Reviews

Jack Haas -The Spiritual Bookstore - January 2005

 "This book is a masterpiece. And it is a masterpiece because it is the
 work of a master. The unique, symbolic drawings are quite profound,
 but it is Leigh McCloskey's commentary that is the true gem of this
 work. He has obviously gone a great distance into the nether regions
 of the soul, and has returned to share his wisdom. If you have done
 your inner work, and have moved through alchemical transformations,
 you will find this a very insightful read. If you have not done your
 work, then do your work, and then read this book.
 You will not be disappointed."

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The Boox Review - January 2005

http://www.thebooxreview.com/tarotrevisioned.htm

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Midwest Book Review, Reviewer’s Choice, July 2004

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Review by Diane Wilkes, renowned authority on the Tarot, www.tarotpassages.com

Tarot ReVISIONed by Leigh McCloskey
 

Oddly, for an image-based medium like tarot, we don't have much in the way of coffee-table books. You know, the oversized books that we place attractively on a coffee table to show our cultural bona fides as well as our interests. Leigh McCloskey has filled that gap nicely with his new book, identically titled to his Tarot ReVISIONed deck. After reading the book, I am fairly convinced that the Tarot ReVISIONED is his companion deck to the book by the same name, but it is so much more. While the book does focus on examining each card and its symbolism in detail, every card is part of a greater philosophical undergirding that McCloskey wishes to share with the reader.

After a basic introduction of tarot and occult/metaphysical/philosophical principles in general, the book consists of 22 chapters.  Each forms an introduction to the Major Arcana card under discussion, beginning with the quote that appears on the card .In it, McCloskey addresses the astrological and Hebrew letter assignment and its meaning within the context of the card. He then offers a full and rich explication of each symbol and its meaning in McCloskey's rendition of that Major card. As coffee table books often are, Tarot ReVISIONed is studded with illustrations. All of the Major Arcana cards are displayed in large format as a group, then, before every chapter, not one but two more illustrations of the specific card under discussion are depicted, the first smaller than the second.

McCloskey describes the Magus in a way that expresses his view of the tarot, as well -- "This multiple reading of one image expresses why in the study of symbolism and tarot one must learn that symbols are alive with a plurality of meanings.  They are not intended as singular statements but rather as tools which reveal hidden layers meant to evoke the creative imagination into telling its own story.  The language of symbolism is the voice of the Magus."

He also connects the cards through their astrological associations, so, for example, the Lovers and the Hermit are connected to the Magus, who is attributed to the planet Mercury. Gemini and Virgo are the astrological associations for the Lovers and the Hermit respectively, and both signs are ruled by Mercury. For some reason, I never made these connections and I look forward to exploring them more deeply. I enjoyed many of McCloskey's explanations for the different attributions.

But McCloskey has absorbed all of the Golden Dawn assignments to each card, and I must say that he explains the information in an interesting, accessible manner. He also covers the kind of intelligence assigned to the card, as well as the esoteric function, along with the attributed Hebrew letter, its meaning, and its relevance to the card.  

Even though McCloskey's attributions and linkages between cards are steeped in traditional esoteric material, his interpretations are not always established ones. . . Sometimes I just take pleasure in the way the author shares his insights. He says of the Lovers, "This archetype represents the ideal of perfected balance between the power of acute discrimination and the creative imagination."

He quotes from sources as divergent as Jung to Browning to Whitman. I especially loved his association to the Hermit with the Browning line from the poem, Andrea del Sarto ("Ah, but should a man's reach not exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?"). That's always been one of my favorite lines, and I like thinking of it in conjunction with the Hermit's quest for sacred knowledge. Another great quote which McCloskey associates with the Devil is "Be careful what you wish for, you may get it"--which makes sense, as he sees the Devil as "created by thought," a "potent phantom."

I found the handsome book illuminating and compelling and expect to return to it time and again for insight into the Major Arcana. Unfortunately, the paperback version is $85 and the hardcover edition is $125, and while it is helpful to see the cards in the larger format the book provides, I wish it was more affordable to the masses, as it not only is an invaluable companion in understanding the deck's symbolism, it offers a real VISION of the Majors, even if one were not using the author/artist's images.

Text cited © 2004 Leigh McCloskey
Review and page © 2004 Diane Wilkes

Tarot ReVISIONed, the Deck by Leigh McCloskey
Review by Diane Wilkes

Leigh McCloskey has created an intricate, Majors-only black and white tarot deck, and has written a book with the same title, Tarot ReVISIONed. I am reviewing them separately because you can buy them individually and each works individually on its own, but in many ways, the book is a true companion to the deck, and a necessary one IF you wish to understand all the symbolism (and there's quite a bit of it!) in the cards.

If I have ever seen a deck more appropriate for meditation than the Tarot ReVISIONed, I can't think of  it. The deck is oversized, so that you can see the intricately drawn symbols and written messages, but even so, you wish they were larger in order to see every bit of detail. The titles are not on the front of the cards themselves, but on the backs, along with a quotation McCloskey feels exemplifies the message of the archetype. This allows for meditation unencumbered by distracting words. However, you may want to peek on the backs to see just what card you are meditating upon, as the decidedly untraditional artwork can be confusing.  The Fool, the last card in McCloskey's numbering system, looks like The Wheel of Fortune, with its joyous celebrant toasting his good fortune as he stands at the center of a...Wheel.

The World could be Justice, with the woman in between two pillars holding a sword--and the Star (below) could easily be the World, with the central figure looking as if she were dancing as she cradles half the world in each of her hands.  At first, I thought it was just me, but when some students of mine were looking at the deck and noted the same thing, I realized that this Tarot ReVISIONing thing might have an unintended meaning, since people seem to have their own vision of each card. While I know this deck has been created with the most serious of intents, I think a fun party game would be to pass around the cards without looking at the backs and seeing which cards are "mistaken" for others. Like a Rorschach test, the potential for projection--and the psychological insights derived therefrom--is staggering.

The quotes on each card back are sometimes quite apropos and others thought-provoking, and are often more reflective of McCloskey's ReVISIONing than traditional interpretations. They are from diverse sources, ranging from Jesus to DaVinci to Walt Whitman. They are elegantly presented, but, for obvious reasons, not reversible. Still, since I don't think this is a deck for doing readings, this shouldn't be a big issue. The card stock is white matte and relatively sturdy, but not coated or laminated, so it is by no means impermeable. 

The details in the artwork demanded I scan larger images than usual for the reviews. Even though the cards are oversized, the book contains even larger versions of the images. I think the nature of the artwork is such that the larger the image is, the better for the viewer. In fact, the artist's vision (VISION) is rather grand, and I can well imagine individual cards adorning the sides of buildings.

As I've mentioned, the book offers detailed explanations about the detailed artwork. That's a lot of detail-work! This deck is quite reasonably priced, and the book is, due to high publishing costs, quite expensive. While I think you really need the book if you are going to work with this deck in any depth, it may out of the price range for many. Collectors who don't usually read a companion book should probably save their money for another deck instead of purchasing the Tarot ReVISIONed book, but if you really love this deck, you probably will need the book, too. At $24.95 plus shipping, this deck is a real bargain if you're a fledgling tarot collector--you won't find many independently published decks of this quality at this price.

Tarot ReVISIONed by Leigh McCloskey
Olander Press Ltd.

Images © 2004 Leigh McCloskey
Review and page © 2004 Diane Wilkes

Quotes