The Curious Human Knee
The Curious Human Knee by Han Yu, published by Columbia University Press in 2023, offers an insightful exploration of the human knee, a joint often overlooked yet vital to various aspects of science, medicine, and culture. This 296-page book delves into the knee’s anatomy, evolutionary significance, and its role in human history, presenting a comprehensive view that connects our physical structure to broader societal themes.
Readers will find a rich discussion that spans from the evolutionary development of bipedalism to contemporary issues such as knee pain and its varying impacts across different demographics. Han Yu examines cultural practices related to the knee, including fashion trends and social rituals, while also addressing the symbolic significance of kneeling in various contexts. Through a blend of research and personal narrative, this edition invites readers to appreciate the complexity and importance of the knee in both individual and collective human experiences.
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Winner, 2023 Choice Outstanding Academic Title
Bronze Winner, 2024 Nonfiction Book Awards
Where would we be without the knee? This down-to-earth joint connecting the thigh and the lower leg doesn’t receive the attention it deserves. Yet, as The Curious Human Knee reveals, it is crucial to countless facets of science, medicine, culture, and history–and even what makes us human.
The science writer Han Yu provides an informative, surprising, and entertaining exploration of the human knee across time and place. She begins with our earliest ancestors, emphasizing that walking upright separates us from the apes and bipedal knees appeared long before big brains and sophisticated tools. Yu considers the intricate anatomy of the knee, its evolutionary history, and the complexity of treating knee pain, including her own. She examines why women’s knees might be more prone to damage than men’s and addresses the roles of race and class in ailments such as osteoarthritis. This book gets knee-deep into an astonishing range of topics–fashion from flappers to miniskirts and ripped jeans, cultural practices spanning Japanese knee walking and Thai boxing, and more. Yu reflects on the symbolic power of kneeling from the imperial court in China to the football field in the United States and shows why the knee figures into so many social and political phenomena.
Distilling a vast amount of research in a style that is engaging, conversational, and even personal and witty, this book opens readers’ eyes to the complexity and significance of the humble knee.
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