A Cultural History of Tarot

A Cultural History of Tarot
Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages : 286
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780857711823
ISBN-13 : 0857711822
Rating : 4/5 (822 Downloads)

Book Synopsis A Cultural History of Tarot by : Helen Farley

Download or read book A Cultural History of Tarot written by Helen Farley and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2009-08-13 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The enigmatic and richly illustrative tarot deck reveals a host of strange and iconic mages, such as The Tower, The Wheel of Fortune, The Hanged Man and The Fool: over which loom the terrifying figures of Death and The Devil. The 21 numbered playing cards of tarot have always exerted strong fascination, way beyond their original purpose, and the multiple resonances of the deck are ubiquitous. From T S Eliot and his 'wicked pack of cards' in "The Waste Land" to the psychic divination of Solitaire in Ian Fleming's "Live and Let Die"; and from the satanic novels of Dennis Wheatley to the deck's adoption by New Age practitioners, the cards have in modern times become inseparably connected to the occult. They are now viewed as arguably the foremost medium of prophesying and foretelling. Yet, as the author shows, originally the tarot were used as recreational playing cards by the Italian nobility in the Renaissance. It was only much later, in the 18th and 19th centuries, that the deck became associated with esotericism before evolving finally into a diagnostic tool for mind, body and spirit. This is the first book to explore the remarkably varied ways in which tarot has influenced culture. Tracing the changing patterns of the deck's use, from game to mysterious oracular device, Helen Farley examines tarot's emergence in 15th century Milan and discusses its later associations with astrology, kabbalah and the Age of Aquarius.


A Cultural History of Tarot Related Books

A Cultural History of Tarot
Language: en
Pages: 286
Authors: Helen Farley
Categories: Religion
Type: BOOK - Published: 2009-08-13 - Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The enigmatic and richly illustrative tarot deck reveals a host of strange and iconic mages, such as The Tower, The Wheel of Fortune, The Hanged Man and The Foo
The Lady and the Beast
Language: en
Pages: 257
Authors: Deja Whitehouse
Categories: Art
Type: BOOK - Published: 2024 - Publisher: Oxford University Press

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Although Lady Harris is acknowledged as the artist of Aleister Crowley's Book of Thoth, to date, most studies have focused predominantly on Harris's role as Cro
Storytelling in the Modern Board Game
Language: en
Pages: 233
Authors: Marco Arnaudo
Categories: Games & Activities
Type: BOOK - Published: 2018-08-28 - Publisher: McFarland

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Over the years, board games have evolved to include relatable characters, vivid settings and compelling, intricate plotlines. In turn, players have become more
Imagining the Celtic Past in Modern Fantasy
Language: en
Pages: 233
Authors: Dimitra Fimi
Categories: Literary Criticism
Type: BOOK - Published: 2023-02-23 - Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Focusing on representations of Celtic motifs and traditions in post-1980s adult fantasy literature, this book illuminates how the historical, the mythological a
They Believed That?
Language: en
Pages: 489
Authors: William E. Burns
Categories: Science
Type: BOOK - Published: 2022-12-01 - Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This encyclopedia is the perfect guide to the weird, magical, superstitious, and supernatural beliefs of people from all over the world. This book is devoted to