Tarot novels.

[gregory]

I would say absolutely YES !

 

But tastes do differ....

[Agnes]

I have been struggling to remember the title of a novel I read ages, ago, probably in the 90s.  It's about a family with two adult sisters estranged from each other.  One is young widow who reads tarot on a psychic phone line; her dead husband is sort of a saint to their local community.  The other has I think rejected all spirituality.  There's some mystery and a powerful businessman targeting the family (I think) who sends an investigator? reporter? who falls in love with the non-reader sister.  Something about the teenage son of the reading sister maybe inheriting something?  

 

All very vague but I want to read it again.  It was a short novel and focused on the dynamics between the characters not metaphysics but I thought someone here might remember it.

[MuninnMissinHuginn]

@Agnes

 

Perhaps you have already checked here, but just in case…..

 

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/126734.Tarot_in_Novels

 

and here

 

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/5230.Stories_Where_Tarot_Reading_Plays_A_Role

 

and

 

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/psychics-fiction

Edited August 20, 2022 by MuninnMissinHuginn

[Agnes]

It’s not on any of those lists but thank you, @MuninnMissinHuginn, there are a lot of books on them that are new to me. 

[Eric13]

I believe in one of the books I read by Roberto Balano he goes into about how the only people spared in Paris during the French revolution were known tarot card readers. Ive read all his books so I can't recall which one it. Also Nightmare Alley was a good one. I've never read Flemings Live and Let Die, but the movie had an extensive part using tarot. His first Bond book, Casino Royale is actually good!

[Raggydoll]

On 9/20/2019 at 5:00 PM, gregory said:

Andromeda Klein. WONDERFUL stuff.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andromeda_Klein

I second this. A page turner that is so well researched! It’s by far the best tarot-related fiction I’ve read. 
 

The fortune teller wasn’t bad either, I enjoyed reading it. I thought the author went a bit too far in certain places, though over all, an entertaining read. It’s however not one I’d bother buying if you can borrow it from a library. 

[MuninnMissinHuginn]

19 hours ago, Agnes said:

It’s not on any of those lists but thank you

 

Darn!  I too have looked for older half remembered titles.   I hope you have better luck than me!

[FLizarraga]

There is a novel by metaphysical British author Charles William called The Greater Trumps (1932); I have not read it yet, but his other books are excellent. I seem to remember there is a character based on Aleister Crowley, but I might be thinking of William Somerset Maugham's The Magus.

 

Not a novel, but Tarot connoisseuse extraordinaire Rachel Pollack has a book of Tarot-related short stories called Tarot Tales.

 

John Crowley's great fantasy novel Little, Big features a Tarot-like pack of divination cards; the cards are described here https://littlebig25.com/PerpetualCrowleyInterview.shtml (This Crowley is not related to the other Crowley, AFAIK.)

 

Last but not least, I'd like to mention "The Least Trumps," a story by Elizabeth Hand, one of my favorite writers ever. I know, not a novel and not precisely about Tarot, but it does feature a deck of magic cards and it's simply wonderful, one of those stories that makes your day.

Edited July 20, 2024 by FLizarraga

[Agnes]

20 minutes ago, FLizarraga said:

John Crowley's great fantasy novel Little, Big features a Tarot-like pack of divination cards; the cards are described here https://littlebig25.com/PerpetualCrowleyInterview.shtml (This Crowley is not related to the other Crowley, AFAIK.)

I’m rereading Little, Big for the umpteenth time and it’s as splendid as ever. I’ve always wondered if anyone put together a set of the trumps described in there. 

[FLizarraga]

1 hour ago, Agnes said:

I’m rereading Little, Big for the umpteenth time and it’s as splendid as ever. I’ve always wondered if anyone put together a set of the trumps described in there. 

 

I seem to recall that an artist was trying to create a deck based on the novel, but that was long ago and I don't think anything came of it.

 

I need to reread it. The ending is so bittersweet, you cry and laugh at the same time.

