Having started learning Tarot in late 2001, I'm not quite a newbie, if not exactly a seasoned professional. Prior to buying this, I already owned the author's previous two books, "Putting the Tarot to Work" and "Taking the Tarot to Heart", as well as his "Bright Idea Deck", and I was already favorably disposed towards McElroy's writings. All the same, I thought it was for pure beginners, and furthermore, I had just started Teresa Michelson's "Complete Tarot Reader". I wasn't sure if wanted to plunge into another study course. A couple of enthusiastic comments on the author's website convinced me otherwise, and I'm glad I took the plunge. This is a great book even if you've been reading cards since your grade school days, as the author has.
Some of the reviews below go into detail about what the book contains, so I won't duplicate their material. Why do I recommend it? First, the exercises give you applications for Tarot that can help change your life here and now. The book's subtitle could easily be "Change Your Life For The Better While Thinking That You're Just Fooling Around With a Pack of Cards". Second, it is hilarious to read while being (as far as I can tell) absolutely sound in its Tarot scholarship. McElroy has both a deep sense of humor as well as a deep sense of respect for his readers. Third, the exercises can truly be completed in 15 minutes or less. This is something that I think is genuinely important for many of us: if we're going to commit to a 30 day program, we need to be able to fit it into our lives readily.
While not a professional reader, I do own a number of recommended Tarot classics (all of which I cherish, or almost all). McElroy's approach is definitely different, very empowering, and has helped me use Tarot cards to not only gain insight into issues into my life, but to help resolve those issues. Get this book, grab a deck if you don't own one already, and go for it. You'll be glad you did.
I received this book today and, contrary to the way a normal consumer should do it; I read it cover to cover in one sitting. Mark's humor and down-to-earth suggestions are nothing short of brilliant. In this short book, Mark provides thirty days of experiments designed to either change the skeptical mind about Tarot or provide the inquisitive mind new and fertile ground to explore. I look forward to spending the next thirty days experiencing these exercises.
If you have never touched a Tarot card before, but are just interested in "What is all this about?", (Exactly how I got into the business ten years ago) this is the most comfortable and guided introduction you will ever receive. This is not a beginning Tarot book whose pages are filled with the meanings of each card. In his second chapter, Mark guides the reader through ten different ways to look at a card and determine the meaning. This is much easier than being burdened with memorizing 78 different cards.
After the reader feels comfortable with "making meanings" in the cards, they have all the tools they need to explore the cards through some of the most original exercises I have ever seen. Some of the exercises are wrapped up in one day (some with specific instructions for the beginning of the day and others for the end of the day) and some can span several days (or years, in one case). Each exercise also offers "For Extra Credit" exercises which give variations or expansions on the original exercise. So if a student finds an exercise that really works for them, they can choose to expand their knowledge in that area.
Another nice feature of Mark's book is that he charts at the end which exercises relate specifically to six various fields of study. This chart allows a new student to identify an area of expertise based on the exercises which held the most appeal. For advanced students working in one of these six areas, the chart provides a reference of exercises which may be useful to the student in their daily activities.
"What's in the Cards for You?" by Mark McElroy (ISBN 0-7387-0702-3) has just taken its place next to Mary K. Greer's "Tarot for Your Self" as my all time favorite hands-on Tarot book. Sorry, Mark, you are still number two. Buy this book and have a blast.
