‘Utterly fascinating, beautifully written, scholarly yet entertaining’ Joanna Lumley

An innovative study of how we interpret faces and what they reveal about us, by a renowned cultural historian.

What does a face contain? The face is the only part of the body where all the senses come together, and throughout human history, it has come to represent who we are as individuals. We unlock our phones with facial recognition, and our faces are printed on our passports. Although our faces can change over the course of our lives—through aging, accidents, illnesses, or lifestyle—they remain a fundamental mark of identity.

In The Face, cultural historian Fay Bound-Alberti explores the ways in which people have interpreted faces and how these perceptions have shaped our ideas about morality, social hierarchy, psychology, and more, revealing some of the biases that influence our daily lives.

This book traces how new technologies and cultural innovations have transformed our understanding of self-awareness over time—from the development of portraiture during the Renaissance and the mass production of mirrors and photography in the 19th century, to 21st-century advancements such as digital profiles and face transplants.

Bringing together a wealth of exciting research, interviews, and insightful personal stories, Bound-Alberti delves deeply to ask what our faces truly say about us.

Pages: 288, Dimensions: 28.4x28.4cm