David Ross, Tarot and Tequila: a Tarot Guide with Cocktails. New York: Tiller Press, 2021. ISBN: 97819982169381.
Genre: nonfiction
Subgenre: Tarot, cocktails, recipes
Format: e-book galley
Source: NetGalley
The publisher describes this book as a "positive and spiritually uplifting guide that includes basic and humorous tequila-inspired meanings for all 78 tarot cards." The book also contains 40 tequila based cocktail recipes. There is a recipe for each Major Arcana card and then some additional cocktails for selected Minor Arcana cards. In the book, the author explains how he paired the cocktails with the cards based on card attributes.
We need to look at this book as a Tarot guide and as a cocktail recipes book.
As a Tarot book, the card meanings and interpretations are fairly basic. The author does use a very casual and relaxed tone in providing the card interpretations. The card interpretations include: basic definition, reversed basic definition, tequila definition, and reversed tequila definition. Think of the tequila definitions a bit more in terms of bar and drinking culture life. Depending on how much or how little you relate to bard and drinking culture you may or not relate to these meanings and definitions. At the end of the day, the card interpretations overall are very basic. As a Tarot book, this book is at the beginner's level. There is not much here for the advanced Tarot users. As a Tarot book, it is nice but optional especially if you have more comprehensive Tarot books.
As a cocktail book, it's like every other artsy cocktail book. Recipes vary in difficulty to make, mostly trending to complicated. Some ingredients are not easy to get and/or require some significant work to make such as making infusions, for example an espresso infused tequila for the Negroni that is the Fool's Cocktail. Your ability to make some of these at home with very basic ingredients may be low. I say that as someone with a small basic liquor cabinet; many ingredients mentioned would be difficult to make or acquire for the average person at home. In that sense, this book is not unlike many bar and cocktail books that feature nice photos of cocktails and exotic recipes no average person can make at home. Except there are no photos in this book.
The book is illustrated with some nice art from the author's Tarot deck, the Sugar Skull Tarot deck (sold separately). The illustrations, in the galley are black and white. After a bit of searching, I found that they are in color in the final book edition. The art style is nice, simple, and can be a bit playful. You do not need the author's deck to read and enjoy the boo, but if you really like the book you might consider getting the deck.
Overall, I thought the book was OK. It reflects the author's trade of doing Tarot at parties and corporate events, i.e. it feels more like a party book. I am not saying that is a bad thing. I think Tarot can be playful, happy, and yes, something you can do over cocktails. This book is just pretty lightweight. It feels and reads more like a coffee table book than a book for serious Tarot practice.
This is a book to borrow. For public libraries this could be an optional selection, especially if they already collect other books on Tarot, cartomancy, divination, and other esoterica. Or public libraries could select it as they would any other cocktail recipes book. Not recommended for academic libraries. It is not one I would buy for my academic library.
2 out of 5 stars.
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Some additional reading notes:
On forming connections through Tarot:
"When I obliged, I found that by reading a person's cards we became somehow connected. People surprisingly opened up to me and we would have these intense emotional conversations that meant more to me than I would have ever expected" (8).
On Tarot cards as a useful tool:
"For me, tarot cards are a very useful tool that can be used to help people work through their problems in their lives. Whether it be through a tarot reading or by meditating on the cards for yourself, there are many lessons that can be learned through their symbolism and interpretations" (8).
On so many Tarot books out there:
"I eventually realized that I was buying essentially the same book with some small variations and differences" (11).
I found that statement about Tarot books refreshing, that the author could say that. Now, I am not as experienced nor as advanced as many Tarotistas out there, but I am making that discovery as well. While I know my cartomancy learning continues I do feel that I need to be more selective about what Tarot and cartomancy books I choose to read. Life is too short to just read aimlessly, especially in this cartomancy journey.
This book qualifies for the following 2022 Reading Challenge:
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