December 2010

Available June 2011 and pre-ordering is available (and encouraged!)

Edited by Emily E. Auger, Tarot in Culture is a multi-author anthology of papers on Tarot.

The collection includes twenty-nine papers by artists and scholars, a foreword by Rachel Pollack, an introduction by the editor, many in-text black-and-white illustrations, and 24 colour plates. Contributions are organized in four parts: History and Innovation, Tarot in the Arts, The Art of Tarot, and Special Topics and Primary Sources. Papers range in type from original, in-depth, well documented studies of Tarot history, art, and literature to unique artists' statements and other primary source documents. This collection will be of interest to scholars working in many fields and to anyone who studies Tarot.

Reviews by Arthur Rosengarten and Elizabeth Sklar, the table of contents, and purchasing information are available at the Association for Tarot Studies website: http://association.tarotstudies.org/tarotinculture.html

The Story of the Waite-Smith Tarot by K. Frank Jensen.

Frank Jensen has long been amongst the key players in presenting information on the development of this important deck in the history of Tarot. We now have the opportunity to read on this deck's history during its key phases during the past 100 years.

Editor's note - I have this book and I couldn't put it down!  The story of how this deck came into being, how A. E. Waite and Pamela Coleman Smith, through following their own paths, came together to create something that transcends not only themselves but also time, is a fascinating read.  I was pleasantly surprised to find good coverage of Pixie, of whom I knew little about up to that point.  Anyone interested in Tarot, whether they use this particular deck or not, should read this book!