The Face
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What's in a face? And how much power does it hold?
The Face begins in the historical West, where we learn how humans have interpreted faces and connected...
What's in a face? And how much power does it hold?
The Face begins in the historical West, where we learn how humans have interpreted faces and connected specific features with ideas of morality, social hierarchy, psychology, and so much more, setting the stage for the cultural biases that now inform our everyday interactions across the globe. We then watch how new technologies that reflect or alter our face’s appearance have transformed our idea of the Self over time—from the growth of portraiture in the Renaissance and the mass production of mirrors and photography in the nineteenth century, to twenty-first century innovations like digital avatars and face transplants. And throughout, we explore the face as the cultural artifact that it is: a surface that grows, is adorned, and then displayed, influencing who we are and might become as both individuals and members of society.
Readers will walk away with a new understanding of the history, power, and future of the face, alongside its role in modern identity, genetics, technology, and beyond.
Published By Grand Central Publishing
Format Paperback
Number Of Pages 416
Publication Date 06/09/2026
ISBN 9781538783115
Dimensions 6 inches x 9 inches
“[A] lavishly illustrated and intellectually provocative study… She analyzes with precision the effect on perception of the face of the advent of photography, followed by social media, and raises troubling questions about the risks of using surgery to modify the face… You won’t look in the mirror the same way again.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Thought-provoking… Her compelling narrative is deepened by her experiences with prosopagnosia, or face-blindness, which she shares via personal vignettes. The Face turns our acceptance of the face as a form of identity on its head and complicates a societal narrative so ubiquitous that we don’t realize its pervasiveness until Bound-Alberti gently and thoroughly points it out. Through this lens, readers will take a hard look at assumptions about morality, judgment, and what it means to be human… The Face is a must-read for lovers of Replaceable You (2025) and other explorations of humanity.”
—Booklist"Like the double-faced god Janus, Bound-Alberti’s piercing gaze is split between our rich past and our uncertain future, enabling her to offer some fascinating insights about the nature of human identity. She uses both the wide-angle lens and the magnifying glass to dazzling effect. A compelling and thought-provoking book that is sure to linger in the reader's mind."—Lindsey Fitzharris, New York Times Bestselling author of The Facemaker
"The Face has blown me away. It's utterly fascinating, beautifully written, scholarly yet entertaining and I completely love it. I couldn't admire Fay Bound-Alberti more."—Dame Joanna Lumley, award-winning actress, activist, and author of A Queen for All Seasons
“Lively and compelling… fascinating, far-ranging chapters… The Face is a thought-provoking, often moving read perfect for anyone who wishes to look inward as they put their best face forward.”
—Bookpage“A stimulating reconsideration of the long-standing role of the face as a perceived window into a person’s inner substance... [The Face] makes for a fun and thought-provoking rumination on what it means to take each other at face value.”—Publisher's Weekly
“An elegant and engaging history... at its most compelling when it becomes polemical, showing how the sexism, classism and racism that informs how we have long perceived faces is reinforced today.”—Financial Times
“Equal parts gripping and scholarly... a timely book that gets to the heart of contemporary society.”—Sunday Times
“Intriguing… page after page, Bound-Alberti reveals the extent of our present-day fixation on faces and compulsion to mess with them. … in The Face, a deeper intuition about human interaction shows.”—The Telegraph
“The Face is a meticulously researched and unsettling book, and Bound-Alberti’s overarching message is poignant.”—The New Statesman
"Poignant ... with this weighty, political, and beautifully written book, [Bound-Alberti] illuminates the changing conceptions of the face.—The Lancet