Handwriting Analysis Putting It to Work for You

by Andrea McNichol

As one of the nations' foremost professional graphologists and researchers, Andrea McNichol knows that handwriting analysis can benefit every kind of relationship and believes it shouldn't be difficult or confusing to learn. Her widely acclaimed step b y step approach is based on years of experience working with law enforcement agents, business executives, lawyers , and educators. Beginning with the most basic concept and commonsense logic behind them, she guides readers a step at a time through increasingly more advanced levels, with each new technique building naturally on the one before. From the very first chapter you'll practice interpreting actual handwriting samples ( many from famous celebrities and infamous criminals ) and you'll be amazed at how quickly you're able to apply your new sills to unraveling murder, theft, and arson mysteries drawn from real cases Andrea McNichol herself has been called in to solve.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Self Help, Reference, Writing, Education, Science

352 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1991

Reviews

[Anne Hawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book! I got it when I was transcribing letters written to my grandparents and their contemporaries. The letters were stored in the attic and were written by friends and relatives back in Iowa that I didn't know. Reading the letters and transcribing them got me interested in genealogy and eventually I wondered what the handwriting said about the people who wrote them. I tried out the things I learned from this book on some of the letters of relatives I did know and found them to be very accurate, so I began to look at letters of great aunts and uncles to understand them better. What an amazing adventure!

My grandmother had a school friend who wrote to her for many years. She was always apologizing for her handwriting which was absolutely perfect. The letters were written with almost painful attention to detail. I looked in this book and found that the writing was of someone who had serious mental problems. Initially, I thought that the book must not be accurate. Eventually, I found a letter written about 15 years later by my great grandmother which told my grandmother that her friend was in a mental institution. Amazing! I followed her through the census and she always lived with her older sister and never married or had a job. Looking again at the writing I saw that her writing showed her to be rigid and compulsive and I could just imagine her as severely OCD and having a nervous breakdown.

[Shell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is sadly outdated. It makes references to the Soviet Union, as though there is a USSR today, and said the Berlin Wall fell "recently." The author (a female) refers to all authority figures as "he" and "him"--terribly outdated. Donald Trump's signature appears, and it's quite different from his current "presidential" signature--what a fascinating discussion that could have been! Instead, we are just given his old non-spiky signature. She has quite disparaging comments about "deviant sexuality"--I won't even contribute to that misinformation. And, finally, she is outdated about learning differences, which was made quite apparent in her discussion about children and doodling.

So, though I found much of her discussion relevant, and have noted some of her views myself--I have taught at the college level for 32 years and so have seen a lot of different types of handwriting--I am concerned about how much of her material on handwriting is simply out of date. I will be looking for more up to date treatments of this very interesting subject.

[Lauren P · Rating 5 out of 5]

so far this is the only graphology book i have read, but i really liked it. the author covered a lot of different things; slant, spacing, loops, felons claws etc etc. she also made it really easy to learn cause she made it into kind of a game, or at least made it very airy and easy.

[Essie-Marie F.]

DNF. I'll have to try again some other time.

[Deirdre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based in psychology, Graphology has many practical uses in today's society. This is not like tea or palm reading as most would have you believe. Your handwriting is actually an extension of your psychological profile, and is unique to you like a thumb print.

This book is a very comprehensive look into graphology, teaching how to see a sample with new eyes as you learn what various handwriting styles mean in a scientific way and why.

If you enjoy psychology and want to learn a little something new, this book will be of great assistance.

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another really great introduction to graphology. Really wish McNichol had done an updated book for the general shift away from handwriting in our current society because I’m sure she would’ve had great insights.
This was well laid out, amusing and relayed important graphological indicators as common sense associations. Outdated in sections but all the facts of the study are entirely relevant.
She appeared to have done great things for the science in North America through her work and dedication, ensuring it was taken much more seriously.

[Saja Al-Taher · Rating 4 out of 5]

i think the interpretation rlly is true

[Felix Dacumos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very fascinating read! This book describes the skill and art of graphology - the study of handwriting analysis. Our handwriting can actually reveal parts of our personality. As stated in the book, our handwriting is part of our brain. Imagine if we were to lose our hands and learn to master writing with our feet. If we become excellent at this skill our writing will still be the same as writing with our hands. Ever notice the spacing between words in someone's writing? Ever notice the big loops, the slants, the alignment of the paragraphs? This book is the book you're looking for that will reveal the meanings of those gestures.

[Coach · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will interest the inner csi in you...very interesting - you will not look at a letter the same way ever again!!

[Martin Felando · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helped me understand myself and others better. Read it and you'll gain insights you never thought were there.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting from start to finish. Whether this is read with any skepticism towards graphology or not, it will change the way you look at writing and the way you write yourself. Seeing handwriting as a subconscious extension of a person allows you to analyze parts of their physical, mental and emotional state. The author gives you frequent tests before discussing topics to prove that you actually know most of the general indications, and gives you further traits and details to build on that intuition. As skeptics might expect, every once and a while assumptions seem to be taken too far. Ex: “This man writes in sham garlands (a method of connecting his words), so we can say that he manipulates people with calculated kindness." But there’s so much in here that is clearly an extension of a person’s overall character that it’s all very interesting once you have different things to look for on every area of the page. The author provides many real life examples in every chapter to drive different characteristics home.

This is a large and hands on book that begins with you filling out a full blank page, complete with deliberate lies and a signature, to analyze once you’ve finished the book. The author notes that many readers undergo graphotherapy afterwards, purposefully changing traits that one doesn’t like about their writing, in turn changing the underlying traits within themselves.

