Tarot: History, Mystery, and Lore - Cynthia Giles

This book is not a book on how to read the cards. It provides no interpretations, no spreads, no instructions on how to care for your cards. It does provide a well researched history of the Tarot, separating the historically documented from conjecture, speculation and wishful thinking. It traces the evolution of esoteric Tarot from the predecessors of the Golden Dawn, up to the present, including a section on esoteric thought and quantum physics. Major figures in Tarot thought are discussed, including Count de Gebelen, Eliphas Levi, Papus, Crowley and Waite. There is a short section describing various decks and an outstanding bibliography of Tarot books. The bibliography gives s brief review of each book listed and a sample paragraph from the book to give you a feel for the writers style.