Customer Reviews

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

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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.

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

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.

This book is so well-written, easy to understand, and so full of information that one could read it several times and get something new from it each time. A great resource for a beginner or seasoned card reader. So glad I bought this book!

Interest to me were the chapters on the use of personally meaningful symbols or quotations to design unique spreads.This book offers simple yet insightful spreads,very well explained- and the highlight of this book are the examples. it's fantastic.

The stories and the accompanying interpretations of the cards, really brought to life how comprehensive and in depth a reading can be. A must buy!!!

There are many, many tarot books on the market these days - a search on amazon will show this is a market that has near on exploded in recent years. Some are good, some are repetitive, and some will not resonate with your particular style of learning or reading. The latter are usually destined for selling through online auction sides, or will languish at the back of a book case. Only a handful are what I would call truly inspirational and this is definitely one of them. I have this and another book by James, and if I had to take just 5 tarot related books on a desert island, these would be 2 that would make that list. I have read this book on more than one occasion, and I find I am still enthused to use some of the techniques on a regular basis. In time I will be purchasing other offerings from this author. I know him to be a very humble guy who has a genuine love for tarot, and a genuine willingness to help others develop their own journey.

James has a wonderful style and approach. If you want a book that is heavy on symbolism, history, Kabbalistic links etc this is not for you. If you want a book that is easy to read, non-preachy, and one that really stimulates your imagination this is it.

Many tarot readers like to use spreads but are daunted by the thought of creating their own. James has gently offered tools to help erode away that internal obstacle with his opening section, and shows how easy it is to either create a spread, or adapt a spread for any given scenario. In addition he shows how a standard 3 card spread can be so incredibly useful, versatile and insightful. Prior to reading his books I had dismissed them out of hand. Having seen how they can have value I now use them regularly and am continually surprised at how detailed they can be.

I believe if you have this along with James' "Tarot Tells the Tale" you will find your understanding of tarot use within a reading situation will be greatly enriched. I cannot recommend this book enough! :)

this is a fine book for learning and reading cards. was pleased with the information I gathered