Customer Reviews

Tarot Tells the Tale: Explore Three Card Readings Through Familiar Stories

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I just read "Tarot Tells the Tale" and it's a blast. This book not only helped me construct traditional Tarot card spreads, it did it in a fun, interesting way. The author has taught me how to interpret the cards and their meanings.
As a novice card reader, the book's whimsical breezy style put me at ease, and I saw relationships and patterns in the cards that I've never seen before. But it's the NightHawk readings that are the most fun. Imagine...what if Dorothy had sought the Tarot for advice on how to get off the farm? Or what if Dr. Jekyll sought advice on how to get rid of Mr. Hyde? It stirs your imagination, and, I'm learning, imagination is the key you need to unlock insight on your own Tarot deck. It's how you see the cards and their meanings to you that is the most important lesson.
The author presented the information in a such fun and fresh way...that it was a total delight to read.

This book has really helped me read the Tarot better. This book is much much more than a book of card definitions. Rickleff does readings for characters like Cinderella, Joan of Arc, George Baily from the movie "It's a Wonderful Life".

By doing readings for familiar characters Rickleff gives us wonderful examples of how the cards come into play in a reading. This has given me a deeper understanding of the tarot and how to do my own Tarot readings.

Another great thing about this book is the section on reversals. I have found his approach on how to use reversals extremely helpful and usable.

"But whatever you consciously know about a card is only a finger pointing toward its true meaning within a specific reading. Each card in a reading has a story to tell-one that has never been told before exactly the same way-and it is a delicately intuitive process to hear that tale and to understand what it means." - From the book

For most Tarot enthusiasts, learning the cards by memorizing key words is the first step towards making sense of a reading. However, interpreting Tarot cards in the context of spreads-layout positions with assigned meanings-gets a bit tricky. For example, how would you read a traditionally positive card like the 2 of Cups when it lands in a position like "what's working against you"? Or how would you read the 10 of Swords in the "what's working for you" position?

Another challenge for many readers is interpreting a spread in terms of how the cards weave together to tell a unique story. No card is an island, and context is a crucial element to reading the Tarot effectively and accurately when interpreting a spread.

In his book Tarot Tells the Tale: Explore Three Card Readings Through Familiar Stories, Tarot master and author James Ricklef allows readers to peek over his shoulder as he demonstrates the art of using 3-card spreads to answer a variety of client questions. Using his popular "Ask KnightHawk" format, Ricklef poses hypothetical questions from famous mythological, historical, and fictional characters and then answers them using a 3-card reading. While the author could have "cheated"-drawing appropriate cards based on hindsight or knowledge of a story-he instead deals random cards and interprets them in light of the posed question.

Using a variety of decks-including the Universal Waite, Sacred Rose, Hanson-Roberts, Spiral, and Aquarian Tarot-Ricklef's alter-ego KnightHawk compassionately and insightfully answers questions posed by Thomas Jefferson, Dorothy (Wizard of Oz), Joan of Arc, Pygmalion, Marja Sklodowska (Marie Curie), Hamlet, Dr. Henry Jekyll (Jekyll and Hyde), Albert Einstein, The Prodigal Son, Cinderella, Psyche, and many more. In addition to relaying the interpretation to the "client" as if it were a "real" reading, Ricklef provides in-depth commentary on the cards that show up and why he interprets them as he does.

For example, it's downright uncanny how the Magician shows up in Cinderella's reading (can you say "Fairy Godmother"?) or how the reversed Queen of Wands shows up in the reading for Marie Curie (a brilliant physicist and chemist who definitely had "problems with radiance" since she died from leukemia caused by radiation exposure).

Believing that clients are ultimately seeking hope from a reading, Ricklef skillfully demonstrates how even "difficult" cards can impart advice, encouragement and hope. Countering the idea that this approach is Pollyannaish, he asserts that it is really "a reflection of the balance of life, as well as a choice to find a meaningful lesson in every experience."

Although the bulk of Tarot Tells the Tale is the 3-card Ask KnightHawk readings, there is an abundance of additional information included in this book, including:

* How to construct a good question or re-phrase a less-than-ideal question
* The many permutations of the basic 3-card spread
* How to break down the Celtic Cross into mini-spreads
* The "5 D's" of reading reversals
* How to create your own spreads for specific needs
* Numerological and elemental associations
* Ethical considerations
* Comments and advice for each of the 78 cards

The "Ask KnightHawk" template is not only a unique way to demonstrate how 3-card spreads can be created and interpreted, but also amazingly instructive for both Tarot beginners and seasoned readers. Written with engaging prose, Tarot Tells the Tale is a fascinating book showing the depth and breadth of 3-card readings, as well as the art of constructing and interpreting client-specific spreads. You'll not only become a better Tarot reader after reading Tarot Tells the Tale, but also gain additional insight into the cards themselves. For example, it never occurred to me that while the Hermit withdraws from society, The Hanged Man withdraws from *activity*. The difference is distinctive, and is but one of the many helpful tidbits you'll find in Tarot Tells the Tale.

