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Handwriting Analysis: The Complete Basic Book
Outlines a fresh approach to handwriting analysis designed to enable whole-person profiling - providing handwriting samples of famous people - coverage of how to determine emotional disturbance or mental illness and new material for understanding the significance of the writing rhythm.
196 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1980
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592 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 10, 2014
This is one of the best books on Handwriting Analysis that I have ever read, and I have read several other publications. I was quite surprised at the less than stellar reviews from others on this site. It appears to me that some of the readers were only reading the book for some basic handwriting information, without the intent for detailed study and/or education in graphology. In my case, graphology was an important part of my career, which gave me greater insight into many of the people I encountered.
I took multiple classes in graphology using this book as a text during my career and this is still my "go to" book for double checking what a specific letter or other handwriting component means. I don't remember every tiny nuance, but this book helps immensely.
I have found the information that Karen Amend and Mary Ruiz shared to be quite accurate, even throughout the years. It's as fresh today as it was back in the 80s when the book was first published.
If you have a sincere interest in handwriting analysis, this is the book for you. It follows a natural progression on writing, including zones (upper/middle/lower), slant, pressure, use of the page, styles of writing (garland, arcade, angular, etc…), and, as stated in earlier reviews, multiple celebrity signatures and other writing samples from criminals and other types of people.
If you are looking for fluff just to pass the time, this is not your book. This book will change the way you think about your own handwriting, as well as the handwriting of people you meet along your way.
Finally, keep in mind that just having a basic knowledge, while helpful, is not all there is to know. Judgments about people should be reserved for those who have extensive education in graphology. Continuing studies are necessary to build proficiency in handwriting analysis. This amazing beginner's book sets you on a course for success. I highly recommend it.
I took multiple classes in graphology using this book as a text during my career and this is still my "go to" book for double checking what a specific letter or other handwriting component means. I don't remember every tiny nuance, but this book helps immensely.
I have found the information that Karen Amend and Mary Ruiz shared to be quite accurate, even throughout the years. It's as fresh today as it was back in the 80s when the book was first published.
If you have a sincere interest in handwriting analysis, this is the book for you. It follows a natural progression on writing, including zones (upper/middle/lower), slant, pressure, use of the page, styles of writing (garland, arcade, angular, etc…), and, as stated in earlier reviews, multiple celebrity signatures and other writing samples from criminals and other types of people.
If you are looking for fluff just to pass the time, this is not your book. This book will change the way you think about your own handwriting, as well as the handwriting of people you meet along your way.
Finally, keep in mind that just having a basic knowledge, while helpful, is not all there is to know. Judgments about people should be reserved for those who have extensive education in graphology. Continuing studies are necessary to build proficiency in handwriting analysis. This amazing beginner's book sets you on a course for success. I highly recommend it.
December 15, 2025
This book is a deep initiation into graphology, the kind that rewires how you look at handwriting forever.
What makes this book endure—decades after its first appearance—is its balance. Amend and Ruiz walk a tightrope between accessibility and rigour and somehow don’t fall.
They take a field that is often dismissed as pseudo-science or party trick material and present it with discipline, structure, and intellectual seriousness. This is not fortune-telling by loops and slants; this is pattern recognition grounded in psychology, observation, and comparative analysis.
The authors begin with a foundational but crucial insistence: handwriting is movement frozen on paper. It is not merely what is written, but ‘how’ it is written—pressure, rhythm, spacing, proportion, direction—that reveals personality traits.
This emphasis on movement immediately elevates graphology from static symbol-reading to something dynamic and embodied. Writing becomes an extension of the nervous system. Your hand, quite literally, thinks aloud.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is its methodical progression. The reader is not overwhelmed with interpretations too early. Instead, the authors patiently build a vocabulary of form: baseline, slant, size, margins, spacing, pressure, and speed, zones.
Each element is explained in isolation before being recombined, much like learning musical notes before attempting a symphony.
