Barleywine
Forum discussion of available reference material for the Tarot de Marseille centers on works by Camelia Elias, Yoav ben Dov, Enrique Enriquez, Alejandro Jodorowsky and Lee Bursten. I'd like to add another one (The Tarot by Joseph Maxwell) that I always thought of as primarily an analysis of esoteric number theory and its relevance to the tarot, but recently discovered that the interpretive text at the back - especially for the minor cards - is built almost entirely upon the TdM as understood by Maxwell. Here's an example of his style that brings together the generic imagery on the cards with practical and thought-provoking insights.
7 of Cups -
"Seven is the number of triumph, plentitude, strong movement in new direction of which full cognisance is taken - that is, blind forces no longer work in the field of consciousness.
The free-flowing curves of the white branches in the ornamentation show the pure intelligence at work to produce its own harmonies. This creative action is not without risk, needless to say, but it is full of promise and moves in the right direction with the concourse of energetic ideation and liberated feeling.
This is an extremely active card, in contrast to the previous one, which is receptive." (For Maxwell, odd numbers are active and even numbers passive.) "Any positive project involving the creative and intellectual capacities is symbolized in the 7 of Cups. Reversed, there will be a tendency to lack confidence or faith, giving rise to doubt and danger of inaction or wrong action."
Note that this has nothing to do with the Thoth meanings or the Golden Dawn's Liber T, and very little in common with the usual understanding of the RWS. Maxwell seems to have been his own man. I like his observations a great deal and am looking forward to getting the Hadar TdM to explore with the book (which I've owned for around 30 years).
7 of Cups -
"Seven is the number of triumph, plentitude, strong movement in new direction of which full cognisance is taken - that is, blind forces no longer work in the field of consciousness.
The free-flowing curves of the white branches in the ornamentation show the pure intelligence at work to produce its own harmonies. This creative action is not without risk, needless to say, but it is full of promise and moves in the right direction with the concourse of energetic ideation and liberated feeling.
This is an extremely active card, in contrast to the previous one, which is receptive." (For Maxwell, odd numbers are active and even numbers passive.) "Any positive project involving the creative and intellectual capacities is symbolized in the 7 of Cups. Reversed, there will be a tendency to lack confidence or faith, giving rise to doubt and danger of inaction or wrong action."
Note that this has nothing to do with the Thoth meanings or the Golden Dawn's Liber T, and very little in common with the usual understanding of the RWS. Maxwell seems to have been his own man. I like his observations a great deal and am looking forward to getting the Hadar TdM to explore with the book (which I've owned for around 30 years).