Left Handed History Of World

Through fascinating case studies of notables from ancient to modern times, Ed Wright explains the secret of lefty success.

A Left-Handed History of the World has now been updated to include a chapter on President Obama. About 10 per cent of the general population is left-handed. However 16 per cent of American presidents have been lefties and a disproportionately high number of left-handers feature in influential moments through history, from Julius Caesar to Bill Gates. Through fascinating case studies of notables from ancient to modern times, Ed Wright explains the secret of lefty success. Psychology meets history in this fascinating and popular look at being left-handed and its effects on our world.

McManus considers evidence from anthropology, particle physics, the history of medicine, and the notebooks of Leonardo to answer questions like: Why are most people right-handed? Why does European writing go from left to right, while Arabic and Hebrew go from right to left? And how do we know that Jack the Ripper was left-handed?

This book demystifies the place left-handness has held in society, shedding new light on this controversial discussion.

By exploring the defining characters traits of these and other famous lefties, we uncover what the world can learn by viewing life from another angle.

Does being left-handed make a person different in any way that matters? Since the late Stone Age, approximately 10 percent of humans have been left-handed, yet for most of human history left-handedness has been stigmatized. In On the Other Hand, Howard I. Kushner traces the impact of left-handedness on human cognition, behavior, culture, and health. A left-hander himself, Kushner has long been interested in the meanings associated with left-handedness, and ultimately with whether hand preference can even be defined in a significant way. As he explores the medical and cultural history of left-handedness, Kushner describes the associated taboos, rituals, and stigma from around the globe. The words “left” and “left hand” have negative connotations in all languages, and left-handers have even historically been viewed as disabled. In this comprehensive history of left-handedness, Kushner asks why left-handedness exists. He examines the relationship—if any—between handedness, linguistics, and learning disabilities, reveals how toleration of left-handedness serves as a barometer of wider cultural toleration and permissiveness, and wonders why the reported number of left-handers is significantly lower in Asia and Africa than in the West. Written in a lively style that mixes personal biography with scholarly research, On the Other Hand tells a comprehensive story about the science, traditions, and prejudices surrounding left-handedness.

Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama have both signed bills into law with their left hands. And being left-handed certainly did not hold back the artistic achievements of Michelangelo or Raphael. And the dexterous guitar playing of Jimmi Hendrix may only have been aided by his southpaw tendencies. Left-handedness, in fact, would appear to be no big deal. Yet throughout history, it has been associated with clumsiness and generally dubious personality traits like untrustworthiness and insincerity. Even the Latin word for left, sinister, has ominous connotations. In The Puzzle of Left-handedness, Rik Smits uncovers why history has been so unkind to our lefthanded forebears. He carefully puts together the pieces of the puzzle, presenting an array of historical anecdotes, strange superstitions, and weird wives’ tales. Smits explains how left-handedness continues to be associated with maladies of all kinds, including mental retardation, alcoholism, asthma, hay fever, cancer, diabetes, insomnia, depression, and criminality. Even in the enlightened twenty-first century, left-handedness still meets with opposition—including from one prominent psychologist who equates it with infantile negativism, similar to a toddler’s refusal to eat what’s on his plate, and another who claims that left-handed people have average lifespans that are nine years shorter than those who favor the right hand. As Smits reminds us, such speculation is backed by little factual evidence, and the arguments presented by proponents of right-handedness tend to be humorously absurd. The Puzzle of Left-handedness is an enlightening, engaging, and entertaining odyssey through the puzzles and paradoxes, theories and myths, of left-handed lore. Chock full of facts and fiction, it’s a book to be read with both hands.

In this provocative and groundbreaking book, Melissa Roth debunks the cultural and scientific stigmas that have long been associated with left-handedness. From the ageless assertions of its perils to more recent claims of brain dysfunction and early death, Roth places every component of this debate under the microscope, as she seeks to explain the complexities and wonders of lefties. From Bill Clinton to Oprah Winfrey, many of today's most interesting and successful people are left-handed. In fact, 12% of the world is left-handed, and yet, despite its modern-day prevalence, much confusion still remains about this misunderstood attribute. For thousands of years left-handedness has been met with prejudice and suspicion, resulting in an almost universal attempt to suppress it. This book demystifies the place left-handedness has held in society, shedding new light on this controversial discussion. Incorporating the latest scientific research, Roth reveals the role that handedness has played in human evolution, proving that this trait has survived due to its positive effects upon human development. Left-handers bring a different set of skills and a different way of thinking to the right-handed world, which explains why many of history's most creative minds have been left-handed. Featuring profiles of famous left-handers, such as General Norman Schwarzkopf, Ben Franklin, Bill Gates, Paul McCartney, and Babe Ruth, this book is a must-read for lefties, their family members, and anyone curious about the brain, genetics, evolution, and human nature. A combination of cultural history and research from the frontiers of science, 'The Left Stuff' illustrates how left-handedness conferred benefits that helped to save the human race.

Traveling from the halls of history to the halls of science, Wolman explores a Scottish castle designed for left-handed swordfights, visits a Paris museum to inspect nineteenth-century brains that hold clues to this biological puzzle, and observes chimps with a primatologist in Atlanta who may help unravel the evolutionary mystery of left-handedness. Along the way, Wolman meets fellow left-handers who share his sense of kinship and reveal the essence of Southpaw. There is sinister Diabolos Rex, follower of the Left Hand Path; and John Evans, an amputee whose left hand was reattached to his right arm. In Japan, Wolman tees off with the National Association of Left-Handed Golfers and seeks wisdom from a left-handed baseball legend. A seamless blend of science, travel, culture, and humor, this inquisitive exploration of all things Southpaw is sure to be the perfect book for lefties and for all the righties who love them.

Illustrates important fundamental aspects of cerebral lateralization, explaining how decreased language lateralization can facilitate psychotic symptoms in the human brain.