{"id":15756,"date":"2018-02-01T01:10:20","date_gmt":"2018-02-01T06:10:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/content\/?p=16873"},"modified":"2018-01-22T20:18:04","modified_gmt":"2018-01-23T01:18:04","slug":"seeing-the-signs-37","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2018\/02\/01\/seeing-the-signs-37\/","title":{"rendered":"Seeing the Signs"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Review of Sasha Fenton\u2019s Fortune Teller\u2019s Handbook<\/b><\/u><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I have been a fan of Sasha Fenton for thirty years. I remember when <\/span><\/span>The Fortune-Teller\u2019s Workbook: A Practical Introduction to the World of divination<\/u><\/span><\/span> first appeared at my favorite library and I borrowed it again and again. I was so happy when I found it in on Amazon.com \u2013 I snapped it up immediately. It\u2019s the kind of basic text that any student of the divining arts ought to have, and it is perfect for beginners. Not only is it written in a clear and concise manner, it has some fun divination techniques \u2013 and who says that divination can\u2019t be fun? \u2013 such as The Oracle of Napoleon (see https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2015\/11\/seeing-the-signs-18\/<\/a>) and Flower Reading. According to Amazon.com, Sasha Fenton has written 125 books on divination, spiritualism and the occult. I know, as someone who hangs around libraries and book stores, her books are always <\/span><\/span>o<\/span><\/span>n display. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

(<\/i><\/span><\/span>Sasha Fenton. <\/i><\/span><\/span>Photo f<\/i><\/span><\/span>rom www.redwheelweiser.com<\/a><\/i><\/span><\/span>)<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Apparently, The Fortune-Teller\u2019s Workbook <\/u>is out of print and hardcover copies are going for $59.99 and up on Ebay. They are increasingly hard to find, so if you happen to come across one, I suggest picking it up, if only because it\u2019s going to be a rare and therefore increasingly hard to find \u2013 and perhaps a good investment, as well. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

(My dog-earred copy)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A few months ago, I reviewed Sasha Fenton\u2019s new edition of <\/span><\/span>Fortune Telling by Tarot Cards: A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Understanding the Tarot<\/u><\/span><\/span> (see https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2017\/12\/seeing-the-signs-36\/<\/a>). An obvious companion to this wonderful guide to reading and using the Tarot to its fullest potential, is <\/span><\/span>Fortune Teller\u2019s Handbook: 20 Fun and Easy Techniques for Predicting the Future<\/u><\/span><\/span>. Published by the publisher as <\/span><\/span>Fortune Telling by Tarot Cards<\/u><\/span><\/span>, Hampton Woods Publishing Company, Incorporated, out of Charlottesville, Virginia, and distributed by Red Wheel\/Weiser. <\/span><\/span>T<\/span><\/span>he two books came out the same year which tells me that they were meant to be companion pieces. Both books have glossy finishes on the covers and they are the same convenient size. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

For Amazon Information Click Images<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\" <\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I started reading the Introduction. Immediately, I thought: this sounds familiar. I opened up to the Introduction in The Fortune-Teller\u2019s Workbook<\/u>, and there were almost the exact words. <\/i>I examined the chapters on Numerology, Runes, Flower Reading and the twelve other chapters that are in both The Fortune-Teller\u2019s Workbook <\/u>and Fortune Teller\u2019s Handbook<\/u>, and in every instance, the prose was almost the same. A word or two here or there was changed and the overall syntax was tightened up. A good editor could do that. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

You can\u2019t say they\u2019re the same book, since they both have chapters that the other one doesn\u2019t have. But fifteen out of the twenty chapters in Fortune Teller\u2019s Handbook<\/u> were originally in The Fortune-Teller\u2019s Workbook<\/u>, which is more than half <\/i>of the book. I am not making any kind of accusations here \u2013 they are both wonderful books \u2013 but really! Over half the book! <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I have to say that I was very disappointed in Sasha Fenton. I guess if an author wants to plagiarize their own work, that\u2019s their prerogative, but it seems unethical to me. At least reference your earlier work! I searched all over Fortune Teller\u2019s Handbook <\/u>to find any <\/i>reference to her earlier book. There was none whatsoever. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

