The Curious Human Knee

In this enlightening blend of science and cultural history, Yu (Mind Thief), an English professor at Kansas State University, considers the evolution and physiology of the human knee, as well as its role in fashion and customs. Expounding on how human knees differ from those of other great apes, she explains that human thigh bones meet shinbones at an angle that allows for greater balance while standing on two feet, an adaptation that enabled bipedalism but also put the joints at increased risk of injury from the greater weight placed on them. Yu studies clothing trends centered on knees, covering how 1920s flapper dresses with above-the-knee hemlines led to a moral panic and how 1970s punks used jeans ripped at the knee to indicate “their contempt for consumerism, wealth, and social status.” Other chapters meditate on the history of kneeling in front of royalty, why women athletes suffer more knee injuries than men, and the author’s recovery after tearing her meniscus, highlighting the overlooked role the knee plays in human evolutionary history and culture. Yu excels at identifying colorful material on an ostensibly mundane subject, and lay readers will appreciate the accessible prose. This makes for an animated and wide-ranging exploration of an unassuming body part. (June)