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The Left-Hander Syndrome: The Causes and Consequences of Left-Handedness |  | Author: Stanley Coren
Publisher: Vintage
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
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as of 11/23/2009 07:06 MST details
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Seller: atlanta-book-company
Rating:  17 reviews
Sales Rank: 456177
Media: Paperback
Edition: First Trade
Pages: 336
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.7
ISBN: 0679744681
Dewey Decimal Number: 152.335
EAN: 9780679744689
ASIN: 0679744681
Publication Date: June 29, 1993
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
A rich account of the history, anthropology and neurobiology of handedness." -- Los Angeles TimesIf you are among the 10 percent of people who happen to be left-handed, you've had to endure such derisive terms as "gauche" and "a left-handed compliment." At school you may have been forced to write with your right hand. And in another century your proclivity might have gotten you accused of witchcraft. Any left-handed person, or the spouse, parent, or friend of one, will be captivated by this essential and eye-opening book. With bracing wit and a flawless command of current research, psychologist Stanley Coren answers such questions as: Is left-handedness acquired genetically or socially? Are southpaws more creative than their right-handed fellows? Why do left-handers seem to die younger than right-handers? What can left-handers do to counteract the perils and prejudices that confront them in a world that leans to the right?
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 17
 Right minded November 7, 2009
Linda (CT, United States)
The word "syndrome" in the title of this book should serve to red-flag contents. Because the author views left handedness as a "pathological" aberration from the norm, his approach is to analyze it accordingly, which he does with painstaking attention to the science and statistics of neuropsychology. Much of what he presents as fact is interesting, and may be correct. The connection with birth trauma is particularly valuable. Coren does not, however, devote much time to addressing the opposite phenomenom, that of the gifted left-hander. My concern with this unbalanced approach is that it creates the impression that most, if not all, lefties are somehow seriously hampered in their abilities to lead "normal" lives. In truth, southpaws are disproportionately represented among athletes, artists, and intellectuals. Regarding life span, a study conducted in 1993 by the National Institutes of Health and Harvard University found no significant difference among death rates for right or left hand dominance.
All human characteristics have their good and bad features, so why should left-handedness be any different? Just something to keep in mind....
 Intriguing Book February 10, 2008
Daniel G. Baumstark (Washington DC)
This is an insightful book that more than adequately covers the psycho-social, medical, and ergonomic aspects of left handedness. I have never found so much information on this subject under one title: the author has obviously spent his life's work in dealing with this subject. As a left hander, I actually found some of the epidemiological information to be quite startling. What is equally as startling is how I can relate to much of what this book presents. This is a must-read for all left-handers as well as for anybody who is interested in this subject matter.
 It's good to be right July 9, 2007
Michael Kainrath (Suffolk, VA)
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
There are two kinds of people in the world, right-handers and everyone else. Humans are programmed to be right-handed. If you're left-handed or multi-handed (like me), there's something wrong with you...most likely brain damage due to birth trauma. Go ahead ask your mother if you had any kind of problem during birth. Oh, mass murders are more likely to be left-handed, we're more accident prone and we die significantly earlier than right-handers. I suppose it really is good to be right.
 Left brain is right but left hand is wrong????? December 24, 2006
Mary E. George (st. petersburg, fl)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
This is very well researched and logically presented. From the point of view of this left hander, the findings were a bit depressing. Evidently the author has found that left handed people are left handed because of some complication in development or damage of some sort. I think that the idea that left handers are more accident prone could be highly discounted because we have to live in a right handed world. Many times researchers (logical types) live in a cave. They seem to isolate data and neglect to see the whole picure (global thinking).
It may be enlightening to ivestigate the school system (he did) from the point of view of how difficult it is for global types to learn in a logical only environment. I am completely left and have always been different from my siblings in my way of looking at everything. But I think of it as an advantage. This book is for right handed logical types who have siblings like me who probably need amunition to feel better about themselves. I was not pleased with all the negative information. There must be something good about left handers Mr. Cohen.
I think left handed people are special in their ability to think differently from the logical types. I have a sister who is extremely logical and misses much of what is going on. I'm almost psychic and I think it's because I'm more global in my thinking (right brained). It would be nice if thinking abilities and artistic abilities and the impact of those qualities on society could be investigated.
My mother is 82 and she was left handed until she was forced to be right handed in school. So much for dying young though. However, she was born premature. She is one of the most intelligent and successful, creative people that I know..
Positive thinking may be a right brained quality.....
I love my left hand! June 22, 2006
Natalia de la Torre
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I cant be humble with this topic. I love to be left hander and i always watch when someone is left handed. In "The Left Hander Syndorm" you will discover the REAL differences between left handers ans right handers. And the more you read the more you will discover the connections between the two hemispheres. This book sometimes can get a little bit technical but is worthy. For an example of the infornation: Measuring sidedness. "When tested to see which hand used to throw a ball, aim a dart, cut with scissors, and the like, performed every single action with his left hand. His only detectable right handed activity was writing". So... not beause we are left handers we use all the time the right hemisphere.
Approximately 90 percent of all humans are right handed. Tests of split brain patients have confirmed the fact that the right hemisphere is specialized for various visual spatial abilities. Another interesting point: "The right hemisphere may be more involved in the recognition of emotions". "Damage of the right hemisphere of the brain produces a different reaction, sometimes called la belle indiference".
Emotion and empathy are controlled, processed, and appreciated in the right brain. The right hemisphere is the soft, empathic, sympathetic, creative, and insightful mind of the artist, the musician, the intuitive problem solver, the compassionate educator, the sensitive philosopher, and the driving force behind all the people who bring color, joy and innovation to society.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 17
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