Acknowledgments
THIS IS A BOOK THAT WAS BUILT on the wisdom and assistance of many people for whom I express my great appreciation. I wish to thank the National Society of Graphology, where I studied for three intellectually stimulating years, and, in particular, Janice Klein, and my special colleagues, Maresi deMonchy, Adam Brand, Erik Rees, John Beck, Carole Schuler, Evie Tishelman, Irene Lawrence, Harriet Dekker, and, in addition, Peggy Kahn, Sheila Lowe, Dr. Ellen Bowers, and John Schlimm for their generosity in supplying me with some of their personal handwriting samples.
Many thanks to June Rifkin, my dear and valued coauthor and loyal assistant; to Claire Gerus, Stanley Fisher, Ph.D., and Susan Leder for their valuable critiques. I am also grateful to my agent, Peter Rubie, and Dorothy O’Brien at Andrews McMeel, for their competence and guidance and for encouraging me to write about the many aspects of graphology’s reach that are reflected in these pages.
I am immensely appreciative of many friends who helped and stood by me from the beginning to the end of this project: Amy Shoen, Helene Benado, Constance Fairstone, and, in particular, Janine Gordon, for reading and discussing many of the chapters with me, and for her intelligence, clarity, and focus.
I am particularly indebted to Frieda Goldsmith, my most special friend, who showed her sustaining love and goodwill during my many years of research and writing; and to Janelle Paul for guidance and assistance far beyond the call of duty.
Finally, I am grateful to numerous people who cannot be thanked by name—men and women whose writing appears in this book and whose privacy I have promised to protect. The book would not exist without them.
Foreword
BY BEN COHEN
CEO, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream
ENCOUNTERING ARLYN IMBERMAN and having her analyze my handwriting without our having met was an experience. As an entrepreneur, I’m always interested in cutting-edge tools that could be advantageous in providing information about people I am considering hiring. While I knew that much of what Arlyn shared with me about my writing could be public knowledge, there was also a great deal of specific information she conveyed that only someone close to me could have known.
For many years, I felt that going through a hiring process was as random as throwing résumés in the air and picking those that landed in a certain spot. Many times this resulted in hiring people who were not a good “fit” for the management style required or the culture of the company. Next time around I’m thinking that graphology is a discipline that could prove quite resourceful to our business and provide guidance in making better decisions overall. This experience was certainly a trip for me, and I’m pleased that Arlyn will be available for future consultations.
If you’re not lucky enough to have your handwriting personally analyzed by Arlyn, this book should be the next best thing. You’ll learn how handwriting reveals distinct personality types, both at the office and among your friends and family, and how to get along with them. You’ll also closely examine the writings of many famous people in history, business, and entertainment, and gain insight as to what makes them successful. And finally, you’ll even learn a thing or two about yourself.
Believe it or not, there are even more handwriting styles than varieties of ice cream! So, get ready to embark on a fascinating journey with Signature for Success as your guide.
Disclaimers
THE READER OF THIS BOOK should bear in mind that no reproduction of handwriting can ever fully convey the emotional quality, vitality, and pressure of the original document.
Throughout this book, for simplicity and brevity, the authors have used the personal pronouns he, his, him, and himself to refer to both males and females.
This book contains the opinions and ideas of its authors. It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the authors and publisher are not engaged in rendering professional services in the book. If the reader requires personal assistance or advice, a competent professional should be consulted.
The authors and publisher specifically disclaim any responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book.
Some handwriting samples in this book have been reduced to meet formatting requirements.
Introduction
I CALL THEM GRAPHO-SKEPTICS. Like most Americans, they think graphology, the study of handwriting analysis, is a parlor game—a handy alternative to the Ouija board, or a close cousin of fortune-telling, palmistry, astrology, and phrenology. They show me samples of their handwriting and expect me to deliver some vague, safe generalities—nothing demonstrably false, but nothing terribly specific either. Then I tell them details about their character that even their spouses or close friends do not know, and hopefully without sounding too self-serving, I describe the intimate dynamics of their relationship with their parents. “Who told you that?” is the grapho-skeptic’s favorite question. I always respond the same way: I point to their handwriting sample and say, “You did.”
On one particular occasion, the grapho-skeptic in question, the CEO of a thriving investment banking boutique, was seated to my left at a dinner party. When I told him what I did for a living, he gave me the amused, condescending look I’m so used to seeing. Taking out his business card, he scribbled a sentence on the back. “Analyze this,” he commanded. “If I like it, I’ll throw you more business than you can handle.”
A few days later, I could not resist delivering a three-page analysis of that one sentence. I showed him how his writing revealed his desire to dominate situations, his impatience with people who could not keep pace with his intelligence, his need to be surrounded by those who were not afraid to challenge him or to ask tough questions. We also spoke about why he had trouble sustaining close relationships with women.
“Okay, I’m convinced,” he said, when he called me the next day. “Though I still wonder if you’ve been talking to my ex-wife.”
He then hired me to help him learn more about his colleagues, his relationships to others, and himself. And that, when you get
