Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 155.282
EAN num: 9780028632025
ISBN number: 0028632028
Label: Alpha
Manufacturer: Alpha
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 456
Printing Date: July 19, 1999
Publishing house: Alpha
Sale Popularity Level: 329960
Studio: Alpha
Other books you might be interested in perusing:
Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
You're no idiot, of course. You know that handwriting can reveal a great deal about a person--including one's strengths and weaknesses. But when it comes to figuring out what your handwriting says about your life and personality you feel like you're starting to get writer's cramp. Don't limit your writing to e-mail just yet! The Complete Idiot's Guide to Handwriting Analysis is an intriguing, easy-to-follow lesson on how to understand what's behind those boldly stroked capital letters or smiley-faced dotted I's. In this Complete Idiot's Guide, you learn how to:
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
-
The book was pretty eye opening and is a great reference work if you want to get started. The amount of information however is overwhelming and shows that this is a *field* of study for a reason!
As you get further and further though, you can start to guess what things mean (like letters leaning forward means hurried individual, etc.), as they seem to blend together in patterns. Who knows, maybe that is a memory device, but I failed to catch it.
If you're curious about the field, I'd recommend it to you. Just don't try to read it in one sitting. It's a better reference work than a late night read.
Rated by buyers 
-
I really enjoy this book. I think it part the sense of humour and part that she covers everything you might want to know. I have even taken her recommendations on other books to add to my collection. It is easy to get them here at low cost. :)
Rated by buyers 
-
As with most of the Idiot Guide books, this book sounded much better in theory than it was in practice. First of all, it only demonstrates the bare basics, and while it certainly examines those basics in depth, it is still a rather slim offering. The book is also terribly organized. It jumps around from individual letters to strokes then back to an individual letter and back and forth. It is neither user-friendly nor particularly enlightening. Furthermore there are not enough picture examples of the traits discussed. To make matters worse the few examples provided are BLURRY and appear to be PHOTOCOPIES taken from other PHOTOCOPIES. While it does a decent job introducing one to some of the basics of handwriting analysis, it falters when it comes to equipping the reader with the basic skills needed to do a proper analysis. My last concern were the little "tip boxes" and "anecdote boxes" on almost every page! They were so scattered and didn't always apply to the topic on that particular page. It saddens me to think of how many beginners have been turned away from this valuable hobby by the poor organization and planning in this book. Shop around on Amazon and you will find much higher quality books on handwriring analysis by trained experts in the field.
Rated by buyers 
-
the bottom line is that unless you REALLY know what your doing you can easily misinterpret things. not a good idea. its interesting, but dont take yourself to seriously afterwords.
Rated by buyers -
After reading just about all the most popular tracts on Graphology one has to say that this 456 page tome is the most complete in content and the most thorough in explanation and examples. Yet it is also an inviting page-turner filled with lively side boxes called Tales from the Quill, Fine Points, and Chicken Scratch! This a serious but light-hearted treatment of a complex but enjoyable subject.
Though Sheila Lowe is obviously an expert she doesn't tout herself as a know-it-all. Instead she uses frequent quotes from other experts in Handwriting Analysis and even recomends some of their books for additional study. She keeps her wit and sense of humour throughout, is not defensive, and is not trying to oversell the product as a miracle cure or a get-rich-quick scheme.
Ms. Lowe started as a 18 yr. old student and studied long and hard, including courses in Psychology and Abnormal Psychology. After becoming Certified, she specialized in Forensics and Consulting. She is ubiquetous on the Web...just Google her name and you will get over one hundred results!
The section on the History of Graphology is detailed and includes nearly all the major players in the field, from 1621 to the present. Sheila's coverage seems unbiased but there is a definate emphasis in the German or Gestalt Method (big picture and surroundings) rather than just the French Atomistic Method (identifying traits through specific letters and strokes) but the Graphoanalysis (business) movement is left out. This is not a big detriment because she is comprehensive in explaining all the important elements: size, presssure, rhythm, slant, strokes, space, zones, borders, style, speed, connections, etc., and their corresponding personality traits...both positive and negative.
There are informative sections on Self Analysis, Graphotherapy, Legal Aspects (privacy, testimony), How to Write a Personality Profile or Professional Analysis, Computer Programs, and Ethical Considerations. There are lots of examples of the handwriting and signatures of famous people (and infamous characters), an excellent Glossary, Index, Bibliography, and list of Schools and Organizations.
In summary, this is a hefty volume but would make an excellent choice for the beginner or a great textbook for a teacher or group leader. The author's accomplishment should go a long way toward making Handwriting Analysis as acceptable in America as it is in the rest of the world. By studying (not just reading) this book, and pracitcing your skills, you will learn a lot about the amazing science of Graphology...and also about your true inner self (not just the mask we present to the public).
Bill Reitter
Cape May, NJ
Find other books like this one:
