More than 20 years since its publication, "The Divining Hand: The 500-Year Old Mystery of Dowsing" by Christopher Bird continues to serve as "The Bible of Dowsing" for many seasoned enthusiasts and new students alike to this ages-old practice. Dowsing is generally defined as the search for anything that can be thought of- lost objects, missing persons and pets, water, oil, mineral, and much more. This is truly a one-in-a-kind book, unlike most others which usually cover the subject of dowsing from a hypothetical standpoint. Bird's unique style takes readers on a journey through the history of dowsing, from its origins to the present day, and how it has shaped and defined the lives of many peoples and cultures along the way. Not merely a "how-to" manual on dowsing, Bird offers many insights into this unique art form, exposing its full potential via documented cases, scientific data, newspaper clippings, and supplemental photographs taken during actual field searches and digs, held tightly together by his narrative convictions.

        Dowsing is carried out through various methods, usually with a y-shaped rod cut from a tree branch, a metal rod bent at a 45-degree angle and rotating inside a tube, or a pendulum swinging freely from a hanging cord. By walking over a designated area with one of these tools in hand, it is possible to locate, for example, an underground well based on when the rod bobs, or where the pendulum points. It is also popularly used as a divination tool to forecast the weather, future events, insight and wisdom, as well as finding alternative remedies for healing. Many skeptics and naysayers have dismissed dowsing as nothing more than old-world nonsense which has no place in today's science-driven society of rationalization and reasoning. Bird counters with valid arguments of his own- How does a child first learn to walk? How are flock of geese able to migrate to the same place year after year? And, what about the countless stories of pets being able to find their families at their new homes thousands of miles away after being left behind? These are some of the questions posed by Bird which have even left some of the world's most renowned scientists miffed and without any scientific explanations. Many have attributed this to the involuntary movement factor caused by the sub-conscious mind, but numerous experiments conducted by scientists and luminaries throughout the past few centuries have contradicted this support.

        As the style of the book's presentation is a chronicle into the history of dowsing, it has become the text of choice for those who are seriously interested in delving deeper into the mysteries of this ancient and sacred practice. One of the best ways to learn about dowsing is through the actual experiences of others, and TDH just about covers the entire spectrum of all the well-known and respected authorities in the field. Two such accounts include the works of Jim W. Kid and Jean Auscher. Kidd, a foreman of a dairy farm, was contracted by the Misquamicut Golf Club in Watch Hill, Rhode Island concerning a water shortage which threatened the golf course with possible closure. Kidd was able to achieve in a matter of hours with his y-rod what the club could not do over many years and after spending tens of thousands of dollars on consultative digging; He had located a water vein, as well as where to dig and how deep. The well that sprung from Kidd's finding initially produced 100 gallons of water per minute. 10 years later, it was reported that the well was still pumping out 80 gallons of water per minute!

        What is even more astonishing, if unbelievable, is the art of map dowsing, or locating any missing items and/or person(s) through the use of a map and a pendulum. For many, this abstract form of dowsing is hard to fathom as there is actually no substance of reference beneath the digger's feet as is the norm with field dowsing. Jean Auscher, a French pendulum dowser with one of the highest accuracy rates recorded in the field, successfully assisted the police in the recovery of 2 million francs that was stolen from the Societe Technique des Sables de la Seine in Paris, tracing the safe-crackers back to their hideout in another part of the city by using this method. Other incredible stories documented by Bird include that of Paul Clement Brown, whose un-orthodox form of map dowsing and uncanny ability allow him to effortlessly find water, metal, and other kinds of mining ore, and the U.S. military's use of L-rods to locate underground Viet Cong bunkers, tunnels, and booby traps during the Vietnam War.

        I've been a skeptic for a good part of my life where anything not rationalized by pure, hard scientific facts are concerned. Several incidents have since changed my outlook: I've had numerous encounters with the paranormal, becoming more frequent in recent years. Then last year, we had a problem with the sewage system when tree roots had breached the pipe, causing waste to overflow out onto the street. Prior to the digging phase, a water department engineer was dispatched to the site for inspection. Using just an l-rod, flags, paper, and pen, he was able to mark the exact location where the roots had broken into the pipe- something which the snake camera failed to do due to obstruction. I often find myself using a pendulum whenever I need to make quick decisions, feel like I'm going in circles, or just plain stuck, which usually works well for me in these types of situations.

        Whether just a coincidence, or the involvement of a "sixth" sense as suggested by Bird where the human body acts as a sensitive receiver attuned to the earth's signal with the aid of an "amplifying" rod, how and why dowsing works may never be fully explained, but it does work. Dowsing has stood the test of time, having always been able to help solve problems where other known methods have failed. Until it can be proven otherwise, dowsing will continue to be an asset to human society, and no other book and author has worked so diligently as Christopher Bird's "The Divining Hand" in making the case for dowsing and ensuring that it is given its proper due. If you're only able to buy one book on dowsing, then let it be this one. It teaches not only the fundamentals of dowsing, but also gives the user a historical primer on dowsing, and the important role it has played throughout time.  Measuring in at a generous 8 1/2 inches wide, 11" inches long,  and 327 pages thick, this colossus of a book is even larger than the textbook we used in U.S. History 17A in college, and well worth every penny. I just can't recommend "The Divining Hand" enough, because it is so well-written and full of documented first-hand accounts that readers may be hard-pressed not to be convinced! 5 OUT OF 5 STARS!

 My Ratings Scale are as follows: