General Book of the Tarot (Annotated)

General Book of the Tarot is a compact yet ambitious exposition of tarot as a philosophical and divinatory system. Rather than treating the cards as mere fortune-telling emblems, Thierens reads them through astrology, numerology, and occult symbolism, assigning to each trump and suit a place in a larger cosmic grammar. Its prose is didactic, orderly, and sometimes aphoristic, characteristic of early twentieth-century esoteric scholarship, and it belongs beside Waite, Papus, and the Theosophical revival in its effort to rationalize ancient images. A.E. Thierens was a Dutch astrologer and esoteric writer whose intellectual formation lay in the period when astrology, Theosophy, and comparative symbolism were being reassembled into modern occult sciences. His command of astrological correspondences strongly shapes the book: the Tarot becomes, for him, not simply a deck, but a diagram of spiritual law and human destiny. This volume is recommended for readers seeking more than a practical card manual. Students of tarot history, occult philosophy, and symbolic interpretation will find in Thierens a rigorous, historically revealing voice whose insights still reward careful study.

This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.

A.E. Thierens was a Dutch astrologer and writer, author of several books on Tarot, astrology, and esoteric. His works were dedicated to the connection between the Tarot and astrology, practical tips on astrology, and Tarot the esoteric constituents of astrology. Some of his most famous works are "Natural Philosophy," "Elements of Esoteric Astrology," "The General Book of the Tarot."