The Crystal Handbook (Signet) [Paperback]

Kevin Sullivan (Author)

Book Description

Series: Signet | Publication Date: December 15, 1987

Metaphysical Guide to minerals and crystals

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Signet (December 15, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451154916
• ISBN-13: 978-0451154910
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,210,805 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Crystal info -- but no pictures, July 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Crystal Handbook (Signet) (Paperback)

If you are already familiar with Crystals, but want more in-depth information on properties, legends, and histories, then this is a book for you! However, this book has no pictures, and only limited info. on using crystals.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cheap and Nifty referance or a skim of an introduction, January 9, 2003

By 

bookmage (Saint Louis) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Crystal Handbook (Signet) (Paperback)

I wouldn't use this book as my only book if I was going to study Crystals and earth consiousness, but this book from my quick read look to be a inexpensive and good small referance to use on most any common crystal. I am very very skeptical on a lot of the information because the author does not give any referances and makes claims that are "watery" with out much definition, and I do not have the resources at the present time to verify its information. This book has a decent blurb on for instance Amythist... it would talk about its use in history and folklore, and also a good deal of its metaphysical properties. It is alphabetical by name, but not all of the crystals are not the best organised because you have to go to Quartz to get to Amythyst, or Tigerseye because these are Quartz crystals... but at the same time he has numerous other crystals that he says is in the "quartz family" for whatever that means. It is limited on how many crystals it covers, and it has very limited amount of information on what exactly you do with the crystal to actually "use" or work with them.
But I give this four stars because in general it is a good little book and I do not regret buying it one bit.
If you are looking for a really good book on the subject I would HIGHLY sugest a book on crystals by Maya Heath though her books can be hard to find.
Blessed be.

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Incredible resource, November 26, 2002

By 

W. Lambdin "Two Bears" (Ellensburg, WA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Crystal Handbook (Signet) (Paperback)

This is an incredible resource you can carry around in a pocket when visiting rock shops.

The ONLY crystal book I have read that is superior to this one is "Love Is In The Earth: A Kaleidoscope Of Crystals" by Melody

I did detect a few errors in this book.

1. Page 20: "Natural gemstones do not lose their power with age or use."

This is not so. I have seen Amethyst's, Labradorite, Smoky Quartz, Obsidian, Raindow Obsidian, Ametrine, etc; lose their coloration with use.

2. Page 42: the author states that Bloodstone is "Technicaly, it is a type of opaque Quartz"

Blood Stobe is not a quartz. It is a Heliotrope.

3. On page 125-126 the author discusses Tigers Eye, and Cat's Eye as if both stone are one and the same.

This is not so. It's true that both Tigers eye, and Cat's eye are asbestos fibers in silicon dioxide; but the appearance, and price varies greatly.

In Cat's eye the fibers are straight, and the stone is more eye like in appearance. This is a gem quality stone at gem quality prices!

In Tigers Eye: the fibers are crumpled or twisted. I have picked up nice specimens of Tiger's Eye in four different colors as cheaply as 75 cents each!

Implying that Cat's Eye and Tiger's Eye are the same stone is like saying that Peridot and Olivine are the same stone. Peridot is gem quality, and olivine is not. I bought a nice peice of Olivine for 50 cents.

Over all except for these few pointsl this book is an excelent resource.