LINKS: If links do not work when you click on them, please right-click and open in a new window (apologies—it’s a known glitch in this software). 

Tarot General and History

Tarot and Divination Cards: A Visual Archive by Laetitia Barbier
If you get only one book for this course, make it this one. Full of insightful commentary and history, it’s also packed with extraordinary color plates and photos, making it an exquisite coffee table book as well as an in-depth resource. And it’s a steal at $29—similar books usually sell for triple the price. 

The Marseille Tarot Revealed: A Complete Guide to Symbolism, Meanings, & Methods by Yoav Ben-Dov  
A very thorough system for reading with the Marseille deck (the “open” system that I recommend), including the minor cards. Highly recommended!

Tarot: The Open Reading by Yoav Ben-Dov
This is the book that lays out the “open” reading method in great detail. This was the method I was using on my own, but when I read this book, I finally had a name for it. And he explains it in exceptional detail.

Tarot Triumphs: Using the Marseille Tarot Trumps for Divination and Inspiration by Cherry Gilchrist
The title sums it up. A great book on how to do readings, including her “Fool’s Mirror” spread that uses the entire set of 22 majors. 

Untold Tarot: The Lost Art of Reading Ancient Tarots by Caitlin Matthews
Covers other ancient decks, not just the Marseille, and has a number of reading methods, including a great system for the minor (pip) cards if you want to use the full deck. Highly recommended.

The Way of Tarot: The Spiritual Teacher in the Cards by Alejandro Jodorowsky and Marianna Costa
This is a wonderful, visionary, deep book that I consider essential, but take Jodo’s history with a grain of salt. Please read this, even if you don’t read with a Marseille deck—it’s packed full of wisdom, and Jodo is a modern tarot master. 

The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination by Robert M. Place
One of my favorites. Robert’s Alchemical Tarot is one of the only modern decks I use, and this book is packed with history and esoterica.

Medieval Number Symbolism: Its Sources, Meaning, and Influence on Thought and Expression by Vincent Foster Hopper
The best way to understand the numerology of the tarot is to understand how 15th century Europeans conceptualized the symbolism of numbers. This book does just that.

Mystical Origins of the Tarot: From Ancient Roots to Modern Usage by Paul Huson 
A great analysis of the history, including some of the more esoteric theories (but refreshingly free of the BS).

A Cultural History of Tarot: From Entertainment to Esotericism by Helen Farley
Another excellent history, with a particular focus on the cultural influence of tarot. 

Smith-Waite Books

Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack
A spectacular book by the late and dearly beloved Rachel Pollack about the Smith-Waite tarot, very in-depth, with detailed information about each card and lots of practical exercises. For many, this is the bible of Arthur and Pamela’s creation.

Secrets of the Waite-Smith Tarot: The True Story of the World’s Most Popular Tarot by Marcus Katz and Tali Goodwin
A very deep dive into the deck and the lives, art, and thinking of A. E. Waite and Pamela Colman Smith. You will never look at the cards in same way, and you’ll have rich insights into Pamela’s art and its inspiration in the places where she lived.

Thoth Tarot (Crowley)

The Book of Thoth (Egyptian Tarot) by Aleister Crowley
If you want to understand the cards straight from the originator, this is the book. But fair warning: Crowley’s prose is dense, and it helps to have an understanding of Thelema and his magical philosophy. If this is too daunting, I recommend the following:

Understanding Aleister Crowley’s Thoth Tarot: New Edition by Lon Milo DuQuette
An eminently clear and concise guide to the Thoth tarot, and also a great introduction to Crowley’s religion of Thelema and his magical system. If you want to use the Thoth deck, start here. Then, if you’re up for it, go to Crowley’s original writing. You’ll thank me 😁

Tarot and Magic

Tarot Magic: Ceremonial Magic Using Golden Dawn Correspondences by Donald Tyson
A complete system of practical ritual magic that only uses tarot cards. A great way to get a taste of the magical use of tarot cards (through the Golden Dawn lens). If the complexity of Golden Dawn magic is not appealing, pass on this one, and instead check out the others below.

Tarot & Magic: The Treasure House of Images by Gareth Knight
Occultist Gareth Knight is one of my favorite writers on tarot and magic. This short but insightful book contains history, archetypal meanings for each card, rituals, and pathworkings. You can get really deep with this book! 

The Magical World of the Tarot: Fourfold Mirror of the Universe by Gareth Knight
Another gem from Knight and a complement to the previous book.

Meditations on the Tarot: A Journey into Christian Hermeticism by Anonymous
Can Catholicism and tarot mix? Absolutely! This book offers a treasure of insight into the Marseille deck even if you have no interest in Christianity. I have returned to it numerous times over the years. It also serves as a wonderful introduction to Christian Hermeticism and the Christian contemplative tradition.

The Inner Guide Meditation: A Spiritual Technology for the 21st Century by Edwin C Steinbrecher
A powerful and transformative program for engaging with tarot, astrology, inner journeying, psychology, alchemy, and Kabbalah. I was blown away by the results from some of these exercises. Good stuff, but requires discipline and substantial time commitment.