About the author
Rochelle Rives is the author of The New Physiognomy: Face, Form, and Modern Expression, published by Johns Hopkins University Press. The book traces the history of physiognomy, the practice of reading character and personality from facial features, and connects that older tradition to present-day concerns raised by facial recognition technology and artificial intelligence. Rives examines how ideas about reading the face for meaning have persisted and changed from earlier eras into contemporary technological contexts, raising ethical questions about how facial expressivity is interpreted and used. Written as an academic study rather than a practical or divinatory guide, the book addresses readers interested in the cultural and intellectual history of physiognomy and its unexpected continuities with modern data-driven analysis of faces, situating the subject within debates on identity, technology, and expression.
📖 Where to start with Rochelle Rives
💬 What our editors say about Rochelle Rives's books
“Rives presents a rigorous intellectual journey through the history of facial interpretation, merging academic depth with urgent contemporary relevance. However, this volume is strictly for those willing to engage with dense…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on The New Physiognomy: Face, Form, and Modern Expression Rives, Rochelle
“Rives delivers a rigorous intellectual journey that demands patience from the reader. While her argument regarding facial ambiguity is compelling, this book will likely alienate those seeking quick technological fixes or…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on The New Physiognomy: Face, Form, and Modern Expression Rives, Rochelle
