How to Tarot: 15 Books to Get you Started
Remembering the 78 cards of tarot and their interpretations can seem like a mountainous task for a new tarot reader but, as with many things, it's not as difficult as you imagine.
The secret to effective tarot is not immediately clear but, definitely a combination of reference books, good notes and memory are a good place to start. And then of course, over time you bring your own special sauce, whatever it is for you: intuition, psychic abilities, spirit guides etc. Figuring out what that is is all a part of the process, and the fun, of learning tarot.
So which books should be on every tarot reader's bookshelf?
Interpretations, spreads, reversals, and history are some of the most essential subjects recommended for beginner tarot study. So grab your journals.
1
by Mary K. Greer
An introduction in tarot reading from start to finish. Beginner to intermediate-level tarot skills are discussed, with correspondence tables to indicate the most common tarot meanings you'll encounter.
2
The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals
by Mary K. Greer
Reversals are used by some tarot readers, and never or only occasionally by others. If you'd like to know more about reversed cards and how they can be interpreted in various contexts, Greer's book is one of the best on the topic. When the title says complete, it really is – and it's worth it.
3
Kitchen Table Tarot: Pull Up a Chair, Shuffle the Cards, and Let's Talk Tarot
by Melissa Cynova
Kitchen Table Tarot hits a sweet spot between the novice and advanced tarot reader. It's an excellent read covering history, spreads, and modern tarot perspectives. An informal approach is taken throughout the book making it different to your usual, rigid “lesson-style” tarot book.
4
The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings
by Brigit Esselmont aka Biddy Tarot
Covers the entire span of 78 cards. What's great about this book is its brief, thorough explanations – and the fact that it goes with the most common and memorable explanations for each card, guaranteeing that you're getting a great education in standard tarot meanings.
5
by Ronald Decker
Ronald Decker presents one of the very best books for regular readers of anything historical. This book explores the history of tarot usage as a method of divination, and dips into further mentions of tarot throughout occult history. The book keeps it factual, and research is very well sourced from start to end.
6
Tarot Games: 45 Playful Ways to Explore Tarot Cards Together
by Cait Johnson
Let's not forget that tarot has its uses as a playable card deck, too. Tarot Games considers 45 different activities that involve a standard deck. Games and rules are explained in a simple, thorough format.
7
by Amber Jayanti
The For Dummies-series is comprehensive, especially for first introductions (and later re-introductions) to a subject. Here's their volume on tarot, containing all the correspondence tables and extra resources that you'd expect from it. If you haven't read tarot before or for a while, start here.
8
How to Read Tarot: A Modern Guide
by Jessica Wiggan
A Modern Guide sticks to the information that every tarot reader should have, but discards the old-fashioned style in which some vintage tarot books were written. Expect correspondence tables, plain language explanations, and a lot of getting-to-the-point. That's why this book is great!
9
Tarot Correspondences: Ancient Secrets for Everyday Readers
by Susan Chang
Tarot Correspondences is your must-have book for intensive tarot study, or for making your own notes. Correspondence tables are a quick way to condense a lot of information, but digging for them in a hundred books can take up your time. Here's a great reference, collecting several of the most common correspondences.
10
Llewellyn's Complete Book of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot
by Sasha Graham
Llewellyn is one of the world's largest mystical publishers, and their guides are a good start for anyone who is interested in more serious reading. A great starting book and reference for more experienced readers, the Complete Book covers each card and their meanings in extreme depth.
11
The Pictorial Key to the Tarot
by A.E. Waite
A must have for your tarot library. Arthur Edward Waite was instrumental in the creation of the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot, probably the most iconic and well known deck. If you want to go way back in tarot history to one of the very first volumes, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot is an essential read.
12
Tarot and Astrology: Enhance Your Readings With the Wisdom of the Zodiac
by Corrine Kenner
Astrology is a subject that not all tarot enthusiasts feel they want to explore further. If you want a book angled solely towards the astrological interpretations of the cards, Kenner's text contains all the information you might want to know.
13
Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot
by Lon Milo DuQuette
The Thoth deck is one of the most famous decks out there, with minor differences in the numbering (and often interpretation) of cards you'll find in other decks. DuQuette is a long-term student and lifelong occultist who presents one of the most in-depth looks into the origins and meaning of the cards here. Recommended reading for fans of Crowley, or new owners of the Thoth tarot.
14
by Aleister Crowley
The Book of Thoth was an essay published in Crowley's Equinox publication first, but can now be found as a republished, standalone book. As a tarot reader or mystic moving into Crowley-esque history or study, this could be called one piece of required reading material. It's from the Beast's mouth, and a good companion to DuQuette's explanatory text.
15
The Complete Book of Tarot Spreads
by Evelin Burger & Johannes Fiebig
Covers the art of how tarot cards should be packed. As any experienced tarot reader will tell you, spreads are one of the most interesting parts of tarot study. The book also provides some instruction on how readers can create and interpret their own spreads for various situations.
Editor’s Note
My absolute favourite tarot book is Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom: A Book of Tarot by Rachel Pollack. This Is a next level book - not so much for a quick reference or to check correspondances, but more for when you’re ready to delve deeply into each card. It’s an essential book for fleshing out your practice and building deeper relationships with the archetypes, symbolic language and spirits of the tarot.
Which tarot books would you consider part of your essential reading list and why? Share share share!
