Torch and Lyre Book Reviews

Complete Book of Tarot Spreads

2009-03-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

Complete Book of Tarot Spreads
By: Evelin Burger & Johannes Fiebig

Sometimes you really do just need a quick spread that's already tailor made for your particular situation. This book goes beyond that, providing you with not only the basic one card daily draw, but other spreads to explore the possible future, pressing issues in the present, and even hidden weaknesses.

The cover touts over 122 layouts and each one can be tweaked to the preference of the reader. It starts off fairly basic, giving simple instructions on how to interpret the cards, a short glossary of tarot terms, and color correspondences within the first few chapters. From there you are taken straight into the spreads. The creative uses of 1-3 card spreads are definitely worth a view.

Each spread is charted out using illustrations of the card positions and sequences along with explanations as to what each position means and how the cards can be read in connection with each other.

Example Spreads:

Tendencies and Perspectives

Talent and Chance

The Path of Desires

Present and Future

Favorite Card (And what it could mean for you)

Who is this book for?

For tarot enthusiasts of all levels, particularly those who may enjoy trying out a plethora of different spreads to add to their repertoire.

Rating: *****

Learning Tarot Spreads

2009-03-20T12:07:00.000-07:00

Learning Tarot Spreads
By: Joan Bunning

Before you rush out to buy a book on various tarot spreads that may or may not work for you, I would definitely recommend Bunning's Learning Tarot Spreads. Providing information on popular 3-5 card spreads, the book also explains the mechanisms of larger spreads as well as how to create your own layouts that will provide you with the kind of information you need in order to read for yourself or your clients effectively.

The "Flex Spread" is probably one of my favorite models, as I can take a simple 3-5 cards and alternating their positional meanings I am able to make hundreds of different spreads.

My Flex Spread examples:

3 Card;

Obstacle, Influence, Advice

5 Card;

Past Influence, Present Circumstance, Querent's Attitude, Coming Influence, Advice

The handy position reference guide towards the end of the book, allows the reader to explore how to position can change the overall meaning of the card based on WHO the person is reading for and what kind of question is being asked.

Who is this book for?

I'd say this book is for the intermediate to advanced tarot reader.

My Rating: *****

Learning the Tarot

2009-03-20T11:27:00.000-07:00

Learning the Tarot: A Tarot Book for Beginners
By: Joan Bunning

While not providing as many descriptions of card meanings as some other books, Bunning's Learning the Tarot provides the new tarot reader with exercises to help strengthen understanding of the cards and their archetypes as well as offering in depth information on how to interpret single cards and cards in relation to each other in spreads.

Joan Bunning is known for also providing a completely free course to learn tarot online. I believe the website offers much of the same material that can be found in the book, though I'm one of those people who enjoys having tangible pages in her hands to turn.

I cannot say that I like this book as much as I enjoyed Tarot Plain and Simple, but while Learning the Tarot does not include the same lay out of upright vs. reversed available in the previously mentioned books, there are exercises available that show more "how" to interpret the reversed cards. I feel this is one place where other books may fall short, as offering reversal definitions works fine for key words and getting an idea of how they work- when it comes to examining them in a spread, often times the reversal takes on a completely different meaning.

Learning how to interpret reversals in their own right can help erase some of the confusion surrounding these circumstances.

Who is this book for?

Definitely for the beginner, but also for those who may need extra help learning how to interpret reversals and spreads moreso then understanding singular upright card meanings. If you have the chance, check out Bunning's website as well and use it as a study guide along with this book.

My Rating: ****

Tarot Plain and Simple

2009-03-20T10:58:00.001-07:00

Tarot Plain and Simple
By: Anthony Louis

With illustrations from the Robin Wood tarot deck, Tarot Plain and Simple is one of my favorite quick references for individual cards. Whether I'm looking for quick key words to jar my memory, situational ideas as to how a court card can be used as "advice" or the numerological associations of a particular card- this book offers this kind of information in a quick and concise format, all while providing ample explanation of the "traditional" meanings of the cards as according to the RWS system.

Before jumping into the Major and Minor Arcana, the book starts off by giving you a review of the tarot, a short chapter on how to spread and interpret the cards, and finally the story of The Fool all the way to The World card.

Each card is given the same amount of detail with meanings dished out as such;

Upright
Key Words and Phrases
Situation and Advice
People
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[card name] Reversed
Key Words and Phrases
Situation and Advice
People

Who is this book for?

While it seems as if the book is geared towards absolute beginners as an intermediate I find this book to be an invaluable resource if only for a quick reference. While it doesn't go as deeply into discovering the symbolism for one self as some other books, it can help one become acquainted with thinking "tarot-ilogically."

My Rating: ****