Book of the Hand

DescriptionThe hand has been described as the mirror to the human soul. From the very beginning of history man has attempted to grasp through its form and surface the meaning of his own individual character and destiny.Palmistry has two faces one which is intuitive in character and another which is rooted in scientific approach. The first type of palmistry uses the hand as a spring-board for intuitive judge-ments, and predictions of future events and character analyses are made, usually without real understanding, purely by virtue of an intuitive “feeling’ for the hand. The second type of palmistry is concerned with making judgements concerning chacacter and future by the way of a systematic analysis of the signs and portents in the hand. The one method is concerned with emotional understanding, the second with intellectual understanding.The method advocated by Mr. Gettings consists of an amalgam of both these approaches for, whilst admitting the importance of a systematic approach to the study of the hand, and insists that true palmistry, like medicine, must be essentially a matter for intuitive judgements. Palmistry is more of an art than a science.This authoritative, well designed book presents a new system of palmistry in a visually exciting and intellectually stimulating way. The text is divided into three sections, each of which contributes something new to the study of palmistry.The first section makes a completely original contribution to the study, for the author has classified the different hand forms into eight types which bear a distinct relationship to the theory behind astrology. The section on chiromancy, the study of the lines of the hand, deals more realistically than usual with the true significance of the lines, whilst the third section consists of the first written history of western palmistry, based on original texts in the British Museum, the Bibliothèque Nationale and the Bodleian.The book is profusely illustrated with prints from old books and documents dealing with palmistry and with photographs and palm prints selected from Mr. Gettings’ collection.Hardcover with dust jacket ~ Vintage ~ 1972