Notes

• "In this fascinating brew of science and storytelling, readers encounter not only accessible explanations of the mechanics of their anatomy, but also the layers of mythology, religious lore, history, Darwinian theory, and popular culture that have helped to shape our understanding of any given body part. For the human hand, we learn how the tiny nerve endings work, as well as the history of the handshake, the discovery of fingerprints, the connection between hand movement and language, and even how Proust regarded our all-important paws. And that’s just the hand! There’s the history of breast- feeding, the raison d’etre of tears, the art and science of lipreading, and, in Sims’s discussion of the nose, Nietzsche’s declaration tha this genius resided in his nostrils."–BOOK JACKET