Seeing many public figure’s signatures throughout history, and before and after important events, was great too. Liberace, Edgar Allen Poe, if Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln followed proper margins and signature placement, etc. Or seeing how someone’s signature changes after becoming sick or injured, like Reagan before and after he was shot. Or Nixon’s progressively vanishing signature before and after his resignation.

The book begins with an overview, the "science and reasoning” behind graphology, in depth handwriting traits, personality characteristics, and then many examples from a large variety of the author’s actual cases that you can practice on. A very worthwhile book despite focusing on a dying medium.

[Bookosaurus (A book a day keeps reality away) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book. I had a notebook open by my side, comparing the observations noted in this book with my own handwriting. Some of them were so spot-on that I actually had to stop for a moment and think, "Wow, that's so true."

Earlier, I used to think that handwriting analysis is one of those mumbo-jumbo things, like Reiki and Feng Shui, but this book has changed my view of the topic. We all leave traces of our personality on the page when we write, which makes handwriting analysis a scientific study, with its roots in psychology.

It's given me a glimpse into myself, my personality and blind-spots and the underlying anxieties, and I've tried these leanings on a couple of other people's handwritings, and it all checks out. It's amazing how you can get a glimpse into someone' personality just by looking at their writing.

I'm thoroughly impressed with this book.

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, I thought this book is a total witchcraft. But as I'm reading it more, I'm completely sold.

In essence, this book shows that our handwritings are a window to parts of ourselves. Handwritings, especially ones written not expected to be analyzed by others, have meanings to it. It's akin to our wardrobe: some people prefer high heels, suits; some people prefer sweat pants and uggs. Each item represents what the person consciously or unconsciously wants to communicate to others. Handwriting is no different.

Overall a worthy read.

[Emma Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

quite interesting. definitely fun. i may have to worry about some people...

it was especially interesting to pull out my journals that i wrote in during the depths of my depression - i did have many of the concerning traits that were spoken about, including the suicidal drop, and the pointed angles of anger and the smallness...

very interesting indeed.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very thorough!!

[Ben Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Terrific. Very educational.

[Saurabh Kaushal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book.

Andrea not only covers various styles such as slant, margins but also explains why.

[Andu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book, I recommend it to anyone interested in psychology

[Kathryn Hart]

Another one of mom’s books. Very interesting. She learned how to analyze people’s signatures and samples of their handwriting. She would entertain people at parties.

[lele :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting topic and a great book for beginners

[Dila · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

[Max Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me want to be a graphologist.

[Katty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very useful book. Loved reading and rereading it.

[My Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to understand and very useful for quickly sketching out a person's overall personality without needing a lot of personal information about them.

[CrystalIsReading on StoryGraph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing, and so informative! I have since done research on handwriting analysis, and finding credible "experts" in the field can be very difficult. But Andrea McNichol is definitely credible: trained in Europe, at the Sorbonne, among other places, she now serves as an analyst and expert witness for the FBI and other legal groups and trial issues. She's a nationally recognized expert, and hearing what she has to teach is a real eye opener. She introduces the reader to a variety of different elements of handwriting, and explains what those elements can mean, in their various forms. Trust me--you will never look at anyone else's handwriting the same. Whether it is examining the handwriting of an applicant at your job, or a note from someone you're dating, you will learn enough to take a quick measure of a person based on his/ her writing. it's not an absolute science, but it's still incredibly fascinating, interesting, and helpful. Just be prepared to analyze yourself as well, whether you like the results or not.

[Joomi Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to look at different editions of this book. I used to own an edition of this book decades ago. In October 2025 I reread a library edition that doesn't feel the same as the book I used to own. The library book is missing information about the shark tooth although it does talk about the felon's claw.

I give the library book 3.5 stars out of 5 stars. It makes generalizations but doesn't explain the exceptions to the rule.

The author died in 2024 of cancer.

I have read multiple graphology books and this book and the author's name is the only one I remember.

If you look for celebrity handwriting in this book you might see Bill Gates Jr's or Donald Trump's.

[Paul Mccarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much more to handwriting than meets the eye, and this book really does and excellent job of explaining the finer points of handwriting analysis. For anyone that has an interest in learning the the art of handwriting analysis, this book come with my highest recommendation. Simply put, this text is very easy to read and understand; this makes it the perfect introduction to this field of study. Examples are provided within the text including the handwriting of some famous faces such as Walt Disney himself and dozens of others.

You would be amazed at what you could learn from handwriting.
Happy Reading!

[Riki Skutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Assuming this is accurate since it is coming from an educated author, it's very interesting. As I like to read strictly non-fiction this was perfect for me. The book is filled with information, and even I who am not a dedicated studier of graphology enjoyed it. This is the type of book to read in parts over a period of time or you may get overloaded with information. The book is descriptive but easy to understand. I would recommend it to people who are interesting in learning something new.

[Hannah Snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shout out to NCIS New Orleans for prompting me to look into this topic.

"Graphology for the win."

And big thanks to my water bottle for giving me a reason to own this former library book. If anyone would like to borrow it, it's a little ruffled, but the content is still good. Also be warned, I will be judging your handwriting from now on.

[Avalon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was awesome! If you want to be able to interpret a person's handwriting, this is the book to read. If you want to become a secret detective of a person's characteristics just by seeing their handwriting, this is the book to study.
McNichol is a great teacher of graphology and the interpretation of handwriting!