The Human Face - Hardcover

DK Publishing; Bates, Brian; Cleese, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0789478366 ISBN 13: 9780789478368

Publisher: Dk Pub, 2001

Synopsis

The Human Face tells the fascinating story of our most familiar features. We embark on an intriguing and unique journey of self-discovery, exploring the evolutionary, social, and psychological aspects of the face. Why do we have a face? There are six billion human faces and yet we instantly recognize faces that we know. The face is the key to identity, both for ourselves and others. How is it that this small part of us can be such an immediate and effective way to define who we are? Humans have only seven universally recognized facial expressions: anger, fear, happiness, sadness, disgust, surprise, and contempt, and yet it is estimated that we can make about 7,000 discreet expressions. How do we read expressions? And how can we hide our true feelings when they are written on our faces without our even knowing? Is beauty really in the eye of the beholder? All over the world people seem to agree on which faces are beautiful. What is the relationship between facial beauty and sexual attractiveness? And is our concern with personal appearance just about looking good? Is vanity the result of a harmless need to fit in -- or are there other subconscious motives at work? Why are we so obsessed with the famous faces of actors and entertainers? Is it only a matter of media hype, or are there deeper reasons for our fascination? The Human Face reveals that knowing how the face has developed, what it can do, and what it means, is a way of understanding who we are. Beautifully illustrated with striking photography, this book will give you a new insight into human nature and the naked truth behind your facial features.

About this title

About the Author:

Brian Bates has degrees in psychology and biology from the universities of California and Oregon. Following researches into medical psychology at Cambridge University, England, he set up a program at Sussex University to explore modern applications of ancient tribal medical theory and practice. In addition to publishing scientific papers and teaching courses on consciousness, he served there as Chairman of Psychology. He has taught imagination techniques for actors, including face and mask work, and directed plays at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London; he also wrote a best-selling novel-The Way of Wyrd -- and several other books on psychology. Brian Bates now conducts seminars internationally for people in business and the arts. John Cleese was born in Weston Super Mare. However, he recovered sufficiently to be admitted to Cambridge University to study science. After sampling the conversation in the Chemistry laboratories, he switched to Law, but the success of the 1963 Footlights Review saved him from a career in court. After appearing in a Broadway musical, in which he was forbidden to sing, he became a writer-performer in The Frost Report, Monty Python's Flying Circus, the Monty Python films, Fawlty Towers, and A Fish Called Wanda. In 1972 Sir Tony Jay invited him to co-found Video Arts. This company became the leading provider of business training programs on video, which annoyed most of the Pythons. He helped Dr. Robin Skynner to write two bestsellers, Families and How to Survive Them and Life and How to Survive It and was briefly Britain's best-known psychiatric patient. He also started the Secret Policeman's Ball concerts for Amnesty, and has continued to do charity work, much of it, like The Human Face, for the BBC. John Cleese makes a point of marrying Americans, and is at least sixty years old.

From Publishers Weekly:

"The face you see in the mirror had its beginnings in the primeval slime at the bottom of the sea," begins this large-format, picture-laden study The Human Face, by psychologist, biologist and sometime acting coach and director Brian Bates, with actor John Cleese. As early as "nine minutes after being born... we prefer to gaze at faces," they report. Noting that the face is "an identity tag," they explore "how we became so dependent on our visual senses, and how that helped to shape the evolution of our features." Moving from issues of beauty to "a realm of hype and superhype: the phenomenon of fame," they question why certain faces are able to convince us, mesmerize us and sell us products. Based on a BBC series, this engaging, thoughtful and sometimes funny treatment will bring smiles to many faces.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dk Pub
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0789478366
• ISBN 13: 9780789478368
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240