Mystical Origins of Tarot

From Ancient Roots to Modern Usage
by~ Paul Huson

I got a post card in the mail from Inner Traditions advertising this new book they've published.
I've never read Paul Huson I think he also wrote The Devils Picture Book....
Have any of you read anything by him, and what did you think?
Anyone already pick up this book?

Here's what it said on the post card~
In Mystical Origins of the Tarot, Paul Huson traces each symbol of the Minor Arcana to ancient Persia and the Major Arcana Trump card images to the medieval world.
A thorough examination of each card is given and how the cards' divinatory meanings evolved.
Huson also provides concise and practical card reading methods of the 18th and 19th centuries and reveals the origins of the card interpretations promoted by the hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and A.E.Waite.

I have to admit it sounds intriguing.

ISBN 0-89281-190-0
$18.95 (CAN $27.95)
352 pages 6x9
284 b&white illustrations.
www.InnerTraditions.com
orders@InnerTraditions.com
1-800-246-8648
Fax 1-802-767-3726

I'm going book shopping today maybe someone already has it in stock.

Haven't heard of it, Lark. I'm posting hoping you will share your impressions when you get it and read it.

terri

I was looking at buying this.

Paul Huson says this is his re-written book after A Devil's Picture Book:


http://www.paulhuson.com/

Michelle Jackson recommended his earlier book long ago.

http://www.tarotpassages.com/huson.htm

I noticed on tarotpassages.com that Mary Greer's timeline of occult tarot from the 1700s has quoted Huson as a source.

So I think as an adjunct reference, plus the fact that it does have 'tarot use' information, it might be a fun and interesting read.

Although this aeclectic.net member said the early "Devil's Picture Book' was not good for Marseilles decks

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10142&highlight=paul+huson

I think it might be less expensive on Amazon.com, have not checked abebooks.com yet. If Paul Huson has a link from his site to Amazon.com, it may give him some 'credits' or bonus points, just fyi. I'm also going to wait until I see a few more reviews.

Regards

Cerulean

Thank you for the links Cerulean.
I have so many books now I just want to make sure it's something worth my time and money.
It'll be interesting to read through his site and see what he has to say about the way this book evolved.

Hi, Lark. I've had this book for a couple of weeks and am really enjoying it. The author freely acknowledges that his prior work, The Devil's Picture Book, was filled with speculation and misinformation, which this volume is intended to correct.

I found the second half of the book wonderful. It provides the ‘evolution’ of standard meanings; providing meanings from Pratese’s Cartomance (1750), Etteilla (1785-1807), Mathers (1888), Golden Dawn (1888-96), and Waite (1910) (dates are dates of publication) for each minor; for each major he adds De Mellet (1781) Court de Gebbelin (1773-1782), Cristian (1870), and Grand Orient (Waite, 1889, 1909). Also included are the Decans, and notes from Pecatrix (c. 1256).

However I found the first section of the book dreadful. It is written as though, it is (he is) the worlds foremost authority on the history of Tarot – and there is no room for discussion after his ‘conclusions’. His approach is that he is the final word.

I do believe that AT’s own historians could hold their own against his position of the pre-eminent scholar.

So…first half bad, second half okay.

Not recommended.

Umbrae said:

So…first half bad, second half okay.

Not recommended.

Click to expand...

Like A1A by Jimmy Buffett? Side 1 sucked, side 2 was the best stuff he ever did. That's on an LP, of course.

Just burn the first half in your too-busy hearth, Umbrae, and save the second half as a reference.

Bob

Well, to late boys...
I had a twenty percent off coupon at Borders and there it was sitting on the shelf ...so what's a girl to do?

I took it down and gave it the Tarot Book Test:
* Open to middle of book and start reading.
* If attention is engaged for long enough for your legs to get tired and seek the comfort of a chair...
*It's a Buy It Now.

Well, not only did I seek a chair but also a table and a latte and a biscotti.
After awhile my husband wandered over and asked me if I'd be spending the night, as he would have to make a trip home for my lantern and sleeping bag.
(He thinks he's sooo cute.)

