The Answers to Life’s Burning Questions
Whenever I go to Book Sale, I usually don’t have a book in mind, because I’ve formulated this theory: the amount of urgency applied in seeking out a specific title at Book Sale is directly proportional to the possibility that it (and multiple copies, too) will turn up when you no longer need it or already have a copy.Of course, this also means that all my Book Sale purchases are impulse buys. What do I buy at Book Sale? Hmm, let’s see, here’s my laundry list (given that no book should set me back more than a hundred bucks, unless absolutely necessary):
- Book “upgrades” (e.g. doing a Blooey)
- Extremely cheap, wishlisted books for mooching (P20, tops)
- Random DIY book (e.g. crafts, painting, etc.) that I figure I’d get to work on someday
The book I’m reviewing in this post is one from that last category.
I was looking for a book on my shelf that I could review, as my reading rate is dipping at the moment, and I’ve been drawing all night (studies due in two weeks) so I wanted to do a light post for today. I settled on this one because my officemates are currently on a fortune-telling kick, starting with cards, then with the magic 8-ball I brought to work, then the Kokology book I recently reviewed.
The list of 100 questions is quite entertaining. Some samples: Shall I soon be courted? Shall I cease to be a virgin before I marry? Ought I to forsake the pleasures of the world? Have I to look forward to more sorrow than joy?
The divining part is more complicated. The basic guidelines include avoiding the use of the oracle on unlucky dates (there is a list given in the book) and not trying the same question twice in one day.
#46. Shall I be happy in my enterprises?
Then I consult the table to find out the page in which I can find the answer to my question. According to the table, my answer is on page 67.
On page 67, I scroll down the page for the symbol I chose, and there’s my answer:
Phew, that’s good to know. It’s also comforting to know I have something to blame when things go awry… hee hee, just kidding.
At the back of the book, there’s a short section of interesting charms and ceremonies — to see a future husband, to know what trade your husband will be, to know if the declarations on a love letter are sincere, etc. , appearing to have ties to wicca.
Take a candle, and go alone to the looking glass; eat an apple before it; and some say you should comb your hair all the time; the face of your husband will be seen in the glass, as if peeping over your shoulder.
Now that freaks me out so I’m not going to try it, but if anyone makes an attempt, do let me know how it goes
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Tags: cornelius agrippa, fortunetelling, occult, oracle






April 8th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Interesting I love oracle and tarots.
April 9th, 2009 at 1:08 am
Grrrrr, Blooey, are you trying to make me jealous? What a find! Drooling again…
April 12th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Kwesi– I’m interested in them too kaya I bought this one
April 12th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Jo – this is why I try to browse through all the sections of Book Sale branches, for chance finds like this one
April 14th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
galing nga eh. ‘di ba, you are going to sail against wind and tide in your RORO coverage?
April 14th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
mayD- Wow, you’re right! I didn’t think of it that way…
June 19th, 2009 at 11:58 am
[...] Last year, as I was browsing through the bargain bins (as usual), I discovered Michelle Lovric, who’s created over a hundred illustrated novelty books! I actually recognized the author because I like novels set in Venice, and I have her novel, The Remedy, in my TBR. I bought her book, Weird Wills, for P45, and decided to search for more of her books on BookMooch, which has yielded another: Deadlier than the Male, which I mooched from abroad. Both are beautiful hardbound books that showcase Regency and Victorian etchings like the ones in the oracle I reviewed last April. [...]