival led to an article in the Guardian and subsequent interviews with The World Today, BBC World Service, Late Night Live, BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Leeds. He appeared on Start the Week (BBC Radio 4) on Monday 1st April. BBC Radio 4 are also running a three part series in May/June on handedness' which will feature Chris McManus. Interviews have also been fixed up with: Talk Sport, German Public Radio, NewsDrive (BBC Radio Scotland - 18 March), BBC Three Counties Radio (18 March), BBC Asian Network Radio (18 March), Nicky Campbell Show (BBC Radio 5, 19 March), Jimmy Young Show (BBC Radio 2 19 March), BBC Radio Belfast (1 April) Gary Robertson Show (BBC Radio Scotland 4 April), BBC Radio Kent - phone in (23 April), Jerry Ryan Show, RTE Radio Ireland and BBC London. Further interviews are planned with BBC Radio Leeds and Star 107.9FM. There was a feature on London Tonight on 19 March about the author and his research. Other feature/news coverage includes: Sunday Times (17 March), Daily Mail (full page feature, 19 March), Daily Mail (news piece, 18 March), Times (full page feature, 18 March), Ta Nea (Greek National Newspaper), Corriere Della Sera (Italian National Newspaper) which has published a news article, a feature and a further feature in its colour magazine supplement, Interest has also been expressed by The Sunday Herald, The Herald, and Scottish Metro Reviews have appeared in the Sunday Telegraph, The Spectator, Scotland on Sunday, Financial Times, Chemistry in Britain, Nature, New Scientist and on Amazon. ... this wonderful book...delightful and informative ..Nature Read this deservedly prize-winning book for yourself...An extraordinarily wide-ranging and gripping "whatdunnit"Financial Times It is a triumph of a book. Limpidly written, dryly witty and extraordinarily wide-reaching,this is surely the most inclusive and erudite popular account of asymmetry yet produced.The Spectator A work of such breadth of eruditionScotland on Sunday This is one of the best popular science books of the year.Douglas Palmer, A --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

'limpidly written, drily witty and extraordinarily wide-reaching ... surely the most inclusive and erudite popular account of asymmetry yet produced' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

'McManus's account of 'handedness' must be one of the most intellectually capricious science books this year' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

'a fascinating and immensley readable exploration ... even football gets a mention' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

The brilliant, original and highly acclaimed Winner of the Wellcome Trust Science Prize, 1999, and Winner of the Aventis Prizes for Science Books General Prize 2003. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

- Why are most people right-handed? Do left-handers behave differently from right-handers? - Why is the heart on the left-hand side of the body? - Why is each side of the human brain so different? - Why do the British drive on the left? Why do European languages go from left to right, while Arabic ones read the other way? - Why do clocks go clockwise? - What is the relationship between handedness and speech disorders, such as stuttering? RIGHT HAND, LEFT HAND uses sources as diverse as the paintings of Rembrandt and the sculpture of Michelangelo, the behaviour of Canadian cichlid fish and the story of early cartography. Modern cognitive science, the history of the Wimbledon tennis championship and the biographies of great musicians are also used to explain the vast repertoire of 'left-right' symbolism that permeates our everyday lives.

CHRIS MCMANUS is Professor of Psychology and Medical Education at University College, London. He is the author of the leading textbook Psychology in Medicine and is the co-editor of The Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine. He is one of the world's foremost experts on handedness and lateralization.