Tarot: A Graphic History Pamela Colman Smith's story of arcana, symbols & magic

by Grande, Valentina

• ISBN13: 9781836002734
• ISBN10: 1836002734
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2025-08-20
• Publisher: Leaping Hare Press

Summary

Pamela Colman Smith: artist, occultist, true bohemian. Her illustrations defined the iconography of the classic tarot deck, but she is all too often forgotten.

Born in London in 1878, Pamela moved to Jamaica with her parents at the age of eleven and then to New York to study art. She dropped out of college following her mother's death in 1896, and after her father died in 1899 she found herself back in London, joining the infamous Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a secret society dedicated to the study of occultism. It was there that she met Arthur Edward Waite, with whom she created the classic Rider-Waite Tarot deck that is still in print today.

This beautifully illustrated graphic history tells the tale of Pamela's life and relates it to the iconic cards she helped to create, from the Fool, the beginning of every new adventure, to the Magician, who focusses energy, to the Hanged Man, who helps us see things from a different perspective, until finally we embrace the World and fulfil our destinies. 

With tarot expertise and a foreword from Lindsay Squire, The Witch of the Forest, this is a unique take on a perennially popular subject. You'll never look at a tarot deck in the same way again.

Author Biography

Leaping Hare Press creates beautiful books to inspire and empower readers to translate ethical and spiritual values into practical, meaningful life choices. From planting a colorful wildflower seedbed in a concrete jungle, to mindfully walking along a busy sidewalk, our books present creative, simple steps to help us engage with each other and the natural world. Penned by heart-led and expert authors, our conscious living titles embrace community spirit and explore ecological principles in a positive way––delivering that feel-good factor too.

Table of Contents

PROLOGUE: William Butler Yeats, Ego dominos tuus

CHAPTER 1: Pamela does a reading for Beth, who is anxious about not being able to have children. Pamela also teaches her friends about the tarot deck, and shares how she joined The Golden Dawn and met John Waite.

CHAPTER 2: Pamela does a reading for Nora, who is frustrated at not being recognized as an artist. Pamela recalls her travels to the United States and Jamaica, and explains more about her work on the tarot illustrations and the history of tarot.

CHAPTER 3: Pamela and Isabel reminisce about how they met at a meeting of the suffragist movement. Pamela talks about the Suffrage Atelier that was responsible for illustrating posters in support of the political struggle, and explains the Major Arcana and The Journey of the Fool.

CHAPTER 4: Pamela does a reading for Isabel, who is worried about being lonely and wonders if she should find a husband. Pamela tells her friends about her relationships with Yeats, Stoker and Edy Craig, as well as the court cards in the tarot deck.

CHAPTER 5: Pamela does a reading for her own future. The cards indicate a spiritual quest that will continue, and we learn about the principle of synchronicity on which tarot works.

EPILOGUE: The four women go to the beach at dawn; thanks to the cards, they understand themselves better and are ready for a new beginning.