Great book. He takes the mystery out of the Tarot. His discriptions are eye-opening and real. I love his take on the real history of the tarot and takes the myth out of it.

If you are into tarot you need to read this.
Rating: 5 / 5

The Tarot is one of the most distorted and misrepresented of all cultural artifacts. All too many writers pushing the divinatory uses of these cards, cling to outdated myths and pseudo-history. Place’s mostly accurate and exceptional book on Tarot history is a breath of fresh air.

The earliest Tarot cards appeared in northern Italy during the 15th century and they were originally used to play a trick taking card game. What many now call the “Major Arcana” were intended to be a trump suit in this card game. One of the greatest strengths of this book is how it places the traditional images of Tarot in the context of the ideas prevalent during the Italian Renaissance. I would recommend this title not only to those interested in Tarot symbolism but also to enthusiasts of Medieval and Renaissance history.

I have only one criticism of this book and it concerns Place’s biased notions of what constitutes “modern Tarot” Occult Tarot is not the only form of “modern Tarot” and contrary to what it says in the text, not all modern Tarot decks are derived from the Tarot de Marseilles.

The Tarot card game did not stop being played because of Antoine Court de Gébelin’s “Monde Primitif” The 18th century was a pivotal one for Tarot history. Besides the beginnings of occult Tarot sparked by de Gébelin’s work, German card makers of the 18th century also began making Tarot cards with the French suit symbols of hearts, spades, diamonds, and clubs with trump images which differ considerably from the older Marseilles Tarot and these types of Tarot cards are used today for the Tarot and Tarock card games of France and central Europe. Also during the 18th century, bidding was introduced into the Tarot card games making this a more complex and sophisticated family of card games. It should be understood that the occult Tarot is only one branch of modern Tarot and I’m a little disappointed that Place neglects to mention French suited Tarot decks and modern Tarot game playing.
Rating: 4 / 5

Since other reviewers have done a fine job of the long and detailed review, as well as the short and succinct, I’ll not be long here with my thoughts. I would like to comment that this book is wonderfully thorough without being overly long or repetitious. In addition, it is well thought out in its presentation of the material Place wanted to cover. It’s a great little refresher course on Hermeticism, Neoplatonism, and later how that influenced Renaissance thought and culture, where the Tarot came into first flower. While the book wasn’t dry or pedantic, it clearly sets a certain intellectually rigorous tone not found in many (or perhaps most) current Tarot books. In other words, it made me sit up and pay attention. I’m very glad I did. I also am finding Place’s concept of the three card reading to be quite an original way to access the messages from the Tarot. Whole heartedly recommended.
Rating: 5 / 5