Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom

The bestselling tarot classic in a new edition with a new preface by the author.

“Whenever I have a question about tarot, I reach for 78 Degrees of Wisdom. It is the most in-depth exploration of tarot and my most trusted resource. If you want to learn tarot, you’ll want 78 Degrees on your bookshelf too. It’s the gold standard in tarot.” —Theresa Reed, author of Tarot No Questions Asked “What is your favorite tarot book? The answer is always 78 Degrees of Wisdom.”—Melissa Cynova, author of Kitchen Table Tarot “Essential reading for the beginner and a classic that tarot masters will return to time and time again, this is the book to have in your library.”—Benebell Wen, author of Holistic Tarot When it was first published nearly 40-years-ago, Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom was an instant classic and inspired generations of tarot students. Often referred to as the “bible of tarot books” it has now helped to launch the “tarot renaissance” we’re seeing today. Drawing on mythology and esoteric traditions and delving deeply into the symbolism and ideas of each card, the book offers a modern psychological interpretation of the tarot archetypes rather than a system of esoteric symbolism. This book provides:

A concise history of tarot
An introduction to common tarot spreads
A clear and endlessly useful reference for both beginning and advanced tarot students

Author Biography

Rachel Pollack (1945-2023) was the leading light and foremost influence on modern Tarot. Her bestselling book, Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom, first published in 1980 and never out of print, is widely described as the “Bible of Tarot.” She was also a great influence upon the science fiction, fantasy, and comics communities, as well as being a trailblazer within the transgender community. A master of many genres, Pollack is renowned for her run of issues #64-87 of Doom Patrol (Vertigo Comics), where she created the first transgender superhero. A prolific author of both fiction and non-fiction, her other books include A Walk Through the Forest of Souls, Unquenchable Fire, Godmother Night, and The Fissure King. She was the creator of The Shining Tribe Tarot and wrote the books for numerous other decks, including The Vertigo Tarot and Salvador Dali’s Tarot. Pollack taught at the famed Omega Institute for over thirty years.