Arlene Tognetti

I bought this book thinking that it would be mainly a collection of tarot spreads, much like the other books on tarot spreads I've read. Arlene Tognetti had already written The Complete Idiot's Guide to Tarot, and I figured that would cover the basics of how to read tarot cards, leaving the authors free to focus on intermediate reading techniques in this book. As it turns out, this is a book for beginners as well. But I think it would be confusing for an absolute beginner because it leaps right into talking about spreads: you learn how many cards a tarot deck has on page 6 and are introduced to the Three Card Spread on page 7. And while this book does mainly focus on tarot spreads, there aren't as many distinct spreads as I had hoped. Some example readings are given, but often the question isn't stated, which I thought made it harder to interpret the spread.

But there are good points too. The book is well-illustrated, and each spread has a clear layout diagram. While there aren't that many different spreads for a book this size, the authors do a fine job of showing how you can use one spread for different kinds of questions. For instance, the Seven Card Spread is given as a general all-purpose spread for past-present-future, a spread for examining your learning and spirituality, and a spread for using your spiritual knowledge. Beginners are likely to appreciate the chapters on recognizing patterns in a spread, figuring out timing, and a checklist for beginners to get them through a reading. I think advanced beginners would probably get the most out of this book (if they can find a copy; as I write this, the book is out of print).… (mere)