# Twinkind: The Singular Significance of Twins - Hardcover

by **William Viney** (Author)

**An arresting illustrated history of twins in mythology, science, and visual culture**

Twins have captivated the imagination for centuries, occupying a unique place in our cultural and scientific history. _Twinkind_ looks at twins in myth and legend; anatomy, sociology, and genetics; and as sources of spectacle, entertainment, and community.

Drawing on hundreds of striking and sometimes haunting illustrations, William Viney examines depictions of twins as protagonists in creation stories ranging from Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca in Aztec mythology to Artemis and Apollo in Greek legend. He describes how twins have featured prominently in scientific research across the centuries, but especially in the work of Francis Galton, whose study of twins on the behavioral question of heredity versus environment gave rise to the pseudoscience of eugenics in the late nineteenth century. Viney explores the representation of twins in art, photography, and film--from the works of Roger Ballen to the cinema of Stanley Kubrick--and delves into the darker meanings ascribed to twins across the millennia.

A visual journey like no other, this book sheds critical light on the competing visions of twins around the world and throughout history, showing how the lived experience of twinkind has elicited profound attraction and respect, but also puzzlement, fear, and fascination.

### Author Biography

**William Viney** is a research associate at Imperial College London. He is the author of _Twins: Superstitions and Marvels, Fantasies and Experiments_ and _Waste: A Philosophy of Things_. Himself a twin, he directed the documentary short film _Twins on Twins_.

**Number of Pages:** 224

**Dimensions:** 1 x 9.5 x 6.7 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** January 09, 2024

## Details

- **Price:** 35.0 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 35.00 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Twinkind: The Singular Significance of Twins - Hardcover

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