That said \u2013 and I\u2019m sorry but I had to say it \u2013 I still find Fortune Teller\u2019s Handbook: 20 Fun and Easy Techniques for Predicting the Future <\/u>a worthy book. Don\u2019t let the silly cover put you off. There\u2019s a lot of good information in here \u2013 especially for the beginner. Information that is in this book that isn\u2019t <\/i>in The Fortune-Teller\u2019s Workbook<\/u> includes Phrenology (reading the bumps on a person\u2019s head), Face Reading, Graphology, Moles, and Itches. I thought the chapter on face reading very interesting. I had no idea there were different ways of reading a face \u2013 The Chinese Way or the English way. It makes me wonder \u2013 are there any other techniques for reading faces? Perhaps a Gypsy or Romany way? This would be a subject to research. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

And I had to laugh at the chapter on Graphology. Is anyone taught how to write in longhand anymore? I know I had to teach my son how to sign his name because he only knew how to print. In an increasingly electronic world, perhaps some high-tech version of Graphology is needed? It\u2019s an interesting idea \u2013 I\u2019m not even sure how it would work! But I am no techie! <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

One thing a book like this is really great for is Bibliomancy. Yes, I know that Bibliomancy is opening a book at random and reading whatever is there \u2013 I wrote about it three years ago here https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2015\/04\/seeing-the-signs-12\/<\/a> \u2013 but sometimes when you are stuck with a problem, you don\u2019t even know which form of divination to use \u2013 where to start looking for answers. A book like this opens the doors to finding the solutions. Even if all you do is open to a random page \u2013 let\u2019s say, page 77, which is a reference page for the suit of Hearts for playing cards \u2013 I\u2019d say, the book is telling you to pick up your playing cards \u2013 the ones you use only for divination \u2013 and do a quick 3-card spread. The first card represents your body, the second card your mind, and the third card your spirit. What are the cards saying in these positions? What are they saying to each other? <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

My body card was the 5 of Spades \u2013 happy home but bad-tempered people surround me. My mind card was the Queen of Spades \u2013 my witchy self. My spirit card was the Ace of Hearts \u2013 the start of a happy time in my life. I don\u2019t see these cards talking to each other so much as merely tolerating each others presence. What is the Queen of Spades going to do with the Ace of Hearts? Shoot an arrow through it? She\u2019s really on her eye on it, doesn\u2019t she? At the same time, she\u2019s watching out for those contentious 5\u2019s behind<\/u> her, threatening to cause a ruckus in her happy home. Who are these people? These 5\u2019s? As usual, there are more questions than answers but that\u2019s all good \u2013 it gives me something to work with. At the very least, I use those images in a poem or a collage. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Anyway \u2013 there is a lot <\/i>in this book. If you are looking for a good all-around book about the various arts of divination, either for yourself or as a present for a beginning, I could not recommend this book any higher. And whether or not Sasha Fenton copied and pasted the information from an earlier book \u2013 honestly, it\u2019s all good. When you are given a key to knowledge, don\u2019t ask where it came from! Just take it and turn the lock and open the door!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a> Find Fortune Teller\u2019s Handbook<\/u> either at your local library, bookstore or on Amazon.com. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Click Image for Amazon Link<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

References<\/u><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Fenton, Sasha. Fortune Teller\u2019s Handbook: 20 Fun and Easy Techniques for Predicting the Future<\/u>. Charlottesville, VA: Hampton Roads Publishing Company Inc., 2017.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Fenton, Sasha. Fortune Telling by Tarot Cards: A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Understanding the Tarot<\/u>. Charlottesville, VA: Hampton Roads Publishing Company Inc., 2017.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Fenton, Sasha. The Fortune-Teller\u2019s Workbook: A Practical Introduction to the World of divination<\/u>. Wellingborough: The Aquarian Press, 1988<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

