Book Review: The Power of Tarot by Liz Worth

Find The Power of Tarot on Lulu or Amazon

Author Liz Worth. Photo by L!N Duperron.

I’m always on the hunt for clear, accessible, and insightful resources for people learning tarot

I teach tarot to all levels of students regularly. It’s a pleasure being able to offer face-to-face support in a field that’s overflowing with resources, both written and digital. Because of this, people often come to me confused and eager for clarity; In my role as a teacher I hear so many questions about tarot that often go unanswered in traditional books full of card meanings and spread configurations:

How does intuition work?

Do I have to know astrology to learn tarot?

What does tarot have to do with fate or free will?

What kind of questions can I ask the cards?

All of these are important questions that deserve full attention, especially considering that their answers are often complex. Liz Worth’s new tarot book, The Power of Tarot, deftly addresses these questions and so much more. In its pages, Worth seeks to thoroughly explore what tarot is, where it comes from, and how readers can use it themselves.

An experienced tarot reader, journalist, astrologer, and writer, Worth brings refreshing clarity and rigor to the often spiritually poetic topic of tarot. If you’re looking for a concise and well-thought-out look into how and why we read the cards, this book is for you. I personally didn’t realize how much I had been missing this type of perspective until I started reading. There were many times when I found myself exclaiming “Amen!” aloud in my local coffee shop, much to the surprise of the person next to me. Take this gem of a sentence, for example:

I don’t “pick up” messages from anyone’s energy. I don’t read their thoughts. I don’t see spirits standing at their shoulders. Tarot reading is card reading—I literally read the cards.

Liz Worth, The Power of Tarot, 32.

You might say Liz Worth is a pragmatist, but in the deliciously open sense where there’s plenty of room for magic and mystery. And I find it immensely satisfying to find a book that just sticks to tarot without bringing in a whole bevy of other modalities and confusing an already complex and intricate topic.

Worth does an excellent job demystifying tarot, clearing up the fog around issues like its history, intuition, and timing, among many others. If you’ve been looking for a comprehensive and refreshing guide to what the cards can do and how you can use them, I highly recommend this book.

It’s not just for beginners, either. Worth touches on important topics like ethics, romance, work, and boundaries that readers of all levels can benefit from. Regardless of your level, you’ll find yourself with many new insights and ideas to expand and challenge your practice.

What I love most about this book is that Worth uses her experience and expertise to give readers’ information. From there, she empowers them to make choices that resonate with their path and worldview. This is a book that respects and prioritizes the sanctity of each person’s journey and autonomy. In a world full of prescriptive spiritual rules, it’s both powerful and refreshing.

The anecdotes Worth offers from her life and professional practice give a nice intimacy to the book. I’ve found that personal stories are the most impactful: We get to see how a reader shapes their own relationship to the cards. From there, we can better envision and decide what we’d like ours to look like.

A huge strength of this book is its organization. You can tell that it was meticulously planned out, if only because its sections flow so organically into each other. These are touches that I especially appreciate - a great deal of hard work and consideration went into this book, giving it a wonderful flow, logic, and voice. In other words, you can sit down and read this book with the impression that you’re getting a one-on-one masterclass in the beliefs, mechanics, and philosophy of tarot from Worth herself.

This book isn’t for you if…

You’re looking for card meanings or tarot spreads

You want to explore astrological and other correspondences

This Book is for you If…

You’re curious about what tarot is, how it works, and what you can do with it.

You want in-depth answers that go beyond the basics in tricky topics like intuition, fate, ethics, and boundaries

You want to see how a tarot professional has used these questions to shape their practice

You want to develop your own relationship to tarot

Full Disclosure:

Liz Worth reached to me with a proof copy of this book for review.

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8 Books to Get You Started on Your Tarot Journey

So you have a tarot deck (or two, or three - I know how it goes!)

Now what???

Things have changed a lot since I was an awkward teenager first discovering the tarot. Picture me lurking in my bedroom late at night with my trusty Rider-Waite-Smith deck and two dog-eared books and you get the picture.

