A History of the Occult Tarot: 1870-1970 - Softcover

Decker, Ronald; Dummett, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1468308599 ISBN 13: 9781468308594

Publisher: Overlook Pr, 2013

Synopsis

Starting with the late 19th century, the authors—art historian and antique card curator Ronald Decker and former Oxford logic professor Michael Dummett—examine how the Tarot went from a deck used simply for card games to being the favored divination tool of occultists, a bridge to the spirit world, and even a map of the unconscious mind. Looking at the people and organizations who adopted the Tarot, ranging from the Theosophical Society and Aleister Crowley to the Order of the Golden Dawn and P.D. Ouspensky, this compelling scholarly look at Tarot’s occult history describes many of the fascinating decks used by occultists as well as the secret histories of magical and occult groups of the late 19th century through contemporary times. It is one of the essential histories of the subject and a key volume for the libraries of all serious students of Tarot.

About this title

Review:

'... entertaining and enlightening... Watkins plays Aubrey to the many remarkable personalities who populated old Fleet Street, defining this lost world through a series of splendid pen portraits.'- Matthew d'Ancona, Sunday Telegraph; 'This short book is the finest account of journalism I have ever read. Literate members of the public should by it because it is the wittiest book of the year. Undergraduate students of media studies should buy it without fail, for there is more practical information in it than in a hundred lectures...'- Brian Walden, Literary Review; 'I chuckled over every page of this splendid book, the genius of which lies in the detail...'- Peregrine Worsthorne, Independent on Sunday; 'A hilarious read.' - Robert Blake, Daily Telegraph Books of the Year; 'A Short Walk Down Fleet Street... is an incomparable portrait of a particular era and way of life, and is impossible to recommend too highly.' - Peter Oborne, Sunday Express

About the Author:

Ronald Decker is an art historian and curator of a notable collection of antique cards at the United States Playing-Card Company, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Michael Dummett (1925-2011) was Wykeham Professor of Logic at Oxford 1979-1992, and is the author ofThe Game of Tarot and other acclaimed books on Tarot, including A Wicked Pack of Cards (coauthored with Ronald Decker).

About this edition

• Publisher: Overlook Pr
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1468308599
• ISBN 13: 9781468308594
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 379