One Kiss or Two?
Every encounter begins with a greeting. Be it a quick ‘Hello!’ or the somewhat longer and gracious ‘Sula manchwanta galunga omugobe!’ shaking hands or shaking, well, rather more private parts of our anatomy, we have been doing it many times daily for thousands of years. It should be the most straightforward thing in the world, but this apparently simple act is fraught with complications, leading to awkward misunderstandings and occasionally even outright violence.
In the illuminating and entertaining One Kiss or Two? Andy Scott goes down the rabbit hole to take a closer look at what greetings are all about. In looking at how they have developed, he discovers a kaleidoscopic world of etiquette, body-language, evolution, neuroscience, anthropology and history. Through in-depth research and his personal experiences, and with the help of experts, Scott takes us on a captivating journey through a subject far richer than we might have expected.
Book details
- Format
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780715653197
- Published
- 21 March 2019
- Pages
- 320
- Duration
- Dimensions
- 129 x 198 mm
- Genre
- Popular Science
- Imprint
- Duckworth
Reviews
'To kiss or not to kiss? This delightful book explores greeting etiquette across different cultures and provides a great deal of entertainment. I thoroughly recommend it'
‘With meticulous research, acute insight, infectious curiosity and gentle humour... this book introduces us to ourselves’
‘After reading this book, I feel liberated’
'Kissing hello is a social minefield... fortunately, Andy Scott may have some answers'
'Scott s winning study combines scholarly rigour with a voice that is funny, warm and humane. I can t imagine a better guide to the intricate art of saying hello'
'From Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi s deathclamp handshake to the penis-offering Walbiri in the Australian outback, learn the perfect greeting globally'
'Diplomat Andy Scott speculates on the origins of the cheek-kissing tradition... and how to avoid a social faux pas no matter where you are'
'Fascinating... by the end of Scott s book, you see that if we stopped greeting, the world would come to an end'
'From the ubiquitous handshake to the, thankfully, less popular genital grab, Andy Scott's vade mecum of the social science and background to the world's many greetings is infallible reading for any member of civilised society'
'Andy Scott has written an utterly charming and fascinating book. I will never be able to look at a handshake or a hug the same way again.'
'Who would have guessed that so much lies behind a greeting? As Scott demonstrates so ably, it's not just etiquette, but also history, evolution and brain function... popular science writing at its best'
