{"product_id":"art-of-divination-owen-davies-9780300282511","title":"Art of Divination: A Visual History of Oracles, Prophecy, and the Search for Secret Knowledge","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA global history of divination practices and tools, from tea leaves and tarot cards to pyromancy and palmistry\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThroughout history, humans have aspired to explain the unexplainable, to understand phenomena beyond our control, and to peer into the future. In this captivating book, Owen Davies explores the global history of divination practices that seek to answer questions that range from the philosophical and metaphysical to the romantic and personal. Davies frames divination as a diverse array of activities that overlap with art and science. He emphasizes the artistry and craft of divination practices, which often require tools and manuals; these objects are at the heart of the book, accompanied by an exploration of the techniques of foretelling the future and revealing the unknown. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eOrganized into six thematic groups--observing the natural world; making patterns; communicating with gods and spirits; signs from the human body and mind; looking to the heavens; and chance and calculation--\u003ci\u003eArt of Divination\u003c\/i\u003e allows readers to see connections between different ages and places. From the Romans looking to the flight of birds, to Renaissance tarot cards, and to modern-day fortune cookies, Davies reveals the timeless desire to transcend the human condition and the wide and varied practices that people have devised to do so.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Owen Davies\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0300282516\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780300282511\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Yale University Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/13\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 256\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover","brand":"Owen Davies","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":48176072392959,"sku":"9780300282511","price":40.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_21253a98-972a-4cc5-be91-dbeef180bf6f.jpg?v=1771336498","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/art-of-divination-owen-davies-9780300282511","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}