I love the idea of this book. After some introductory stuff (which is quite good), Ricklef gives a series of readings for characters from history, myth, and "familiar" stories. I put quotations around familiar because I was not familiar with about a third of the stories. Ricklef relies heavily on Greek myth and Shakespeare for inspiration. For someone with a more classical education this would probably be great, but I majored in physics and managed to get by reading only 2 Shakespeare plays in my life (neither of which were in this book). Of the Greek myths, I knew about half of them.

I throughly enjoyed the readings done for charaters I did know, such as the Ugly Duckling, Belle from the Beauty and the Beast, and Einstein. Also, the card descriptions in the back, which seem almost as an afterthought, are very good. Ricklef gives some relevant life advice after each card. Quite inspiring!

I picked up this book in a little New Age shop while on vacation last summer, and at the time, I had not yet discovered James Ricklef, nor his delightful Knighthawk readings. I had no idea the treat which lay in store for me.
As a student of Tarot for about six years, I found the familiar stories used to explore the three card readings to be both educational and very entertaining. From the Ugly Duckling, to Winston Churchill, to Joan of Arc, each reading revealed previously underappreciated depth of meaning for which these legends endure. I was particularly moved by the reading for Lady Macbeth, one of literature's most vilified women; Ricklef's three card spread gorgeously uncovered her complexity.
Moreover, in this book, Ricklef beautifully articulates his philosophy that while Tarot can guide us on our journey, the future is not fixed. Although we may not be able to control what fate tosses our way, we can choose how we respond, and the cards can illuminate our path as we travel.
Each story in Tarot Tells the Tale provides an opportunity for the Tarot enthusiast to learn from Ricklef's insights, while deepening our own understanding of the cards, their relationship to each other, and their relationship to the position meanings. The three card spreads are small, but often remarkably powerful-- a clear example of "less is more."
For Tarot enthusiasts at all levels of expertise, I highly recommend this book.

This book delivers two things to the tarot student (new or old): First it introduces the idea of three card readings that are an excellent learning tool or new way to read the cards. Secondly, the examples used with familiar stories and characters gives the reader a perspective on the "results" one can attain from a tarot reading. I highly recommend this book for both of these aspects.

I am a professional telephone psychic. Sometimes I use the Tarot to augment my readings. This book was just what I needed; a quick and honest reading for my callers. I highly recommend this book for the beginner to Tarot as well as for the seasoned Tarot reader.

There are many tarot related books on the market these days, and it can be a minefield finding one that suits your needs, style or place on the road of learning. Some can be heavy reading and lead more to confusion than understanding. Some can be very preachy and leave little for the reader to take and develop on their own. Others are so heavy in symbolism and system they lead to the reader feeling inadequate.

James has a wonderful style, and it is fair to say I can never apply any of the above criticisms to his books. It is a unique style in as much that it can appeal to the novice and experienced reader alike. Trust me, that is a balance few tarot authors can achieve. I own two of his books, and suffice to say both are mainstays on my bookshelf and are well read. This publication in particular is one I have read cover to cover on more than one occasion.

This particular book does something none of my other books do. It shows the value and worth of a three card reading. Prior to reading this book I had dismissed 3 card layouts as being frivolous or pointless. I assumed little value would be forthcoming from using only three cards in a reading. Boy, did this book prove me wrong :)
James could have just given example after example and it would have been a good book. Instead he has created a wonderful book by approaching the subject in a different and refreshing way. He has chosen to read for various 'characters' from fiction or history. He has had them write an imaginary letter, and then replies to the letter with a reading. Following the reading he then discusses various aspects - e.g. why he chose a particular interpretation or explaning how the cards related to each other overall.

I had a huge light bulb moment after reading this book, and have created over 65 of my own 3-card readings for characters from TV, film, fiction or history. I have used his method and have found even after 16 years of reading tarot, I can still learn one heck of a lot. The interpretation is one thing, but reading the cards holistically was something I had not really done often and it showed my readings were left wanting because of it. And yep - I can easily type a page on just 3 cards.
As a bonus, we see how the Celtic Cross can be read in a more 3 dimensional way, thus breathing new life into what has become the most famous tarot spread currently in use.

I cannot recommend this book enough. I understand it has been updated with a recent publication: "Tarot Reading Explained: The art of Tarot explained with sample readings" and this may be the version that is available in the future. I do not own other offerings from James as yet ( my bad - and they are on my list!!) but can highly recommend any of his books. I know him to be a very humble and likeable guy, and am grateful for the fact he has inspired me to add value to my readings using incredibly simple techniques.

I was recently recommended to buy this book, but discovered that it is out of print. There are used copies available here through non-Amazon sources, but I wanted a new copy. With just a little research, I discovered that there is a new edition of this book! Its new title is "Tarot Reading Explained" and it is an updated version, so that was an even happier discovery. See: Tarot Reading Explained

I have been a professional clairvoyant and Tarot reader for 17 years, so I have quite a collection of books on the Tarot.

I must say, that this book is one of the best books on the Tarot that I have ever read! It is good not only for someone who is learning the Tarot, but even for experienced readers.

I love the way that the author uses fairy tales to explore Tarot readings and three-card spreads.

This book is chock-full of information, anyone interested in the Tarot should have it in their library!

Rev. Jeff
www.revjeff.com