Finger Prints

Galton, Francis, 1822-1911Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.2

Word count: 378K words
Chapters: 38

Summary

Finger Prints by Francis Galton. Author: Galton, Francis, 1822-1911. Language: English. Class: GN: Geography, Anthropology, Recreation: Anthropology. Release Date: Aug 5, 2011.

Editor's review

Finger Prints is an early work by Francis Galton on the study of fingerprints, falling under anthropology and anthropometry; it is now freely available as a public-domain ebook from Project Gutenberg. Its value lies mainly at the documentary and disciplinary-history level: it presents the research path by which fingerprints were systematically observed, classified, and tentatively used for individual identification, making it a primary source for understanding the early form of this technology. Readers encounter both concrete observational and classificatory methods and the reasoning and period limitations of researchers at the time. It is not a popular science book; its prose and argumentation bear clear marks of nineteenth-century academic writing, and its tables and terminology require patience. It is suitable for readers interested in the history of fingerprint identification, the history of anthropology, or the history of science, and can serve as supplementary material for related courses; those who merely want to learn about modern fingerprint technology should choose more recent popular works.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the early history of fingerprint identification technology
Students and teachers of anthropology, anthropometry, and the history of science
Those who need public-domain primary sources for course materials or citations
Readers accustomed to academic English works who can patiently handle terminology

Not a good fit for

General readers who only want to learn about modern fingerprint technology and applications
Beginners who find English reading difficult and need accessible explanations
Readers expecting light popular science or narrative storytelling

Reading tips

Read the table of contents and introduction first to clarify the book's scope and core concepts before entering the main text.
Take notes on classification methods and terminology while reading for easier cross-reference with later chapters.
Read alongside modern popular works on fingerprint identification to understand the discipline's evolution.
Read chapters selectively by topic; there is no need to read from cover to cover.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers with no background?

Not very. This is a nineteenth-century academic work whose terminology and argumentation are not beginner-friendly. If you are interested in the history of fingerprint research but lack background, read one or two modern popular science or introductions to the history of science first, then return to the original.

Does the content still have reference value today?

Its value lies mainly at the level of disciplinary history and documentation, helping readers understand how fingerprint research was systematized. Specific technical details and conclusions have been updated with scientific progress; read it as historical material, not as a current technical guide.

Does the public-domain edition include annotations and an introduction?

The Project Gutenberg edition mainly presents the original text and usually does not include modern editorial annotations or an introduction. Readers must supply background knowledge themselves; for terminology, consult specialized dictionaries or related works on the history of science.

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About the author

Galton, Francis, 1822-1911 Author

Francis Galton (1822-1911) was a British scholar whose interests spanned statistics, anthropology and the practice of travel. Three of his works are held here, and they differ markedly in subject. Finger Prints systematically discusses the forms and classification of fingerprints and is an early work on their use for identification. The Art of Travel Or, Shifts and Contrivances Available in Wild Countries addresses travelers in the field, gathering practical techniques and ingenious solutions for the difficulties of remote regions in plain, concrete prose. Inquiries into Human Faculty and Its Development explores human faculties and their development, involving observation and measurement of human physical and mental traits. Together the three works show his concern both with usable practical knowledge and with studying human differences through observation and quantification. Public information is limited, so biographical details and honors are not supplied here; readers may approach his writing and influence through the works named above.