Review: Palm Reading by Dennis Fairchild & Julie Paschkis

I found this little kit called "Palm Reading - The Complete Kit" in a local bookstore, about an year ago. I bought it because of Julie Paschkis' art - she is the same artist of Tarot Nova - not because I had any particular interest in palmistry.

I brought it home, looked at the cards (they are not for reading - they are "flash cards", showing the shapes of hands, fingers and the lines, so you know which is which), read the booklet without paying much attention and put it in my drawer. Well, forgive me, I had other worries back then.

But i never let go of it, because I loved the art. And we never know what life is gonna bring us.

So, in one of the many interesting topics at AT, some fellow tarot readers were talking about how to create rapport with your sitter, and how to calm them when they are nervous because of the prospect of having their cards read. Many nice tips and stories... until a couple of people mentioned palmistry. They said they sometimes gave a quick palm reading to the sitter, because touching the hand helps some people to become more tranquil. Not all, of course. I'm the kind of person who hates when someone decides to grab my hand out of the blue. BUT, if the person asks nicely and is gentle, than that's okay. To have someone nice touching your hand can be, indeed, quite relaxing.

That was the spark that ignited my interest in palmistry. So I took the mini palmistry kit out of the drawer and decided to study it properly.

What can I say? It's extremely basic, but make no mistake - it's not nonsense. Dennis Fairchild knows what he's talking about... I've compared what he says in this booklet to other sources, and didn't see huge discrepancies. It more or less follows what I believe is the more traditional palmistry meanings.

The kit is comes in a sturdy box, and is secured with a magnetic clasp. It's small enough so you can carry it with you anywhere. The 55 cards that come with the kit help to illustrate what Fairchild is describing in his book. Be aware that not all the Fairchild describes or mentions appears on the flash cards - but the most important things are illustrated in Julie Paschkis' beautiful art. The things appear in order in the text, so you don't have to search through the deck every time you need to find an image.

As I read the text, I tried to relate it to what I saw in my hands. Some things weren't quite like that, but some were spot on. Because the book is so small, I think it's hard to give there all the nuances that go in a palm reading - this kit is meant to make you curious and give you something to play with, but it won't turn anyone into a professional reader overnight.

One of the interesting things I saw in my own palm was the fact that my Head Line ends in a fork. I had never paid attention to it, but according to Fairchild's booklet, it's called the "writer's fork". It's linked to the card #38 (it's the card depicted right above).

"A Head Line ending in a tassel-like fork called "a writer's fork" shows that you are curious, and inventive. The wider the fork, the more adaptable and resourceful you are." (page 68)

It's silly, but I had this big grin on my face as I read it. I dream of being a writer - it's my ultimate professional goal. Maybe I'm not as off-track as I though.

In short, this kit is really nice. It's cheap, it's cute, the quality is good and the book isn't mind-boggling. For a beginner like me, it helped me to learn a bit more about palmistry, a topic I was, frankly, quite ignorant about. That said, I'm not sure if I'd recommend this to anyone who want to study palm reading with more depth, or for an experienced palm reader. It'll probably just repeat what you already know. I'd recommend this kit for beginners, curious people and collectors.