Dictionary of Tarot

Dictionary of the Tarot by Bill Butler Review by Michele Jackson

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This book, written in 1975 is an excellent resource for interpretations. At the time it was; written, there were not nearly as many different decks available as there are today and; there were fewer books on the subject as well. The author took what was available to him; at that time and consolidated it into an easy to use and fairly comprehensive reference; work. The book starts with some tarot history and background, including a section on the; Book of Thoth. This is followed by the dictionary sections. There is a section for each; Suit which gives various Tarot writers views on the suit. Each card description has two; sections. The first describes how the card is illustrated in various decks and the second; give interpretations from different authors. The decks described are: Marseilles,; Waite-Smith, Aquarian, Thoth and New Tarot for the Minor Arcana; the Major Arcana; descriptions include the previous and the Grigonnuer, Bembo, Swiss, Insight, Italian,; Wirth and B.O.T.A. The writers quoted are: Case, Crowley, Douglas, Gray, Grimaud,; Huson, Kahn, Kaplan, Mathers, Papus, Thierens and Waite for the Minors; the previous; and Christian, The Golden Dawn, Knight, Lind, Mayananda, Sadhu, and Ussher for the; Majors. There is also a suggested interpretation, presumably written by the author. Some; of these authors are rather obscure, but they had written Tarot books, mostly in Europe at; the time Butler wrote this book. The book is illustrated with line drawings of cards from; several decks. There is a brief section on divination and a short dictionary of symbols as; well. Overall this book is an excellent addition to ones Tarot library.
: Dictionary of the Tarot; Author: Bill Butler; ISBN: 0-8052-0559-4

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Excerpt

It is incredible the amount of nonsense that has been written over the past 170

years regarding the Tarot cards and the “science” of fortune telling with their assistance.

From the eighteenth century Parisian barber, Alliette, down to present day ‘experts’ book

after book has been produced to prove that the Tarot derives from the ancient Egyptians,

from Mahatmas in Tibet, from the Gypsies, from the Kabbala, from Chinese Sages or from

Arcane sources too esoteric to be named.

This book attempts to look at the symbolism of the cards themselves and at the

commentaries on the Tarot by a number of writers. Based upon these two sources a

theory of the Tarot is formulated which works for this writer and may work as a way

station for someone else.