[Jadis]

On 7/7/2018 at 11:07 AM, Ratty said:

Piers Anthony wrote a book called Tarot, originally published as a trilogy. It's been many years since I read it, but I don't think it was his best work. IIRC it started as an SF updating of the Fool's journey on another planet, comparing and contrasting the ideas of religion in a way that was far too esoteric for anyone not into tarot already, which at the time I wasn't.

 

I vaguely recall Aleister Crowley turning up as the Thoth deck Chariot, but I may have been dreaming that. Perhaps he was The Devil. I may give it a reread.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tarot-Piers-Anthony/dp/0586206183/

 

When I read his book Cluster I was really interested in how he had one alien race elevate the concept of tarot to a science based religion that they based their culture on. I remember it was hard to wrap my mind around some the philosophical applications he wrote about since I didn't have a lot of knowledge about tarot at that time. I'd be interesting to revisit now and see if I get more out of it. I didn't know that he had a series that was specifically about tarot as well, I'll have to check that out.

[Wooden_Nickel]

I'll suggest an oldie but a goodie, The Finger and the Moon by Geoffrey Ashe (1973). Recommended particularly for anyone with nostalgia for the occult scene of the late '60s and early '70s, or King Arthur devotees.

[gregory]

Goodness, nobody has mentioned Charles Williams: The Greater Trumps. I just re-read it after it came up in a thread here; it's lovely. And I liked it a lot better this time.

[Deian]

Two more that were influencing for us, one way or another when it comes to Tarot.

 

First is a series of books, actually:

https://www.amazon.com/Great-Book-Amber-Complete-Chronicles/dp/0380809060

 

Much starts from here in different parts of metaphysics. The way they travel with the cards was used in G.D. and other places, much  earlier of  course, as by the time of this the old G.D. was long gone, with Regardie being one of the last members and publishing the complete system few decades earlier, though how complete it was is another topic...  , they called it "pathworking"... Practically it can lead to fascinating results, in my humble view even if different then what one may be expecting....

 

Other then Amber, me and my brother started to be curious about Tarot long time ago, because of this book. partially:

https://www.amazon.com/Manitou-Graham-Masterton-ebook/dp/B00KGMIW9I/

(scary though!)

 

For me I got curious because of the "Tower" card. As it seems to be the one humanity is going through for a while now... And later in life in different interesting times there was stuff related to it... But anyway this series pointed us to tarot long time ago.

 

The old sci-fi authors... They set the base for a lot. In that part of humanity's history I guess that was where the connection was... And I think the fact that often  isn't specifically said can lead to funny results.For example, while I can't say I'm overjoyed with Musk role in how things are developing , lately, I do appreciate the idea to call his AI grok... And that is from Heinlein, by the way and means something like 'to fully understand'/drink.

 

Anyway, lots started from them and for us the entry into some of the metaphysical systems were from books as well(including the I Ching that is rarely mention in Western sources, in my experience).

 

 

Edited July 7, 2024 by Deian

[Laura Borealis]

I don't think anyone mentioned Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. One of the characters, John Childermass, has a hand-drawn Marseille type deck which (if I remember right) foretells some important plot elements.

 

Susanna Clarke's novel Piranesi does not feature a desk of cards, but there's a scene that I think references Lenormand without actually naming it. The main character, Piranesi, is watching birds and interprets the messages they have for him by what statues they land on. The descriptions of the statues and his interpretations seem to be based on Lenormand meanings. It's an odd and lovely book, not too long, well worth reading.

[gregory]

In my view Piranesi absolutely fits Tarot. All of it. (Even my partner, who is not a tarotista like what I am, came and said hey, this is tarot isn't it ?)

 

I found this analysis fascinating:

https://petervodden.blog/portfolio/time-and-tides-topography-and-tarot/ Scroll down (if you've read it....) to the Isomorphosim section.

 

I just found a fun page:

http://booksaremagic.squarespace.com/home-1/2021/3/10/reading-the-cards-one

 

 

[Laura Borealis]

5 hours ago, gregory said:

In my view Piranesi absolutely fits Tarot. All of it. (Even my partner, who is not a tarotista like what I am, came and said hey, this is tarot isn't it ?)

