Pamela Colman Smith: The Untold Story

[EmpyreanKnight]

To all PCS fans who want to know more about her beyond what was explored in the Artwork & Times book included in the Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative Set, US Games is set to publish Pamela Colman Smith: The Untold Story next month. Written by Stuart R. Kaplan with Mary K. Greer, Elizabeth Foley O’Connor and Melinda Boyd Parsons, it is hard-bound, measures 8” x 10.5”, and has a whopping 440 pages with full-color illustrations. As is written in the book's USG site page:

 

Pamela Colman Smith: The Untold Story brings together the work of four distinguished scholars who have devoted years of research to uncover the life and artistic accomplishments of Pamela Colman Smith. Known to millions as the creator of the Rider-Waite Tarot® deck, Pamela Colman Smith (1878–1951) was also a stage and costume designer, folklorist, poet, author, illustrator of ballads and folktales, suffragette, and publisher of books and broadsheets.

 

I love the RWS, and to say that I'm very curious about this book is an understatement.

[EmpyreanKnight]

Some sample pics (open an image in a new tab or window to enlarge):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[EmpyreanKnight]

Btw this book is also available in a deluxe signed limited edition which is admittedly a bit expensive. It looks so luxurious tho.

[PageOfCups]

I need. I'll allow myself this after I've read the book that came with the Commemorative Set.

 

Arwen Lynch did a show-and-tell of this book the other day:

[DanielJUK]

This looks really interesting, I will get it to read! (not the beautiful but very expensive limited edition version though  ;D ).

I am glad Mary Greer is involved, I love her writing and research but also on AT and on her blog, she used to challenge many ideas about PCS. Pamela became very fashionable online with an invented history and Mary would challenge some of the memes and info going around about her. This book is worth it to work out what is real and what is myth! But we know Pamela was really screwed over with her art for the RWS and then not even named on it :( Also great Kaplin is involved keeping tarot history alive. Looks like a must buy for people interested in the area.

[PageOfCups]

But we know Pamela was really screwed over with her art for the RWS and then not even named on it :(

 

Right?! Not to add fuel to the fire and imply A.E. Waite or the publisher (the Rider Company) were complete jerks or anything, but I've always thought it made Crowley (who's notorious for a fantastically-terrible reputation) look tame by comparison. The woman was robbed. Good on Kaplin and the other authors for giving her justice.

 

At least in Lady Frieda Harris' case, it was she herself who insisted on anonymity. And it's not like it's titled "The Aleister Crowley Tarot" or something, at least it's officially called the "Thoth Tarot".  ::)