Tarot: Get the Whole Story: Use, Create & Interpret Tarot Spreads [Paperback]

James Ricklef (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 8, 2004

Creating original spreads is a rite of passage for many ambitious Tarot students. James Ricklef gives valuable lessons in doing just that-with advice for finding inspiration, defining positional meanings, and structuring a layout.

Tarot: Get the Whole Story is also for those who want to peer over the shoulder of a Tarot master as he demonstrates a variety of new spreads. Readers will learn which spreads are best for relationship concerns, personal transformation, New Year's resolutions, life decisions, and more. Each chapter discusses a new spread with detailed explanations of positional meanings and dynamics between the cards. Also included are illustrations and entertaining sample readings featuring Clark Gable, Marie Antoinette, Hera, Don Juan, and other historical, literary, or mythological figures.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A book that will provide guidance and inspiration for inexperienced and experienced Tarot readers alike for a long time." -- Sandra Thomson, CTGM

"An ideal resource for any reader looking to create and modify new Tarot spreads." -- Donald Michael Kraig

"This is a wonderful book, a gentle journey which is very enriching and enlightening." -- World Tarot Network Newsletter

From the Publisher

By the author of Tarot Tells the Tale, the 2004 C.O.V.R. Award First Runner Up.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (December 8, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738703451
• ISBN-13: 978-0738703459
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #213,891 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging and Informative--a wonderful contribution to Tarot literature, February 10, 2008

By 

Karen L McCamant "reading RN" (North East, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tarot: Get the Whole Story: Use, Create & Interpret Tarot Spreads (Paperback)

James Ricklef's book on the use, creation, and interpretation of Tarot spreads is a necessary addition to any Tarot enthusiast's library. Whether professional reader or personal seeker, Tarot: Get the Whole Story is richly informative,yet warmly accessible.
As he has done in his Knighthawk readings, collected in his other wonderful book, Tells the Tale, Ricklef again uses familiar stories to illustrate how various spreads provide the thematic structure for readings, thereby adding both depth and breadth to the information that can be gained by the querant. Of particular interest to me were the chapters on the use of personally meaningful symbols or quotations to design unique spreads, such as his "Sorrow's Alchemy Spread." Following Ricklef's suggestion to use the Major Arcana to determine position meanings, I was able to design a Flaming Chalice spread that elegantly illuminated the issue at hand.
Ricklef's book exploring spreads offers hours of enjoyment, with opportunities to try out his various techniques. It serves as a reference, as well as a delightful evening read. Both the novice and the expert will gain from reading Tarot: Get the Whole Story.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Freedom with Tarot!!, March 14, 2009

By 

Arial Burnz "That's my two pence..." (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tarot: Get the Whole Story: Use, Create & Interpret Tarot Spreads (Paperback)

At last, a very comprehensive guide to learning to create your own spreads for the Tarot. This book differs from others in a few marvelous ways...

1. Ricklef uses characters from literature with whom we are already familiar, so he gives us examples from people we already "know".

2. Having someone walk you through every step of the reading and possible interpretations is more than just static meanings for the age-old tool...it brings the Tarot to life!

3. Ricklef opens the mind to creating spreads that fit a particular situation. You learn to use your own symbolism and what feels right to you, so your own spreads mean more to you.

I highly recommend this book to anyone...beginning through advanced. You learn the freedom of creating ways to use the Tarot that feel right for you with practical examples in a constructive environment. Bravo, James! ;) OH! And you should defintely check out his web site: www.JamesRicklef.com for his new deck The Tarot of the Masters, which was inspired by paintings created by the greatest art masters in history. Being an artist, I have a deck and I just LOVE it!

That's my two pence...
Arial Burnz
http://www.ArialBurnz.com
http://www.EnchantedWoodz.com

26 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The cards place James Ricklef's book in your future, November 30, 2004

By 

Mark-Ameen Johnson (Brooklyn, New York, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tarot: Get the Whole Story: Use, Create & Interpret Tarot Spreads (Paperback)

What an amazing feast James Ricklef's third book is: readable, informative, and, most importantly, outright fun. I know little about tarot and am not a practitioner, but I am always interested in learning about other beliefs, religions, and practices. The beauty of all Ricklef's books is that they are written for novice and expert alike. There is enough explanatory material to make someone like me feel like part of the in-crowd--yet also so much insider information/references to the beliefs of famous masters that even the most experienced buffs will find new ways of thinking about an old art. In addition, Ricklef neither talks down to the novices nor bores the devotees; he finds with verve and panache that middle ground so many writers cannot.

Light a few candles, put on some low music, and pick up this delightful read.