Pictorial Key to the Tarot

by Arthur Edward Waite

Book Overview

The classic text for the Rider-Waite deck. Discusses the major and minor arcana, what each card means, reversed card meanings, and how to do a basic reading.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0877282188
• ISBN13: 9780877282181
• Release Date: January 2008
• Publisher: Weiser Books
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.0" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

The Pictorial Key to the Tarot

This is the book written by one of the creators of the most iconic and well-known Tarot deck, A.E. Waite. He breaks down the history of the Tarot, the symbolism in each card, how it all connects to Kabbalah/Qabalah, and the key words and various meanings for each card. I would argue that for anyone who wants to learn the art of Tarot reading and enhance their knowledge on the subject, look no further than this book!

Waite was a surprisingly terrible author.

If your goal in buying this book is clarity on the major arcane forget it. Although the author does an above average explanation for the minor cards, the truly lack of guidance on the major arcane is unforgivable. Perhaps modern tarot has simply evolved past Mr. Waite. I personally thought the money spend on this book could have been better used in my spiritual journey.

Great addition to my growing tarot collection.

Happy to have this in my growing little tarot collection but to be very honest, it was a tough read sometimes. It might be fine to flip through for help with meanings, but I read all the ready parts and had a hard time of it. I'm not going to lower the star ratings because of the way my brain is wired.

Wonderful gem of a book!

This Kindle version of the classic book on Tarot, has all the beautiful artwork and interpretations needed become a true fortune teller. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the occult. This is a great place to start! --Matt (editor)

An Awesome Book

I finally got the Rider Waite tarot and I was impressed with that, it was the first modern tarot card deck and it became the standard that all other decks are judged by. Arthur Waite was a master of the arcane and a famous person and Golden Dawn member from its heyday in the late 1800s and early 1900s. You could get this book just as a sampling of the greatness of the author Mr. Waite and the occult mastery he stood for. But as a referance for his own masterpiece the Rider Waite tarot it is indespensible and thee source for more information on the cards other than that given in the instruction booklet. The beginning of the book is a history of the tarot cards and then the meanings of the cards with pictures of each individual card. The meanings of the cards themselves take up one page each and the picture of each card also takes up one page each. As for the ease of reading, I would say if you can go to at least a division III university and pass English 101 or any other English class numbered 100 or higher, you could read almost anything. The thing about these books available for enjoyment that you can buy at bookstores is they don't use very big words, just technical information as it pertains to the sibject. Something like the 4 of cups if you didn't have a previous knowledge of tarot that might confuse someone. They do not use geeky versions of words, for example the word hate they would not use in a published book the word "animosity" as a synonym for the word hate. If you can read and enjoy Stephen King than you might like occult literature.

A good place to start

This book is my first exsperince with tarot. It is helping me learn quite well.It gives great difanitions of the cards & thare reversed means.

Essential, but leaving me yearning for more

Having delved into modern tarot explanations, it was a blessing for me to come across this jewel from the creator himself. The reading was long, and long, and long, and boring. Only because I am the type of person that can run for 3 hours on a treadmill, did I find it also entertaining. The bottom line is though, who better to learn from then the creator of something. Waite explains and demystifies a lot; the main point, "Physician, heal thyself" Go with what comes to you.A must for anyone striving to be a diviner of the Waite deck.