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Rating: 
Summary: modernized, less romantic view of the Tarot
Review: Learning to read the Tarot can be a daunting process--according to stuff you see on the 'Net you have to be a professor in Celtic (and Egyptian, medieval Christian, etc.) antiquities to even begin. Benares' makes the Tarot more accessible for the amateur and offers interpretations that make sense for OUR times, instead of the middle ages. I especially liked Benares' description of the suits. Each suit addresses a broad, important aspect of human life, and Benares was able to articulate this clearly, equating the suits to the spiritual, intellectual, emotional and material aspects of life. These are aspects that are applicable to life in the 21st century as much as they were in the 16th century when the Tarot was first devised. Benares didn't offer a plethora of spreads, but he did offer more than the standard Celtic spread. In addition, he included full sample readings, which will really help the novice reader begin to understand how meaning is derived from the layout and arrangement of the cards. While I am not interested in reading Tarot for money, Benares does address a chapter to this aspiration, and his advice seems intelligent. My only criticism of this book would be that Benares' tone seems a little authoritarian at times, which might discourage the novice from really exploring his/her own interpretations. In addition, there seems to be a touch of sexism in Benares' interpretations. These are minor issues, though, and should not keep you from trying the book. I have not used this book as a stand-alone resource for understanding the Tarot, but I would definitely rate it as one of my essential Tarot references.
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