Tarot de Paris [Cards]

J. Philip Thomas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 20, 2002

The extraordinary power and intensity of Tarot de Paris reflects the energy and inspiration of its creator, J. Philip Thomas, over a period of 20 years. The result is a deck of 78 breathtaking images incorporating a dazzling array of classic and contemporary art and architecture from what is arguably the world's most beautiful city. The 22 Major Arcana cards portray the stages of the Fool's journey, and the four suits of the Minor Arcana are expressed as their elements of Fire, Air, Water and Matter. With a fully illustrated book detailing each card and offer a number of new readings devised just for this set, along with a stunning silk cloth for laying out the cards, Tarot de Paris is a revelatory experience.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

J. Philip Thomas is an artist whose works have been exhibited internationally and is a life-long student of the Tarot and the occult. He lives in Maui, Hawaii.

Product Details

• Cards: 240 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (September 20, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312304226
• ISBN-13: 978-0312304225
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,710,336 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What A Gorgeous Set!, November 12, 2004

By 

Amber Dawn (Sedona, Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tarot de Paris (Cards)

The Tarot de Paris is a tarot reader's dream come true! It is a magnificent, polished deck with such beautiful, well-blended imagery. No wonder it took the artist 20 years to bring about. The book is very well-written and should appeal to everyone from novice to expert. J. Philip Thomas has been reading for more than 30 years so he really does know tarot. I could go on and on praising this wonderful set but that would be redundant so I will sum it all up in one word:
PERFECT.

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Well...nice try..., April 26, 2003

By 

Shannon McCabe (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tarot de Paris (Cards)

I really wanted to like this deck, and as far as the art is concerned I really, really do. Goregous art collages of one of my favorite places on earth seemed to be a sure hit with me. Alas, then I opened the box...The deck is printed on such cheap and flimsy cardstock, that it's almost impossible to shuffle without seriously bending or, worse yet, tearing it. I was horrified the first time I opened the set and saw the cheap quality of the cards. Bizarrely enough, the book that comes with the set is printed as a very nice hardbound book, and there's a pretty silk scarf included in the box also. I'd rather have a cheaper paperback book, not have the silk scarf, but have the deck printed on usable cardstock. Overall, this deck is going into the "pretty and nice to look at but not usable" part of my tarot card collection. I really feel like I wasted my money on this deck. Do not buy this deck if you are planning on trying to read with it.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sublime, May 1, 2003

By 

Anne B (Washington, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tarot de Paris (Cards)

I began working with the deck as soon as I opened the box. I worked with them for two hours, and I have never worked with a deck that has spoken to me to such a degree. The images evoke so much within me. Each card is unique with a great deal of symbology, which allows for quite a bit of room in interpretation. In addition, the images are simply beautiful and show immense creativity and depth of thought and synthesis of ideas; it's evident a great deal went into designing the images on these cards. The colors are consistent with traditional tarot card colors, and although the cards are unique interpretations of the traditional tarot, they incorporate much of the original symbology but with a unique slant. There is simply so much room for interpretation with these cards, and when combining this opportunity with the exquisitely creative concept of using the artwork and statues of Paris to design tarot cards, these cards prove to be a joy. I feel the artist of the cards has successfully translated the ethereal and the sublime.

The cards are oversized, which allows for a larger image, which I personally like. Unfortunately, the cards appear to lack any type of coating, as a previous reviewer noted. Initially, I considered returning the cards, but upon further study, felt the images were simply too aesthestically valuable to return them. With a bit of additional care, the deck can be used successfully on a regular basis. Fortunately, I understand the deck is in a second printing in order to correct this problem, so I will keep my eyes open for the new decks, and buy one to work with on a regular basis since I always have two decks of my favorite cards, one to work with and the other to keep safe. This deck has become a valuable addition to my select collection of tarot cards.