 

I found this analysis fascinating:

https://petervodden.blog/portfolio/time-and-tides-topography-and-tarot/ Scroll down (if you've read it....) to the Isomorphosim section.

 

That was so interesting! I don't follow all of it, but I think he's onto something.

 

I kept seeing references to other works. The Magician's Nephew, of course, that one's obvious. But I also found echoes of Island of the Blue Dolphins, and maybe a Ray Bradbury Heinlein short story, and others that I've forgotten. Piranesi! It's so layered and interesting! I did notice some of the statues were tarot related, too.

Edited July 7, 2024 by Laura Borealis

[Morwenna]

On 7/6/2024 at 12:11 PM, gregory said:

Goodness, nobody has mentioned Charles Williams: The Greater Trumps. I just re-read it after it came up in a thread here; it's lovely. And I liked it a lot better this time.

FLizarraga did, above, though it's misspelled. Fascinating. Williams did 7 metaphysical thrillers, all different. He was an Inkling, a friend of C.S. Lewis and Tolkien. 

In this book, Wands are used for Air. 

[WhiteMoon]

On 7/7/2024 at 12:28 AM, Laura Borealis said:

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Susanna Clarke's novel Piranesi does not feature a desk of cards, but there's a scene that I think references Lenormand 

 I loved both of those books!

[WhiteMoon]

On 8/20/2022 at 12:52 PM, MuninnMissinHuginn said:

@Agnes

 

Perhaps you have already checked here, but just in case…..

 

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/126734.Tarot_in_Novels

 

and here

 

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/5230.Stories_Where_Tarot_Reading_Plays_A_Role

 

and

 

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/psychics-fiction

Thank you for those lists! I added several more books to my "Want to Read" list.

 

I will also mention one I haven't seen mentioned that I really enjoyed:

The Cloisters by Katy Hays

 

[Scandinavianhermit]

On 7/19/2024 at 4:36 AM, Morwenna said:

FLizarraga did, above, though it's misspelled. Fascinating. Williams did 7 metaphysical thrillers, all different. He was an Inkling, a friend of C.S. Lewis and Tolkien. 

In this book, Wands are used for Air. 

Beyond being an Inkling, he was also a disciple of Arthur Edward Waite (together with Arthur Machen and Evelyn Underhill, because Edwardian and inter-war Britain was such a strange place). I second William's The Greater Trumps. Amazing book!

[Scandinavianhermit]

On 8/26/2022 at 12:48 AM, FLizarraga said:

There is a novel by metaphysical British author Charles William called The Greater Trumps (1932); I have not read it yet, but his other books are excellent. I seem to remember there is a character based on Aleister Crowley, but I might be thinking of William Somerset Maugham's The Magus.

I'm aware of at least four fictional characters based upon Aleister Crowley:

• Oliver Haddo in Somerset Maugham's The Magician (1908)
• Sir Giles Tumulty in Charles William's War in Heaven (1930) and Many Dimensions (1931)
• Mr. Mokata in Dennis Wheatley's The Devil Rides Out (1934)
• Hugo Astley in Dion Fortune's The Winged Bull (1935)

[FLizarraga]

On 7/21/2024 at 5:27 PM, Scandinavianhermit said:

I'm aware of at least four fictional characters based upon Aleister Crowley:

• Oliver Haddo in Somerset Maugham's The Magician (1908)
• Sir Giles Tumulty in Charles William's War in Heaven (1930) and Many Dimensions (1931)
• Mr. Mokata in Dennis Wheatley's The Devil Rides Out (1934)
• Hugo Astley in Dion Fortune's The Winged Bull (1935)

 

I meant to say The Magician. The Magus is actually a completely unrelated novel by John Fowles.

 

Thanks for the Crowleyan list!

[chelseyblair]

KD Edward’s series is a world where is actually based on the Atlantean culture. It’s strange but super good found-family.