The Left-Hander's Handbook

by James Tertius de Kay

Famous left-handers, traits of left-handers, the importance of left-handers in history, accompanied by humorous drawings and caricatures. A great gift for any left-hander.

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor

408 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

James Tertius deKay is also the author of Monitor: The Story of the Legendary Civil War Ironclad and the Man Whose Invention Changed the Course of History and Chronicles of the Frigate Macedonian. He lives in Stonington, Connecticut.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very easy to read book. If you're lefthanded, you owe it to yourself to read this one. It goes fast- even though it's over 400 pages. It's a picture on one page and a paragraph on the opposite page. I read it in less than an hour... and I'm a slow reader.

Celebrate your uniqueness as only 10% of the world's population can. Power to the lefthanders of the world!!!

[Joshua R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Left Handed all the way!

[Willow · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a very quick read, with sparse text and many illustrations.

It used crass humor and its caricatures were insulting and sometimes inappropriate. There were a lot of unsubstantiated claims and percentages thrown out to "prove" that left-handed people are the best in any field...but those percentages were something like 30 or 40%. Um, the other 70 or 60% are right-handers, so I didn't feel like it proved anything except that the ratio of lefts to rights in those fields was greater than the average one-in-ten people being left-handed.

There were also many definitive statements made about personality of left-handers based on the functions of the right hemisphere of the brain. Most of the lefties I know, including myself, do not exhibit the personality traits this author claims we all have just because we're left-handed. Many right-handed people I know are very right-brained, and many lefties I know are more left-brained in their personalities. The author also claimed that our successes in any given field are due solely to the fact that we're left-handed. I get that there was a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor (as well as rude humor and opinions presented as facts), but this book stereotyped us lefties even more than the conventional stereotype we previously had (which, in my experience, has been insignificant).

[Cactusreadsbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a left hander, I am a great pursuer of anti-leftie discrimination. When I saw this book, I knew that I would love it (and that I would be able to annoy my friends and family with the facts and stories in here(:). This book is perfect for left-handers and also for righties who want to be enlightened to the struggles, persecutions, and silly things that we lefties have to go through. It was fun to read in between other books because it is basically just fun facts about southpaws (another name for lefties!). I loved the premise and I wish that I found this book sooner! :)

[Stephanie Gillis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very easy read as every page has one or two sentences with creative doodles on it. It presents the info in left handed people in a fun way that just makes me laugh along as I can confirm most of what is said about my people. It’s entertaining and was very fun to learn certain people like carol burnett, dick can dyke, Richard Pryor, and Judy garland are lefties and my connection to them makes a little more sense now.

[Robyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was some very interesting information and perspective in this book. I was disappointed though because I was hoping it would offer some assistance. The 3rd section of the book implies it will be about and possibly provide some assistance for parents if kids who are left handed. It does no such thing. I don't even see why they called it Left-handed kids .

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Multiple books rolled into one I enjoyed hearing all of the history and idiosyncrasies common to left handed people like myself. It was fun and entertaining but it is not structured like a novel but more like a 'gift book.'

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A small paragraph on every page with lots of pictures making this book a good quick read! Enjoyed learning about celebrities who are left handed and qualities that make up left handed people! Overall it repeated a lot of the same facts over and over which became a drag.

[Frankie Reeves · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of fun that makes you think about all the right-handedness that you take for granted (no wonder I'm so clumsy!) It also, crucially and frequently, reminds you of the endless advantages of being a left-hander ^_^

[Adrienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny, innovative and informative. Gives those of us who were forced to be right handed a lot to think about. I still do a majority of things left handed to start with and then switch to right when other people notice.

[Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it in one sitting! Lots of amusing information! I want to read it to my left handed son and husband! We right hander's have made it hard for our leftie friends. They can't play polo or saxophone!

[Liliana Tinsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can totally relate to this book because I am left-handed and it points out how different but common we are. It provided information about who else is left-handed like a famous scientist such as Albert Einstein. This is such a good book!!