I also bought Meditation on the Tarot (for some light summer reading ) and The Woman with the Alabaster Jar.

I'll let you know what I think after I get through it.
Umbrae I was encouraged to see the word wonderful in your first sentence. (And about a book no less!!)

A few notes

In the last half of the book his bibliography, appendixes, sources and his suggested reading listing of sources is what I would recommend to others at this time. He mimics the format of James Revak's Villa Revak to tell of Etteilla's meanings and Golden Dawn in summary format, a nice encapsulation. I think it's a handy reference, although not all his details of Italian history are tightly stated as I would like.

He lists in his forward thanks to many people that include Giordano Berti, consultant to Lo Scarabeo; Ron Decker; Mary Greer and Stuart Kaplan. He has read Thierry Dupaulis and Michael Dummett and he retains a devotion to the idea that the esoteric and divinatory links between tarot images were present from the first appearances of tarot-style games and images.
--------------------------------------------------

I will not judge the first half on a few surprises that I found. But I will say, since it is a survey text, there's a few details I'm not certain is correct. In the first part, he omits some information about Petracha's long history (starting as a cleric in service of a bishop) and the idea that some historians suggest, that the Laura he met was not the allegorical Laura of his poetry.-- but I don't think he interested details of Petracha or later, in the D'Estensi family history of Ferarra. I think he's interested in linking many bits and pieces related to tarot history together.

I do find some of his statements misleading--for instance page 12, he says the Estensi believed they descended from the legendary figures written about by Ludovico Ariosto. I didn't find historical description that they believed they were descended from mythical Saracen figures, but only that they favored courtly poets and painters that gave allusion to legendary ancestors in their ancient lineage.

Also, the tone of the Ferrarese verses and poets that Huson named are described by other literatry historians--not Huson--as definitely satirical--which meant they are supposed to be funny to everyone reading them. MM. Boiardo's poem of Tarocchi minors and Triumphi majors circa 1475 were supposed to be for the entertainment of mixed company used to game playing and allegory.

Count Matteo Maria Boiardo had access to Borso's library and was a direct participant in the successor's court, Duke Ercole, this explains his "French slant" to his Italian epic he wrote called Orlando Innamorato. This poem takes up romance from Roland (Orlando) with an enchantress from Cathay, China and her roams the civilized and uncivilized world. This poetic excursion was later taken up by the noble Ludovico Aristo, participant in Duke Ercole's court, and later, Duke Alfonso's court. Also under Ercole, the production of public plays and theatre innovations were introduced.

Ludivico Ariosto followed the romantic pattern and satirical tone in his Orlando Furioso--again, these were supposed to be decidedly unserious entertainments.
I'm not certain Huson knew this.

On page 41 Paul Huson poses a question that seems to suggest he thinks Flavio Alberti Lollio was seriously asking the meaning of mysterious tarocco cards. Michael Hurst lists these verses as satirical...

http://www.geocities.com/cartedatrionfi/Fragments.html


Sorry, for too much detail...so I like the overall summary of the second half very much. I think some of the details of the first half are good summary points, but the student might want to check against other sources in the historical research forum and the resources listed in the biography of the book to get a more detailed slant.

(edited to correct the spelling of names)

Cerulean said:

...I will not judge the first half on a few surprises that I found. But I will say, since it is a survey text, there's a few details I'm not certain [are] correct...Sorry, for too much detail...so I like the overall summary of the second half very much...

I think some of the details of the first half are good summary points, but the student might want to check against other sources in the historical research forum and the resources listed in the biography of the book to get a more detailed slant.

Click to expand...

Cerulean, thanks for all your details! It seems that you might be more qualified to write a detailed history than Huson! (I'm serious, not being sarcastic.) But I suppose Decker/Dummett might have the details right?

For anyone wondering whether to buy Huson's book, the very interesting second 'half' of the book on the cards isn't really only a half. The section on the individual cards runs from page 70 to 245, and then there's a section (to page 290) on reading the cards and historical tarot decks. I think the card section is terrific, where Huson compares interpretations for different decks-- though I often don't agree with his own suggestions for meanings. ($13 on Amazon.com, November 2004)

Terrie