***<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

About the Author:<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Polly MacDavid<\/b>\u00a0lives in Buffalo, New York at the moment but that could easily change, since she is a gypsy at heart. Like a gypsy, she is attracted to the divinatory arts, as well as camp fires and dancing barefoot. She has three cats who all help her with her magic.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Her philosophy about religion and magic is that it must be thoroughly based in science and logic. She is Dianic Wiccan and she is solitary.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

She blogs at\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>silverapplequeen.wordpress.com<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>. She writes about general life, politics and poetry. She is writing a novel about sex, drugs and recovery.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Review of Sasha Fenton\u2019s Fortune Teller\u2019s Handbook I have been a fan of Sasha Fenton for thirty years. I remember when The Fortune-Teller\u2019s Workbook: A Practical Introduction to the World of divination first appeared at my favorite library and I borrowed it again and again. I was so happy when I found it in on Amazon.com \u2013 I snapped it up immediately. It\u2019s the kind of basic text that any student of the divining arts ought to have, and it is perfect for beginners. Not only is it written in a clear and concise manner, it has some fun divination techniques \u2013 and who says that divination can\u2019t be fun? \u2013 such as The Oracle of Napoleon (see https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2015\/11\/seeing-the-signs-18\/) and Flower Reading. According to Amazon.com, Sasha Fenton has written 125 books on divination, spiritualism and the occult. I know, as someone who hangs around libraries and book stores, her books are always on display. (Sasha Fenton. Photo from www.redwheelweiser.com) Apparently, The Fortune-Teller\u2019s Workbook is out of print and hardcover copies are going for $59.99 and up on Ebay. They are increasingly hard to find, so if you happen to come across one, I suggest picking it up, if only because it\u2019s going to be a rare and therefore increasingly hard to find \u2013 and perhaps a good investment, as well. (My dog-earred copy) A few months ago, I reviewed Sasha Fenton\u2019s new edition of Fortune Telling by Tarot Cards: A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Understanding the Tarot (see https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2017\/12\/seeing-the-signs-36\/). An obvious companion to this wonderful guide to reading and using the Tarot to its fullest potential, is Fortune Teller\u2019s Handbook: 20 Fun and Easy Techniques for Predicting the Future. Published by the publisher as Fortune Telling by Tarot Cards, Hampton Woods Publishing Company, Incorporated, out of Charlottesville, Virginia, and distributed by Red Wheel\/Weiser. The two books came out the same year which tells me that they were meant to be companion pieces. Both books have glossy finishes on the covers and they are the same convenient size. For Amazon Information Click Images   I started reading the Introduction. Immediately, I thought: this sounds familiar. I opened up to the Introduction in The Fortune-Teller\u2019s Workbook, and there were almost the exact words. I examined the chapters on Numerology, Runes, Flower Reading and the twelve other chapters that are in both The Fortune-Teller\u2019s Workbook and Fortune Teller\u2019s Handbook, and in every instance, the prose was almost the same. A word or two here or there was changed and the overall syntax was tightened up. A good editor could do that. You can\u2019t say they\u2019re the same book, since they both have chapters that the other one doesn\u2019t have. But fifteen out of the twenty chapters in Fortune Teller\u2019s Handbook were originally in The Fortune-Teller\u2019s Workbook, which is more than half of the book. I am not making any kind of accusations here \u2013 they are both wonderful books \u2013 but really! Over half the book! I have to say that I was very disappointed in Sasha Fenton. I guess if an author wants to plagiarize their own work, that\u2019s their prerogative, but it seems unethical to me. At least reference your earlier work! I searched all over Fortune Teller\u2019s Handbook to find any reference to her earlier book. There was none whatsoever. That said \u2013 and I\u2019m sorry but I had to say it \u2013 I still find Fortune Teller\u2019s Handbook: 20 Fun and Easy Techniques for Predicting the Future a worthy book. Don\u2019t let the silly cover put you off. There\u2019s a lot of good information in here \u2013 especially for the beginner. Information