The Tarot Book: Basic Instruction for Reading Cards (Paperback)

by Jana Riley (Author) "The tarot is a deck of cards consisting of 78 pictures of archetypes..." (more)
Key Phrases: archetypal blueprint, cross layout, court cards, Major Arcana, Minor Arcana, High Priestess (more...)

Product Details

• Paperback: 212 pages
• Publisher: Weiser Books (September 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877287236
• ISBN-13: 978-0877287230
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #323,129 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this book!, February 27, 2001

By	Lynn B. "alceria" (Roseville, MI USA) - See all my reviews

I own many, many, many books on the tarot and this is the one that I turn to again and again. I honestly think it is one of the best books on the market. My copy is dog-eared, high-lited, underlined and filled with notes in the margin. I have found this book to be a wonderful source of information. If you are looking for a deep, meaningful, intellectual and intelligent presentation of the tarot, look no farther. Most tarot books have about 10 pages of introductory info with a brief blip about the origin of the cards, and maybe some info on how to choose a deck or do a spread. The meat of the book is just the definitions of the cards, which you could really get anywhere.

This book isn't like that. The bulk of the book discusses the tarot in depth and points out themes within the cards. It discusses Jungian archtypes and how they fit in with the tarot's meaning. Riley also provides detailed information on choosing a deck and learning how to interpret the cards effectively. Her strength lies in drawing connections and illuminating themes within the cards and helping the novice understand how all the cards build on each other and interact with each other. She details the significance of the card numbers in the Minor Arcana and the similarites among all the suits with respect to numerological references. She also discusses the similarities within each suit and also gives a through and insightful description of each card. This is an extremely well written and facinating book that in itself is filled with practical wisdom for life. There are lots of great, quotable lines. If you are interested in learning about the tarot, this is the best book you are going to find.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great compact treasure trove of Tarot wisdom......, October 29, 2007

By	Witch in the Hollow Hill (In a different century.....) - See all my reviews

I was at a library sale this past weekend and found a book called simply "The Tarot Book (Basic Instruction for Reading the Cards)" by Jana Riley. Paid 10 cents for it and once I started looking through it, I realized I had stumbled on quite the gem! It's got unique insights, interesting perspectives and it's just all around a book that you don't come across on Tarot very often (it's got something new to impart), and I stumbled on it by accident.

Serendipity is always cool . Great essays on archetypes, numbers, colours.
A wonderful table on the suits, best I have yet to see! Goes into some depth with the courts. I have to say she covers the numbers quite extensively, which was very welcome as it's my main study with cards

I love how the Majors are treated. She puts it all in a concise, easily assimilated write-up, and then after expands with her thoughts on what she says are cards that need more explanation and are prone to misperception. (some are Magus, Empress and Hanged Man).

All in all, a real keeper of a book! Compact (all this in 200 pgs.), excellent basic info with some great insight and new angles, many superb tables.....she pretty much covers it all in a very unique way.

And here I thought from the title it was going to be another ho-hum rehash, tell me nothing new book on Tarot. Far from it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Original, December 8, 2004

By	Joseph Adams "Paladin" (Superior, WI USA) - See all my reviews

I've been looking for books on the Thoth deck to give me more basic concepts other than the confusing rants of Crowley. I now have almost all the books on the Thoth deck, and this is the most original of them all. Rather than give meanings of each individual card available in every other book, the author has essays and chapters bringing the tarot down to more basic terminology. This one stood out out of all the Thoth books because it isn't just meanings of the cards; I already have those and subsequent books bored me.