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has four books in one and I enjoyed The Left-Handed Book and The Natural Superiority of The Left-Hander the most. Great for anyone who is left handed, and right minded :)

[Timmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books! So many interesting facts and famous southpaws I never knew about. An inspiration to all those who rock their brain's right hemisphere!

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter and husband are left handed, so when we saw this at the store, we had to buy it. Really funny book. Quick read with some crazy facts for lefties.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got it for a birthday gift it was excelent

[Cheka pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book in one day. I tell you what, I've gain so much respect for LeftHanders. My brother is one and growing up I thought he was special and he is special in a GREAT kind of way.

[Heidi Byerly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun and witty book with some really interesting facts about left handed people.

[G. Salter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quirky book about the many perils and struggles of being left-handed.

[Kaelin Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great handbook for left-handers. The facts are fascinating. I'm left-handed so this book says a lot about me. This is better for middle-schoolers though with mild language.

[Jasmine Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lefties are the coolest since sliced bread and I will always be drawn to literature about us...even if it’s just meh, like this book was.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such interesting facts about left handedness! Where it’s an advantage and where it’s not. Discussions about famous left-handed people and how that trait affected their lives.

[Scotti]

Feeling left-handed empowerment rn!!! 👸🏼

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

����‍♀️🤣 well thats one way to spend an hour haha

[Dogeared Wanderer · Rating 2 out of 5]

A humorous book about the benefits and superiority of being left-handed. Includes profiles of several famous people, the injustices of common household objects designed for right-handed people, and problems faced by left-handed people.

Though I know the book is meant to be funny, there was a lot of skewed information which was part of an attempt to push a "leftist" perspective in politics, thinking, and injustice, many of which had nothing to do with being right or left-handed. There's also strong bias against right-handed thinkers which puts them into a box of boring, logical thinkers, when in reality, not all right-handed thinkers are like this and not all left-handed people are exciting and creative. The research is biased and ignores context and crucial details of historical events and people (including several references to the left-handed Benjamites in the Bible and the not-so-subtle jab at the Bible that alludes to "left" as "away from God" which ignores proper hermeneutics).

Some of the information was interesting (i.e., natural world, some history, and the difficulties of everyday life with right-handed tools), but much of it was illogical and ignored the fact that by trying to make left-handed people "equal" to right-handed people, he actually made right-handed people less. This same tactic is used by other groups who misrepresent other sides in an effort to balance "injustice".

As a right-handed person with many left-handed brain tendencies, I thought the "us and them" categorization was ignorant and unnecessary. I already don't fit in a box as it is, yet that's okay because even though many people have similarities, everyone is still unique. Left-handed people will get a kick out of this book but not the unfair psychological evaluations or misrepresentations.

[John David Latour · Rating 1 out of 5]

Notes
-recommended by myself, un-recommended by James
-interesting left-handed facts…if they’re true

•not sure where the sources are, but I don’t think stuff would be made up

-strong left-handed bias

•makes sense, and the book warned against the strong bias, but still…

◊I feel like the book is so biased to left-handers that it skews the data

∞like saying ‘left-handers are better at art and look at these two famous artists out of the millions of artists’ – just weird

-can see why james didn’t finish it… (°o°)

Memorable Quotes
- “Left-handers are twice as likely to qualify for MENSA”

Thoughts and Impressions
-see notes above—not a good book and some cartoons are questionable at best

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a quick read. Loved the little sketches found throughout the book(s). Its 4 books in one. Vintage. I would enjoy the same book if it was loaded with famous ppl that I am more familiar with. I shared some passages with my hubby (a righty) & he enjoyed them also.

[Josh Kuhn-Kraemer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic toilet read for anyone of the advanced dexterity. Fun, informative, and historical.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely some dated theories on left-handedness, but amusing. Cute, quick read.