that is in this book that isn\u2019t in The Fortune-Teller\u2019s Workbook includes Phrenology (reading the bumps on a person\u2019s head), Face Reading, Graphology, Moles, and Itches. I thought the chapter on face reading very interesting. I had no idea there were different ways of reading a face \u2013 The Chinese Way or the English way. It makes me wonder \u2013 are there any other techniques for reading faces? Perhaps a Gypsy or Romany way? This would be a subject to research. And I had to laugh at the chapter on Graphology. Is anyone taught how to write in longhand anymore? I know I had to teach my son how to sign his name because he only knew how to print. In an increasingly electronic world, perhaps some high-tech version of Graphology is needed? It\u2019s an interesting idea \u2013 I\u2019m not even sure how it would work! But I am no techie! One thing a book like this is really great for is Bibliomancy. Yes, I know that Bibliomancy is opening a book at random and reading whatever is there \u2013 I wrote about it three years ago here https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2015\/04\/seeing-the-signs-12\/ \u2013 but sometimes when you are stuck with a problem, you don\u2019t even know which form of divination to use \u2013 where to start looking for answers. A book like this opens the doors to finding the solutions. Even if all you do is open to a random page \u2013 let\u2019s say, page 77, which is a reference page for the suit of Hearts for playing cards \u2013 I\u2019d say, the book is telling you to pick up your playing cards \u2013 the ones you use only for divination \u2013 and do a quick 3-card spread. The first card represents your body, the second card your mind, and the third card your spirit. What are the cards saying in these positions? What are they saying to each other? My body card was the 5 of Spades \u2013 happy home but bad-tempered people surround me. My mind card was the Queen of Spades \u2013 my witchy self. My spirit card was the Ace of Hearts \u2013 the start of a happy time in my life. I don\u2019t see these cards talking to each other so much as merely tolerating each others presence. What is the Queen of Spades going to do with the Ace of Hearts? Shoot an arrow through it? She\u2019s really on her eye on it, doesn\u2019t she? At the same time, she\u2019s watching out for those contentious 5\u2019s behind her, threatening to cause a ruckus in her happy home. Who are these people? These 5\u2019s? As usual, there are more questions than answers but that\u2019s all good \u2013 it gives me something to work with. At the very least, I use those images in a poem or a collage. Anyway \u2013 there is a lot in this book. If you are looking for a good all-around book about the various arts of divination, either for yourself or as a present for a beginning, I could not recommend this book any higher. And whether or not Sasha Fenton copied and pasted the information from an earlier book \u2013 honestly, it\u2019s all good. When you are given a key to knowledge, don\u2019t ask where it came from! Just take it and turn the lock and open the door! Find Fortune Teller\u2019s Handbook either at your local library, bookstore or on Amazon.com. Click Image for Amazon Link   References Fenton, Sasha. Fortune Teller\u2019s Handbook: 20 Fun and Easy Techniques for Predicting the Future. Charlottesville, VA: Hampton Roads Publishing Company Inc., 2017. Fenton, Sasha. Fortune Telling by Tarot Cards: A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Understanding the Tarot. Charlottesville, VA: Hampton Roads Publishing Company Inc., 2017. Fenton, Sasha. The Fortune-Teller\u2019s Workbook: A Practical Introduction to the World of divination. Wellingborough: The Aquarian Press, 1988 *** About the Author: Polly MacDavid\u00a0lives in Buffalo, New York at the moment but that could easily change, since she is a gypsy at heart. Like a gypsy, she is attracted to the divinatory arts, as well as camp fires and dancing barefoot. She has three cats who all help her with her magic. Her philosophy about religion and magic is that it must be thoroughly based in science and logic. She is Dianic Wiccan and she is solitary. She blogs at\u00a0silverapplequeen.wordpress.com. She writes about general life, politics and poetry. She is writing a novel about sex, drugs and recovery.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15756","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/197"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15756"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15756\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15756"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15756"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15756"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}