This pedagogical clarity is rare and deeply satisfying. You feel yourself ‘learning,’ not just consuming information.
What’s especially refreshing is the book’s resistance to absolutism. Amend and Ruiz repeatedly warn against one-sign conclusions.
A heavy pressure does not automatically mean aggression; a right slant does not guarantee emotional warmth. Context is everything.
Traits modify traits. Contradictions matter. The authors insist that handwriting analysis is probabilistic, not deterministic. This intellectual humility gives the book credibility. It respects both the complexity of human personality and the intelligence of the reader.
The psychological framework underpinning the analysis is eclectic but coherent. You can sense influences from psychoanalytic thought, humanistic psychology, and behavioural observation, without the authors getting trapped in jargon.
Ego strength, emotional responsiveness, impulse control, ambition, and self-image—these concepts recur, but always grounded in observable evidence on the page. The book is particularly strong in showing how inner conflict manifests graphically: mixed slants, inconsistent pressure, and erratic spacing.
The page becomes a battleground of competing impulses.
The chapters on zones—upper, middle, and lower—are especially illuminating. The way the authors link upper-zone emphasis to imagination and aspiration, middle-zone dominance to daily functioning, and lower-zone development to instinct and physical drive is both elegant and persuasive.
What’s impressive is how often these interpretations ring true once you begin testing them against real handwriting samples. It’s the kind of learning that rewards curiosity with eerie accuracy.
Another standout section is the discussion of margins and spacing. White space, often ignored, becomes meaningful here.
Wide left margins hint at caution or attachment to the past; cramped spacing suggests anxiety or urgency; expansive layouts may signal confidence—or emotional distance.
The page is treated as a psychological landscape, and handwriting as a way of occupying space in the world. Subtle, yes. But powerful.
The book also handles sensitive areas—such as emotional disturbance, dishonesty, and aggression—with care.
There is no sensationalism. Instead, the authors emphasise clusters of indicators rather than single “red flags.” This ethical approach matters. Graphology, mishandled, can easily slide into labeling or judgment.
Amend and Ruiz consistently remind the reader that handwriting reveals tendencies, not destinies.
Stylistically, the prose is clear, calm, and quietly confident. There’s no attempt to dazzle with theory or mystique.
The authority comes from consistency and example. Numerous handwriting samples are analysed step by step, showing not just ‘what’ the conclusion is, but ‘how’ one arrives there.
This transparency is one of the book’s greatest pedagogical virtues. You are not asked to trust blindly; you are taught to see.
It’s also worth noting what the book does ‘not’ do. It does not oversell graphology as a replacement for psychology, therapy, or diagnosis. It positions handwriting analysis as a tool—valuable, revealing, but best used in conjunction with other forms of understanding.
That restraint is precisely what makes the book persuasive.
In an age dominated by digital text, there is something almost radical about this book’s premise. Handwriting, here, is framed as an endangered but precious expression of individuality.
Typed fonts flatten personality; handwriting preserves it. Reading this book now feels like recovering a lost language—a way of reading people that technology has not yet fully erased.
Ultimately, ‘Handwriting Analysis: The Complete Basic Book’ succeeds because it treats both its subject and its reader with respect. It assumes patience, curiosity, and intelligence.
It rewards slow reading and careful observation. And once you’ve absorbed its lessons, you don’t just analyse handwriting—you start noticing human presence everywhere: in pressure, hesitation, flourish, restraint.
This is not a gimmick book. It’s a serious, quietly fascinating study of how the self leaks onto the page.
Recommended—for psychologists, educators, analysts, sceptics willing to be convinced, and anyone curious about the hidden autobiography written by the hand.
What makes this book endure—decades after its first appearance—is its balance. Amend and Ruiz walk a tightrope between accessibility and rigour and somehow don’t fall.
