There is an old Buddhist adage: the teachings are like a finger pointing to the moon. To achieve enlightenment, you are not supposed to look at the finger. You are supposed to look to the celestial light.

I am asking you to look at the finger. The finger is also the moon.

A tilted head. A finger to the lips. A wave that could mean emphasis or dismissal. A raised palm of piety and fellowship.

Our gestures do not simply point to our thoughts, they are our thoughts made flesh. They can be instinctive, intuitive, or calculated—or all three. They exist in the briefest moment and through history, in a gently turned wrist and across whole nations.

Our gestures drag stories with them, whether they mean to or not. They are invitations to think about how our worlds are larger than they seem—how we are much larger than we seem.

Join award-winning philosopher Damon Young—author of The Art of Reading and Philosophy in the Garden—as he sheds light on thirteen curious gestures. Drawing equally from classical poetry and science-fiction, heavy metal and ballet, Young illuminates our varied humanity from prehistory to today.

You can download the full endnotes for Immortal Gestures here.

Praise for the book:

‘Young's selection is unapologetically idiosyncratic, given form by the philosopher's probing mind.’ - The Sydney Morning Herald

‘Fascinating…. Philosopher Damon Young goes deep.’ - The Canberra Times

‘Thoughtful, enlightening and amusingly digressive.’ - The Listener (NZ)

‘Young uses a depth of research, but with a light touch.’ - Lauren Gawne, author of Gesture: A Slim Guide

‘A compelling, revelatory dive … a text full of surprises and charm.' - Darran Anderson, author of Imaginary Cities

‘Endlessly fascinating and mind-expanding.’ - James Bradley, author of Deep Water

'Constantly fascinating and written with deep care and insight.' - Luke Stegemann, author of Madrid: A New Biography