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Tarot
A complete guide to tarot cards that teaches how to read them and interpret their symbols, and how to find answers to specific questions and insights into specific people and situations
160 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 1990
About the author
Francis X. King
41 books26 followersFrancis X. King was an occult writer and editor who wrote about tarot, divination, witchcraft, magic, sex magic, tantra, and holistic medicine. He was a member of the Society of the Inner Light, an offshoot of the Alpha et Omega, which in turn was an offshoot of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 31, 2021
finalmenteeee terminei depois de 3 meses de muito estudo! muuuuito bom, super completo e com informações do basico ate o mais profundo da analise do tarot! sensacional
March 20, 2016
Falling somewhere between "beginner" and "intermediate" on the Learning Tarot scale, I found this book generally helpful. I was especially fond of the example spreads at the end, because a few of them I hadn't seen before and quite like -- my favorite being the Horoscope spread based off astrological signs. I also enjoyed the charts and discussions of that interplay, the links between tarot, astrology, etc.
But I have issues with how the information was presented, and the context from which it came. Some of the organizational aspects of the book seemed baffling to me. For example, her decision to link the Minor Arcana by number (discussing the two of pentacles, swords, wands, and cups together) instead of by suit. The discussion of the number groups themselves was interesting, but felt like it should have been it's own section.
My other big problem is in regards to all the gender essentialism and binarism found in her interpretations of the cards. I can't say if this is common in tarot reading as a whole (this is the first book I've ever read on the subject; everything else I know came from first-hand instruction), but it is extremely off-putting. Masculinity and Femininity aren't inherent groups of traits, and they aren't "opposing sides", they're arbitrary groups created from the vast range of traits seen in our society. Assuming that all relationships are heterosexual relationships -- or, even worse, that the interplay between man and woman in ANY context is the most important -- is low-key offensive.
But like I said, this may be inherent to "common" teachings of the tarot as a whole, so this isn't necessarily something I hold against the author personally. It does color her interpretation of many, if not most, of the cards and makes many of the descriptions of the Minor Arcana largely useless to me.
But I have issues with how the information was presented, and the context from which it came. Some of the organizational aspects of the book seemed baffling to me. For example, her decision to link the Minor Arcana by number (discussing the two of pentacles, swords, wands, and cups together) instead of by suit. The discussion of the number groups themselves was interesting, but felt like it should have been it's own section.
My other big problem is in regards to all the gender essentialism and binarism found in her interpretations of the cards. I can't say if this is common in tarot reading as a whole (this is the first book I've ever read on the subject; everything else I know came from first-hand instruction), but it is extremely off-putting. Masculinity and Femininity aren't inherent groups of traits, and they aren't "opposing sides", they're arbitrary groups created from the vast range of traits seen in our society. Assuming that all relationships are heterosexual relationships -- or, even worse, that the interplay between man and woman in ANY context is the most important -- is low-key offensive.
But like I said, this may be inherent to "common" teachings of the tarot as a whole, so this isn't necessarily something I hold against the author personally. It does color her interpretation of many, if not most, of the cards and makes many of the descriptions of the Minor Arcana largely useless to me.
August 16, 2016
I used to read tarot cards when I was younger, then school and life got in the way. Now, when my husband kept bugging me to get a new hobby, I desided to pick up the readings again.
Which meabt I had to do some research.
I'd forgotten a lot about the readings, so this book was an easy way back to it. It containes somr history about the cards, information on each card, their elements, signs and meanings. It also has some of the more normal reading patterns, as well as examples on readings in the end.
Its an interesting book if you're thinking about starting with tarot readings, but it can also seem kind of daunting, with all the info.
Which meabt I had to do some research.
I'd forgotten a lot about the readings, so this book was an easy way back to it. It containes somr history about the cards, information on each card, their elements, signs and meanings. It also has some of the more normal reading patterns, as well as examples on readings in the end.
Its an interesting book if you're thinking about starting with tarot readings, but it can also seem kind of daunting, with all the info.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews