The Tarot: Book Review

I’ve read several books by Adam Fronteras  and I’m always impressed with his ability to cut through the fluff and get right down to core issues.

This ability to get to the heart of the subject is particularly evident in his book The Tarot: The Traditional Tarot Reinterpreted for the Modern World. Mr. Fronteras has managed to pack vital information on the Tarot in under 200 pages.  This book is an absolute must-have for beginner and expert alike.

Why? For several reasons.

No Hype

Adam sweeps away a lot of the hype and stereotypical nonsense that is associated with the Tarot.  In his book The Tarot, Adam takes a common-sense, practical approach.  He cites historical, cultural, mythological sources which makes reasoning out the history and meaning of the cards straight-forward and easily understandable.  He also clearly explains how the Tarot has been sculpted by humankind over the centuries and why this impact our views of the Tarot today.

Historical Relevance

Honestly, most Tarot histories are utterly boring.  Even worse, many historical theories are simply ludicrous.  It is clear Mr. Fronteras is an authority on the subject as well as passionate about the Tarot.  The historical section of his book is remarkably thoughtful and accurate.  Furthermore, Adam walks through the brilliantly diverse evolution of the Tarot in an entertaining manner which engages the reader wholly.

Innovative Interpretations

There are countless books about the meanings of Tarot cards.  You can do yourself a favor by setting most of these aside and reading Adam’s book.  His interpretations of the cards are superior.  He has included both major AND minor arcana card meanings (many books only give you the major arcana card meanings).  His interpretations are thorough, meaningful and he often draws on historical/mythological sources, which I appreciated immensely (it helps the mind understand meanings more clearly when we can trace back to a source).  The Tarot book also includes archetypal observations which is a priceless aspect when learning/utilizing the Tarot.  For every card in the deck Adam offers an overview of the card, the prime-root meaning, reversal meanings and astrological influences are cited for major Arcana cards.

Portable

The Tarot book is 5×7 inches.  This makes it extremely portable.  I love this because it’s easy to take with me while I’m on-the-go.  I often carry The Tarot in my book bag and refer to it often during down-time.  I’m always amazed at new information I glean from the pages too.  The size of this book also makes it inconspicuous in public – easy to stow away if you don’t like wandering eyes viewing what you’re reading.

Fully Illustrated

Let’s be honest.  Who doesn’t like pictures?  I have a hard time getting jazzed over a Tarot book with no pictures, and thankfully Adam has included brilliant images for every card, plus other relevant pictures throughout his book.  It’s a visually enticing book and emphasizes the importance of visual symbolism too.

As if these points of contention aren’t enough to convince you of the value of Adam Fronteras’ book The Tarot, you might also like to know he’s included six different Tarot spread samples to assist with your readings.  I particularly appreciated the Astrological Circle spread which is a thirteen card spread which offers clarity about activities taking place in personal astrological houses.  I found his spreads to be valuable and his instructions easy to follow.

It should be clear I highly recommend the book The Tarot: The Traditional Tarot Reinterpreted for the Modern World by Adam Fronteras.

Get your copy here!

Reviewed by Avia Venefica of www.whats-your-sign.com