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The Handshake
Book

The Handshake

A Gripping History

Profile Books, 2021
First Edition: 2021 more...


Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Eye Opening
  • Engaging

Recommendation

Postmodernist writer John Barth said, “More history is made by secret handshakes than by battles, bills and proclamations.” So how did the seemingly innocuous act of clasping hands with another become so powerful? Paleoanthropologist and stand-up comic Ella Al-Shamahi, a Muslim woman, avoided shaking hands, especially with men, until age 26. Now she embraces the gesture. Her intriguing, offbeat book examines the evolution of the handclasp and discusses some of history’s most momentous handshakes. Despite a global pandemic, Al-Shamahi believes no other act will ever replace the handshake.

Take-Aways

  • The handshake transfers bacteria, viruses and other germs exceptionally efficiently.
  • Nevertheless, the handshake, an ancient gesture, has endured the deadliest plagues in human history.
  • Many variations of the handshake exist around the world, but the gesture evolved universally as a symbol of goodwill.

About the Author

Paleoanthropologist and stand-up comic Ella Al-Shamahi explores the natural world looking for clues to the past. She specializes in Neanderthals, who were enthusiastic handshakers.


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