The Little Giant Encyclopedia Of Fortune Telling
The Diagram Group
Sterling
Nonfiction, Reference/Magic
****
DESCRIPTION: Humans have always sought to find a way to predict the seemingly unpredictable future. Through the ages, everything from clouds to grains of sand and palms to entrails were studied as seriously as modern science studies satellite photos or DNA, trying to figure out what the future holds for man and planet. This book covers many methods of divination, from the popular to obscure.
REVIEW: A fun little reference book, I found it in the discount section for a great price. It keeps its information short and sweet, with plenty of drawings and diagrams to help explain things. Being a simple reference book, it doesn't delve into methodology origins or different interpretations, which might have been interesting but isn't strictly relevant in this context. (I like to page through little references like this to help spark ideas...)
You might also enjoy:
The Learned Art of Witches & Wizards (Anton and Mina Adams, Nonfiction - An overview of magic history and practice)
The Illustrated Book of Signs and Symbols (Miranda Bruce-Mitford, YA Nonfiction - An overview of symbols and what they mean)
The Concise Lexicon of the Occult (Gerina Dunwich, Nonfiction - A glossary of magic terms)
Merlin's Book of Magic and Enchantment (Nevill Drury, Fiction - A book of magic by the legendary Merlin)
The Giant Book of Magic (Cassandra Eason, Nonfiction - World magical practices and their use today)
Eyewitness Books: Witches and Magic Makers (Douglas Hill, YA Nonfiction - An overview of magicians from around the world)
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Divination (Stephen Karcher, Nonfiction - Methods of fortune-telling from around the world)
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The Little Giant Encyclopedia Of Spells & Magic
The Diagram Group
Sterling
Nonfiction, Reference/Magic
****
DESCRIPTION: Astrology, numerology, witches, alchemists, demons, angels, charms, and potions... This little book covers the basics of magic and spells, from stereotypes and ancient practices to modern Wicca and other practitioners.
REVIEW: This is a handy little reference book with, as implied by the group that created it, a number of visual aids and diagrams. The information isn't particularly in-depth or even necessarily accurate, but it covers a very broad range of subjects. I also found it for five bucks on the clearance shelf, and considered it quite a bargain.
You might also enjoy:
The Learned Art of Witches & Wizards (Anton and Mina Adams, Nonfiction - An overview of magic history and practice)
Animal-Speak (Ted Andrews, Nonfiction - An extensive look at animals as totems, messengers, and spirit guides)
The Illustrated Book of Signs and Symbols (Miranda Bruce-Mitford, YA Nonfiction - An overview of symbols and what they mean)
The Concise Lexicon of the Occult (Gerina Dunwich, Nonfiction - A glossary of magic terms)
Merlin's Book of Magic and Enchantment (Nevill Drury, Fiction - A book of magic by the legendary Merlin)
The Giant Book of Magic (Cassandra Eason, Nonfiction - World magical practices and their use today)
The Complete Book of Amulets & Talismans (Migene González-Wippler, Nonfiction - Creating powerful charms)
Eyewitness Books: Witches and Magic Makers (Douglas Hill, YA Nonfiction - An overview of magicians from around the world)
The Complete Book of Magical Names (Phoenix McFarland, Nonfiction - The power behind names)
Living Wisdom: Animal Spirits (Nicholas J. Saunders, Nonfiction - Animals and what they mean to various cultures)
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The Little Giant Encyclopedia Of Superstitions
The Diagram Group
Sterling
Nonfiction, Reference/Folklore
****
DESCRIPTION: Humans have amassed a great deal of superstition through the ages, for everything from folk cures and curses to washing. Even today new superstitions are formed about air travel, automobiles, and other conveniences unknown to the “uneducated” folk who originated our oldest superstitions. This book covers all manner of good and bad omens, charms, signs, and beliefs.
REVIEW: This is a handy, fun little reference book. My only complaint is that no attempt was made to explain the origins of some of the more bizarre and seemingly groundless superstitions. Usually, if you dig far enough, there’s a practical (if twisted beyond use) or religious basis for most superstitions. That aside, I enjoyed it, and it, too, was bargain-priced when I found it.
You might also enjoy:
The Illustrated Book of Signs and Symbols (Miranda Bruce-Mitford, YA Nonfiction - An overview of symbols and what they mean)
The Concise Lexicon of the Occult (Gerina Dunwich, Nonfiction - A glossary of magic terms)
The Complete Book of Amulets & Talismans (Migene González-Wippler, Nonfiction - Creating powerful charms)
Eyewitness Books: Witches and Magic Makers (Douglas Hill, YA Nonfiction - An overview of magicians from around the world)
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Divination (Stephen Karcher, Nonfiction - Methods of fortune-telling from around the world)
Living Wisdom: Animal Spirits (Nicholas J. Saunders, Nonfiction - Animals and what they mean to various cultures)
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