The Modern Fortune-Teller’s Field Guide, by Tom Benjamin
Crossed Crow Books, 9781964537450, 306 pages, October 2025
The Modern Fortune-Teller’s Field Guide by Tom Benjamin is a comprehensive manual designed for both aspiring and seasoned fortune tellers. Blending traditional wisdom with contemporary practices, the book aims to equip readers with the tools, techniques, and ethical considerations necessary for navigating the world of divination today.
Tom Benjamin has more than twenty years of experience as a tarot reader and teacher. From his popular YouTube channel (TheFoolsJournal) to his online workshops, Benjamin loves to share his tarot knowledge. He has written two workbooks for tarot students: Tarot on Earth and Your Tarot Toolkit. Learn more about Benjamin on his website.
The guide is thoughtfully organized, beginning with a brief history of fortune telling and its cultural significance. Benjamin then discusses fortune telling today and how it has changed over time. Step-by-step instructions, sample readings, and troubleshooting guidance make the book accessible to novices, while deeper insights and advanced techniques will appeal to experienced practitioners.
Benjamin explains that this is not a “how to book”, but rather a book about himself as a fortune teller or tarot reader. He shares his own experiences and teaches us about reading tarot along the way. His classes are based on this same type of strategy. He says that there are lots of basic tarot classes online and he doesn’t want to compete with those.
The book is set up as a field guide and even looks like an old tome that has been weathered and used over time. The font he uses for headlines is like an old newspaper linotype and each chapter starts with a page printed in white type on black. I enjoy these black pages for each chapter, because it makes it easy to find chapters! However, the white type is set in a serif typeface that is a little light and hard to read on the black background.
I was drawn to this book because of the reference to fortune telling and I decided to jump right in. The chapter called “Kill Your Darlings” really captured my interest. In this section, Benjamin discusses ideas and beliefs you may hold dear about reading cards. He dissects them and invites the reader to ponder these questions:
“What are things you fundamentally hold to be true about divination? What would happen if you change them — even just for an experiment. You might find it alarming, but you also might find it freeing…. What things do you have to have for your readings to be successful? A certain crystal? A particular cloth or incense blend? What would happen if you changed it up or tried not using your usual thing at all?”1
In the chapter “Seeing like a Fortune Teller”, Benjamin talks about how he “started his YouTube channel by doing readings for fictional and historical figures.”2 What a great and novel approach! He then invites the reader to grab a tarot deck and play solitaire with the deck for 5 minutes. Then read the cards in front of you when the timer goes off. Again, what a wonderful exercise!
The chapter entitled “Learn Me Something” is a great treatise on learning in general and how we can all be more like little kids by being totally open to new information and new tools and techniques. To demonstrate, he takes a deck of playing cards, makes up an entirely new spread and shares his take on numbers and suits. At the end of the chapter, he has the audacity to say that “you are capable of doing the same thing!”3
Benjamin also includes a chapter on putting your own thoughts together for workshops, including how to create it, how to share your own wisdom, and how to use visual aids. He shares a basic outline for a four-part class that is structurally sound and looks interesting.
The chapter on advice is priceless. He talks about taking on the problems of the people for whom we read and offering “advice,” even when most people aren’t going to listen or act on it. As Benjamin says:
“A lot of times, people just want to vent. They don’t need a list of instructions; They want to be heard. Giving unwanted advice is a sure way to cause moderate to severe rage among our friends. Again, I know because I’ve done it. A lot.”4
He ends the book with his chapter “How I Read”, and he saved the best for last! Rather than giving keywords and brief card descriptions, he provides lots of information about the history of each Major Arcana card, some myths about the card and its symbolism, and his own interpretations or feelings about each card. Benjamin then discusses the Minor Arcana suits and the meanings for numbers. He sums up how he works with the Minor Arcana:
“It’s worth knowing the primary tool I work with is its element and number. Everything else (artwork, keywords, impulse) comes after I consider the element and the number. This isn’t right or wrong, good or bad; It’s just how I do it.”5
The writing style is engaging and easy to follow, making complex concepts approachable for beginners. The book emphasizes the importance of ethical practice, personal boundaries, and adapting ancient arts for contemporary audiences. I love the sample spreads and footnotes he adds to some chapters. This guide acknowledges diverse cultural traditions and encourages respect for different backgrounds and belief systems. Benjamin adds a section for further reading and reference at the back of the book, as well.
Overall, The Modern Fortune Teller’s Field Guide is an excellent resource for anyone interested in the art of divination with tarot cards. Its blend of historical context, practical guidance, and modern sensibilities makes it a valuable addition to any reader’s library. Whether you’re just starting out or seeking to refine your craft, this book offers thoughtful instruction and inspiration for your journey.
I plan to keep this book on hand for classes I teach as well as recommending it to new students for their own personal library. The information Benjamin shares is like the culmination of an afternoon spent at a coffee shop, going over his life story, getting a reading and making a new friend.
PJ Spur is an author, intuitive, spiritual mentor, astrologer, and hypnotist. She does tarot & oracle card readings, natal chart readings, grief coaching, and relationship healing. She also has hosted a weekly “Coffee & Cards” event with her Soul Compass Community for the past four years. Her book Navigating Grief with Grace is available on Amazon. Learn more at www.dearpj.com