They take a field that is often dismissed as pseudo-science or party trick material and present it with discipline, structure, and intellectual seriousness. This is not fortune-telling by loops and slants; this is pattern recognition grounded in psychology, observation, and comparative analysis.
The authors begin with a foundational but crucial insistence: handwriting is movement frozen on paper. It is not merely what is written, but ‘how’ it is written—pressure, rhythm, spacing, proportion, direction—that reveals personality traits.
This emphasis on movement immediately elevates graphology from static symbol-reading to something dynamic and embodied. Writing becomes an extension of the nervous system. Your hand, quite literally, thinks aloud.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is its methodical progression. The reader is not overwhelmed with interpretations too early. Instead, the authors patiently build a vocabulary of form: baseline, slant, size, margins, spacing, pressure, and speed, zones.
Each element is explained in isolation before being recombined, much like learning musical notes before attempting a symphony.
This pedagogical clarity is rare and deeply satisfying. You feel yourself ‘learning,’ not just consuming information.
What’s especially refreshing is the book’s resistance to absolutism. Amend and Ruiz repeatedly warn against one-sign conclusions.
A heavy pressure does not automatically mean aggression; a right slant does not guarantee emotional warmth. Context is everything.
Traits modify traits. Contradictions matter. The authors insist that handwriting analysis is probabilistic, not deterministic. This intellectual humility gives the book credibility. It respects both the complexity of human personality and the intelligence of the reader.
The psychological framework underpinning the analysis is eclectic but coherent. You can sense influences from psychoanalytic thought, humanistic psychology, and behavioural observation, without the authors getting trapped in jargon.
Ego strength, emotional responsiveness, impulse control, ambition, and self-image—these concepts recur, but always grounded in observable evidence on the page. The book is particularly strong in showing how inner conflict manifests graphically: mixed slants, inconsistent pressure, and erratic spacing.
The page becomes a battleground of competing impulses.
The chapters on zones—upper, middle, and lower—are especially illuminating. The way the authors link upper-zone emphasis to imagination and aspiration, middle-zone dominance to daily functioning, and lower-zone development to instinct and physical drive is both elegant and persuasive.
What’s impressive is how often these interpretations ring true once you begin testing them against real handwriting samples. It’s the kind of learning that rewards curiosity with eerie accuracy.
Another standout section is the discussion of margins and spacing. White space, often ignored, becomes meaningful here.
Wide left margins hint at caution or attachment to the past; cramped spacing suggests anxiety or urgency; expansive layouts may signal confidence—or emotional distance.
The page is treated as a psychological landscape, and handwriting as a way of occupying space in the world. Subtle, yes. But powerful.
The book also handles sensitive areas—such as emotional disturbance, dishonesty, and aggression—with care.
There is no sensationalism. Instead, the authors emphasise clusters of indicators rather than single “red flags.” This ethical approach matters. Graphology, mishandled, can easily slide into labeling or judgment.
Amend and Ruiz consistently remind the reader that handwriting reveals tendencies, not destinies.
Stylistically, the prose is clear, calm, and quietly confident. There’s no attempt to dazzle with theory or mystique.
The authority comes from consistency and example. Numerous handwriting samples are analysed step by step, showing not just ‘what’ the conclusion is, but ‘how’ one arrives there.
This transparency is one of the book’s greatest pedagogical virtues. You are not asked to trust blindly; you are taught to see.
It’s also worth noting what the book does ‘not’ do. It does not oversell graphology as a replacement for psychology, therapy, or diagnosis. It positions handwriting analysis as a tool—valuable, revealing, but best used in conjunction with other forms of understanding.
That restraint is precisely what makes the book persuasive.
In an age dominated by digital text, there is something almost radical about this book’s premise. Handwriting, here, is framed as an endangered but precious expression of individuality.
Typed fonts flatten personality; handwriting preserves it. Reading this book now feels like recovering a lost language—a way of reading people that technology has not yet fully erased.