A few gems to get you started

In a way, the limitations of the time were helpful. Without lots of book choices on Amazon or card meanings online I was able to focus on the information I had with me. Now I have to sit on myself to avoid spending too much on books or getting sucked into an internet vortex. Sometimes I’m successful, and sometimes… not so much.

So my perhaps old-timey recommendation? If you’re starting out, grab a book or two and really get to know them. Practice with lots of readings and thumb through to the meaning of each card. Notice what rings true to you and what confuses you. Write it all down. I can’t overstate the usefulness of a tarot journal.

You’re well on your way to tarot proficiency!

Here are the books that guided me on my journey, as well as some newer additions that can do the same for you.

Learning the Tarot: A Book for Beginners by Joan Bunning

I started out on this book and it is wonderful. A comprehensive tarot course with succinct and accessible card definitions perfect for the beginner. This one is concise and easy to navigate with helpful sections on cards that compliment each other and just enough information to get you started without overwhelming you. Joan Bunning also offers the course for free on her website here, though I recommend supporting her wonderful work and enjoying the feel of a book in your hands.

Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack

I adore this book. It’s like an old friend I will never get tired of having tea with. Filled with wonderful insight and deep meaning, do yourself a favor and pick it up. There’s a reason why this is sometimes referred to as the “Bible of tarot.” Pollack’s immersive writing style and serious tarot chops make each page a fountain of insights. It has a more spiritual and historical orientation, but is never overly-dense or dogmatic. After reading it you feel deeply connected to the cards on multiple levels.

the creative tarot: a modern guide to an inspired life by jessa crispin

For those of you who want a less-woo, more focused look at the tarot, Jessa Crispin’s book offers a creativity-centered approach to the cards. Her writing is incredibly clear and engaging and she illustrates how to use the cards to tap into the creative process. Each card meaning connects to artists with inspiring connections to their lives and concludes with recommendations of songs, paintings, plays, and films for further insight.

Tarot Wisdom by Rachel Pollack

As anyone who’s studied tarot for a long time will tell you, you never stop learning! In this book, Rachel Pollack returns to the cards and shares what she’s learned since the publication of Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom. Expect more beautiful and insightful tarot interpretation put together in a masterful, easy-to-follow way. This book is very in-depth and incorporates many other mystical traditions into tarot. I suggest getting this after you’re familiar with Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom only because it’s easy to get carried away with this much magic.

Holistic Tarot by Benebell Wen

What a tome! This book is packed with card meanings and much, much more. Inside you’ll find a wealth of spreads and explorations into the history, uses, and philosophy behind tarot. And pretty much anything else you want to know about the practice. The only caveat? It’s a lot to digest. For those looking to dip their toes in, this book can be a little too much too soon, but if you’re the kind who wants all the information in one book, this is the one for you!

The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination by Robert M. Place

 My favorite book on the history of tarot. If you’re persnickety about historical accuracy and want to cut through the occult legends and myths around tarot pick this one up asap. Place’s scholarship is excellent and clarifies many of the misconceptions about tarot’s origins with clarity and respect. His explorations of the meanings of the Marseille and R-W-S systems are very enlightening, too, and this book makes for an excellent reference you’ll turn to again and agan.

The Encyclopedia of Tarot vol. 1 by Stuart Kaplan

Decks, decks, and more decks! A great resource on tarot history and, you guessed it, tarot decks. From the Medieval origins of the tarot through the twentieth century, this book has all the information and illustrations you need. Helpful for those curious about the evolution of tarot as well as those interested in collecting. Start with volume one for a useful intro, and add others as your journey progresses. The extensive photos also help curb excessive deck purchases…

modern tarot: connecting with your higher self through the wisdom of the cards by michelle tea

A newer addition, this book has a wonderfully approachable tone and engaging anectdotes from the author’s life and tarot journey that help the reader better understand the cards and how they apply to real life situations. What’s more, each card meaning is followed by a spell or ritual you can do to deepen your practice. It’s a jaunty, fun read for the witchier tarot seekers out there.

How about you? What books have helped you on your journey with tarot?