Hands cover art

Hands

What We Do with Them – and Why

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About this listen

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable, audiobook edition of Hands, written and read by Darian Leader.

A fresh, thought-provoking and wide-ranging study of how mankind uses its hands

Why do zombies walk with their arms outstretched? How can newborn babies grip an adult finger tightly enough to dangle unsupported from it? And why is everyone constantly texting, tapping and scrolling?

For anyone curious about how human beings work, the answers are hidden in plain sight: in our hands. From early tools to machinery -- from fists to knives to guns -- from papyrus to QWERTY to a swipeable screen -- the history of civilization is a history of what humans do with their hands. We have always kept our hands occupied, and if mankind's story is marked out by profound changes in how we use our hands, it is also marked by underlying patterns that never change. And as much as the things we do with our hands reflect our psychological state, they can also change that state profoundly...

Drawing examples from popular culture, art history, psychoanalysis, modern technology and clinical research, Darian Leader presents a unique and fascinating odyssey through the history of what human beings do with their hands - and why.

 Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Social Psychology & Interactions Thought-Provoking
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Really enjoyed this book, Darian has created a remarkable collection of haptic technology material which he narrates in an calm manner

Excellent

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stimulating. fascinating. thought provoking. brought forth human behavioral patterns. simply written. Well narrated.

I'm so happy I came across this material.

intriguing

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It was more dense than I expected. And filled with Freudian theories which felt somewhat archaic. That said, it gave me much to think about - particularly the filmic need to keep repeating hands letting another human slip in action films.

I think there's a lot to be said for reading thinkers you dont necessarily agree with and there is no doubt Darian Leader has an excellent, curious mind. Worth reading some of his other work

I found this really hard going

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