The Book of Divination
InThe Book of Divinationthe histories and descriptions of 15 systems of divination are overviewed from a pop cultural perspective by researcher Ann Fiery. In terms dismissive of her subject area (the first illustration is a reproduction of a painting of fortunetellers picking the pocket of a rich man), Fiery touches upon astrology, metoposcopy (the science of forehead lines), oracles, numerology, oneiromancy (dream reading), phrenology (the study of head shapes), alchemy, tasseomancy (tea leaf reading), runes, haruspicy (reading the entrails of animals), talismans, chiromancy (palmistry), geomancy, rhabdomancy (dowsing), and tarot in her wide sweep. The shining gold cover, fine bindery, handsome illustrations, and interior graphic design also make this an attractive work of bookmaking art.--P. Randall Cohan