Tarot Fellow
Book of Thoth by Aleister Crowley — Thoth Tarot Commentary
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Book of Thoth by Aleister Crowley is the authoritative companion volume to the Thoth Tarot deck illustrated by Lady Frieda Harris. In it, Crowley explains the Thelemic philosophy, Qabalistic structure, and astrological symbolism encoded in each of the 78 cards. Drawing on Golden Dawn tradition, Hermeticism, and his own system of Thelema, Crowley produced what remains an indispensable — if demanding — text for serious students of the esoteric arts. Best suited to advanced practitioners already familiar with Qabalah, astrology, or Thoth Tarot.
Description:Quick Specs
- Author: Aleister Crowley
- Artist: Lady Frieda Harris (illustrated the Thoth Tarot cards)
- Edition: The Equinox, Volume III, Number 5 — Samuel Weiser / Weiser Books
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: Approximately 308
- Language: English
The Book That Was Written to Unlock the Thoth Tarot
Aleister Crowley wrote The Book of Thoth as the official companion text to the Thoth Tarot deck, the same deck whose 78 cards Lady Frieda Harris painted under his direction between roughly 1938 and 1943. Harris brought a singular discipline to that project: she studied projective geometry, a branch of mathematics associated with Rudolf Steiner's followers, and applied its principles to create card paintings that pulse with depth and implied motion. Crowley's text was written to explain what those images contain. The book was first published on the vernal equinox of 1944 as The Equinox, Volume III, Number 5, in a signed and numbered edition of 200 copies. Samuel Weiser reprinted it in 1969, and the Weiser paperback has remained in continuous print since 1974.
The text is organized into four parts. Part One covers the theory of the Tarot, its place within Crowley's Thelemic system, its Kabbalistic foundations, its relationship to astrology and elemental attribution. Parts Two through Four address the cards directly: the Major Arcana (which Crowley calls the Atu), the Court Cards, and the Small Cards. Throughout, Crowley draws on Hermetic Qabalah, the Tree of Life, the Hebrew alphabet, and the astrological correspondences he considered essential to any serious reading of the deck. There is also a detailed attributions table that serves as a reference map for the entire system. I stock this edition because it is the text Crowley actually wrote, not a secondary interpretation, not a simplified version, but the source document.
Crowley was among the most influential and controversial figures in twentieth-century Western esotericism. His system (Thelema) remains a living tradition with active practitioners, and The Book of Thoth is its most complete single expression in the context of tarot. That history matters when you read it. The prose is dense, the assumptions are significant, and the demands on the reader are real. This is a book that rewards serious students and frustrates casual browsers. That is not a flaw; it is what the book is.
How to Work with The Book of Thoth
Three ways to get the most out of Crowley's companion text to the Thoth Tarot.
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Read It Alongside the Thoth Deck
Open the Book of Thoth alongside your Thoth Tarot deck. Read each card entry while holding the physical card. Crowley wrote the text as a direct companion to the images, and the pairing makes both much clearer.
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Ground Yourself in the Tree of Life First
Before working with the attributions, get a basic map of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. The Book of Thoth references Sephiroth and paths throughout. Even a simple reference sheet will sharpen your reading of each chapter.
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Use the Attributions Tables as a Reference Map
Use the attributions tables at the back to cross-reference each card with its astrological, elemental, and Hebrew letter correspondence. This is where the system locks together for deeper readings.
Tarot Fellow Standard
I carry this edition because it's the authoritative Weiser Books printing — the same one that has been in continuous circulation since the 1970s and the one most serious students of the Thoth system reference. The print quality is reliable and the text is unabridged. If you are buying The Book of Thoth, this is the edition worth owning.
This is not a how-to guide for learning tarot. It does not walk you through spreads or explain the cards in plain language for new readers. It's a dense academic and occult text, and Crowley wrote it for an audience he assumed already had significant grounding in Hermetic philosophy, astrology, and Qabalah. If you are newer to tarot and want to understand the Thoth system before tackling this book, I recommend pairing it with a deck and a more accessible secondary text first. For the deck itself, browse our tarot decks collection. For related esoteric reading, explore our esoteric and occult books.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. This is a dense occult text written for students already familiar with Western esotericism, Kabbalah, and Thelema. If you are new to tarot, start with a more accessible guide first.
This is the Samuel Weiser/Weiser Books edition, published as The Equinox Volume III Number 5. The current printing runs approximately 308 pages in paperback format.
Crowley wrote it as the companion text to the Thoth deck, so having the deck alongside makes a real difference. The book directly references the card images throughout.
Lady Frieda Harris painted the Thoth Tarot cards at Crowley's direction, using projective geometry to create depth and movement. She worked on the paintings for roughly six years, completing them around 1943.
