Human Hand Function, by Lynette A. Jones and Susan J.
Lederman. 2006. New York: Oxford University Press. 270 pp., $65.00
(HB).
Our hands are more than just convenient appendages for supporting our
morning cup of coffee and bagel. They are highly evolved effectors capable
of performing a vast array of complex tasks and the rapid decoding of
multi-sensory information from the environment. Human Hand
Function synthesizes the empirical evidence on nearly all aspects of
hand function. The book is thoughtfully organized. Following the overview
in which the authors introduce a conceptual framework of understanding
hand function, there is the obligatory chapter on evolutionary development
of hand anatomy. This chapter is more than just a review of phylogeny, as
the authors link anatomical capacity with functional success and failures
throughout the evolutionary ladder. Chapter 2 ends with a brief overview
of biomechanical models that left this reviewer wanting more. It would
have been nice to see more tables that synthesize complex concepts into a
useful format. For example, following the discussion of biomechanical
models in Chapter 2, it would have been helpful to see a table that
translates various forces the hand is capable of generating into familiar
operational behaviors, such as those we engage in daily.