Tarot Tales

by Rachel Pollack (Editor), Josephine Saxton (Contributor), Peter Lamborn Wilson (Contributor)

Rachel Pollack and Caitlin Matthews have done the improbable: they've assembled a theme anthology of excellent original stories. They required only that tarot cards be used in the construction of the story, and the 16 contributors were liberated by this rather than restricted. Stories by M. John Harrison, Rachel Pollack, and Michael Moorcock are the most explicitly structured on the tarot, Pollack using cards of her own design. The superb "The Wind Box" by Scott Bradfield is narrated in language so plain as to often be nearer poetry than prose. Gwyneth Jones's "The Lovers," too, is simple, direct, and strong. Many of the stories are about journeys (to be expected with tarot), but they cover varied landscapes, and all of them explore the myths and human nature embodied in the cards.

Contents

9 • Foreword (Tarot Tales) • (1989) • essay by Caitlin Matthews
12 • Introduction: A Machine For Constructing Stories (Tarot Tales) • (1989) • essay by Rachel Pollack
15 • The Lovers • (1989) • shortstory by Gwyneth Jones
32 • Rembrandts of Things Past • (1989) • shortstory by Sheila Finch
51 • The Horse of Iron and How We Can Know It and Be Changed by It Forever • (1989) • shortstory by M. John Harrison (aka The Horse of Iron & How We Can Know It & Be Changed By It Forever)
70 • The Godess of the Land • (1989) • shortstory by Caitlin Matthews
88 • The Ship of Night • (1989) • shortstory by Cherry Cilchrist
105 • The Persistence of False Memory • (1989) • shortstory by Robert Irwin
120 • As it Flows to the Sea... • (1989) • shortstory by Storm Constantine
136 • Hanging the Fool • (1989) • novelette by Michael Moorcock
159 • The Emigration • (1989) • shortstory by Josephine Saxton
177 • Cave Pirates of the Hollow Earth • (1989) • novelette by Peter Lamborn Wilson
201 • The Tenth Muse • (1989) • shortstory by John Matthews
217 • The Wind Box • (1989) • novelette by Scott Bradfield
240 • Snake Dreams • (1989) • shortstory by Garry Kilworth
250 • False Prophecy • (1989) • novelette by Jacqueline Lichtenberg
272 • The Devil's Picturebook • (1989) • shortstory by R. J. Stewart
286 • Knower of Birds • (1989) • shortstory by Rachel Pollack

Genres: Tarot, Fiction, Short Stories, Fantasy, Anthologies, Magic

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Rachel Grace Pollack was an American science fiction author, comic book writer, and expert on divinatory tarot. Pollack was a great influence on the women's spirituality movement.

Reviews

[Fee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following in the footsteps of Italo Calvino's 1973 classic, The Castle of Crossed Destinies, Tarot Tales is a collection of stories that use the tarot as a tool for storytelling. This was just a bit too heavy on the otherworldly sci-fi for me but the final tale by Rachel Pollack saved it.

[Charlotte Raines · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked about 70% of the stories. Thought there would be more direct relation to the tarot as opposed to just inspiration which I was kind of bummed about.

[Janet Bird · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do love a good short story.

[Faerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy to recommend this book, especially if you have an interest in the tarot. I love the concept of the book - all short stories inspired by the tarot. I wished some of the stories were full length novels, I didn't want them to end and some I didn't care for. A wonderful mix of genres too!
Favourite stories-
The lovers by Gwyneth Jones
The horse of iron and how we can know it and be changed by it forever by M J Harrison
The goddess of the land by Caitlin Matthews
Cave pirates of the hollow earth by Peter Lamborn Wilson
The tenth muse by John Matthews
And False prophecy by Jacqueline Lichtenberg