Includes bibliographical references and index.

Acknowledgements -- Introduction : scope of the book; types of human difference and their causes -- Plates -- Races and inter-mixing, nationalities, cultures, castes, classes and religions -- Height, weight, shape and obesity -- Differences between males and females; reproduction and its production of genetic diversity -- Personal choice, including cosmetic and preventative surgery, clothing and make-up -- A rich but frustrating diversity of languages -- Names and identity -- Albinos, colour-blindness and height: how human characteristics are inherited -- The brain, nerves, intelligence, mind, personality, mental problems, learning, memory, creativity, happiness -- Sex, attraction, reproduction, twins, incest -- Chapter 11.diseases, disorders, immunity, cancer -- Eating, drinking, diet, digestion, liver,cystic fibrosis, diabetes, allergies, food intolerances, anorexia -- Skin, skin colour and disorders -- The skeleton, muscles; osteoporosis, me, motor neurone disease, muscular dystrophy -- Head, face, eyes, ears, sight, hearing, smell, taste -- Chapter 16.the heart; heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure -- Chapter 17.blood, blood groups; anaemia, haemophilia, leukaemia and other blood disorders -- Arms, legs, giants, dwarfs, arthritis, left-handedness -- Kidneys, urine, bladder, cystitis, police alcohol tests -- Lungs, breathing, asthma -- Chapter 21.development from the fertilised egg; sexual and later development -- Chapter 22.longevity, ageing, birth and deathrates, immigration, population structure -- Chapter 23.abnormalities of sex chromosomes and autosomes, down syndrome, barr bodies -- Chapter 24.opinions on the national characteristics of the chinese, japanese and english.