Ultimately, ‘Handwriting Analysis: The Complete Basic Book’ succeeds because it treats both its subject and its reader with respect. It assumes patience, curiosity, and intelligence.
It rewards slow reading and careful observation. And once you’ve absorbed its lessons, you don’t just analyse handwriting—you start noticing human presence everywhere: in pressure, hesitation, flourish, restraint.
This is not a gimmick book. It’s a serious, quietly fascinating study of how the self leaks onto the page.
Recommended—for psychologists, educators, analysts, sceptics willing to be convinced, and anyone curious about the hidden autobiography written by the hand.
February 24, 2011
The book presents some interesting ideas but Amend seems to pull a lot out of her ass too (though that was expected in a book like this). It's a fun read that'll probably inspire you to write the same sentence over and over in different ways just for the sake of comparison. The collection of 'celebrity' handwriting samples is easily the book's best feature; where else are you gonna see Liz Taylor and Ted Bundy side by side?
July 11, 2017
Love the book and use it often.
May 14, 2021
This is fun stuff to use on your friends.
January 1, 2023
Saya baca terjemahan bahasa Indonesia buku ini dan merasa sangat kecewa dengan hasil terjemahannya. Jelek. Jelek banget. Jueleeeeek (oke ini rada berlebihan).
Sama seperti buku grafologi lain, buku ini nggak menjelaskan kelemahan-kelemahan grafologi dan batasan penggunaannya. Yah, namanya juga orang jualan lah ya. Di buku ini juga nggak dijelaskan bagaimana prosesnya bisa ditemukan diagnosis fragmental yang spesifik banget itu. Intinya ini buku primbon, jadi nggak terlalu saya rekomendasikan.
Buku ini banyak muncul di toko buku, dan ini bikin saya khawatir... karena bisa-bisa jadi ada banyak orang yang merasa bisa 'membaca' orang tanpa memiliki konsep dasar tentang teori kepribadian yang kuat.
Sama seperti buku grafologi lain, buku ini nggak menjelaskan kelemahan-kelemahan grafologi dan batasan penggunaannya. Yah, namanya juga orang jualan lah ya. Di buku ini juga nggak dijelaskan bagaimana prosesnya bisa ditemukan diagnosis fragmental yang spesifik banget itu. Intinya ini buku primbon, jadi nggak terlalu saya rekomendasikan.
Buku ini banyak muncul di toko buku, dan ini bikin saya khawatir... karena bisa-bisa jadi ada banyak orang yang merasa bisa 'membaca' orang tanpa memiliki konsep dasar tentang teori kepribadian yang kuat.
November 29, 2009
A very good book, with many sections covering a wide variety of topics. Due to the information contained, and possibly because i don't have a psychological background, i find i use it as more of a reference book, gradually adding to my knowledge of this fascinating subject, rather than being a 'one read' kind of book.
All in all very good, well presented for a complex subject
All in all very good, well presented for a complex subject
November 16, 2013
I like this book but if intend to memorise it I'll never get anywhere. Have mentally noted little things like size of letters and slants, will just call everyone a psychopath.
Interesting reading. One of those you'll continuously refer back to so keeping it beside my bed.
Interesting reading. One of those you'll continuously refer back to so keeping it beside my bed.
April 17, 2015
It's a well-written and detailed book. The organization and style of presentation make for easy learning. I would have appreciated some exercises though. Nevertheless, excellent effort by the authors.
February 20, 2013
Now I know how to analyse y'all's handwriting :DD
March 6, 2014
This book has made my eyes open to such writings. I can see people's heart only by reading their writings.
Thank you verymuch to Karen& Mary !!
Thank you verymuch to Karen& Mary !!
July 13, 2014
Menurut saya lebih enak bacanya melompat ke halaman-halaman yang kita taksir & perlukan, karena bukunya cukup tebal.
February 11, 2008
Love the checklists provided in the book, great for beginner graphologists!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews