View Full Version : Tarot Plain and Simple
I am thinking of getting this book but I would like to hear from the people here first. Is this a good book? What do you think of this book?
Hi Juccota,
I've just ordered this book because its illustrated with the Robin Wood deck, I'm trying to get used to the Robin Wood and hope that this book will be a stepping stone to using this deck. I've read good reviews of it on other sites so I'm hoping it going to be ok to use :)
I'll post again when I have the book here :)
I had it earlier on and used it. But after I got Joan Bunning's book and then Mary K. Greer's book, I pretty well stopped using it. I would say it was servicable but uninspired, I guess.
HudsonGray
11-05-2002, 21:00
Emily, did you know Robin Wood came out with her own book for her deck? It's called Robin Wood Tarot The Book, you can probably find it over on www.half.com
I've got it, it's very good but she doesn't list many reversals in it (I have to resort to the little booklet that came with the deck on those). I'm still in the process of memorizing the card meanings.
What does help is a meditation on each one, one a day, where you read the description, then look at the card, then meditate & 'walk into the card' and look around & talk to the people & animals there. It makes it so much easier to remember. You get surprises too (and deeper insights). Start with the Fool, and remember to ask the little dog questions too.
Hi HudsonGray,
No I didn't know that she'd released her own book on the deck, think I might pop over to Amazon and see if they have it, Thanks :)
Edited to say:- No Amazon UK don't sell it lol oh well
I had a little re-think about this book, and although I'm sure its an informative and practical book, I've just cancelled the order, I also have J Bunnings book here and TFY on order so I didn't really want another 'run of the mill' general tarot book (I have enough of those lol) but now I know there is an 'official' book on the Robin Wood I can put effort into tracking one down :)
Originally posted by Emily
but now I know there is an 'official' book on the Robin Wood I can put effort into tracking one down :)
Get it directly from the author and with a few extra bucks, she will sign it for you !
www.robinwood.com
Same price than on Amazon.com
Kissa
HudsonGray
12-05-2002, 22:11
Hey, you know, that's right! She's got a web site & it should be listed on there!
I've met her in person at a Pennsylvania event she attends (it's called Pennsic War) where I picked up her book last year, she signed it for me there. She's a really nice lady. Her deck was out now in Spanish too. I thought she'd do it in German first, but she decided on Spanish instead.
I'm sure you can get her book through her site.
Enjoy!
Thanks for all the replies, I went down to the book store today to take a look at the book and read some parts of it. I feel that it a a bit too general for me, oh well.
I think I will go look for the book by Robin Wood and I am going to order 78 Degress of Wisdom soon.
Thanks for the tips Kissa and HudsonGray, I'm going to go to her site after I finish on here :)
Juccota,
Joan Bunnings book, Learning the Tarot, is good - she also does a free online course where you can download or print off the book at
http://www.learntarot.com/top.htm
magicmadrigal
13-05-2002, 21:46
This is a great book for learning tarot especially if you are using Robin Woods deck.
I also love Robin's book as well, but Plain and Simple is just as it says.
MagicMadrigal
quan_yin
19-05-2002, 22:57
Hi,
I have this book, "Tarot Plain and Simple." Maybe it's me but I don't really like it very much. It seems very judgemental, especially of people. Of all the books I have, I use this one the least, and I don't always glean much from it when I do.
Just my two cents. I think there are better ones out there.
I have this book & it is a good book but *Tarot Reversals * is so much better.
I have this book and i like it. i used it a lot when i was doing one card a day readings because it has key words
Jenny-Li
22-05-2002, 05:23
Hi!
I have this book, it was one of the first I bought, and at the time I thought it was really good, and I still like the introduction chapters, because he sort of brought Tarot down to earth, writing about reading Tarot in a very sound and "Earthy" way: the process, the getting started, etc.
The card presentation is, in my opinion, a bit too sketchy and limiting. I suppose that's to make it "plain and simple" - I'm reading 78 degrees of wisdom right now, and that is NOT plain and simple - would I have gotten that one instead of Tarot Plain and Simple when I was a beginner, I might very well have decided that Tarot isn't for me...! So for a beginner, I think it's a great book, perhaps for someone who has got the deck out of curiosity, and might not know a great deal about what Tarot is. But I think it might be a book to let go of once you're moving along the Tarot-journey.
Light and love,
Jenny - eagerly waiting for the Robin Wood-book to arrive, hope it's as good as you guys say it is! :)
I bought this book some time ago, but I've never opened it. I guess it's too late now, since I'm studying 78' of Wisdom. *l* No, I guess I have to read through it at least.
Jenny-Li: I think the 78DW is the best tarot book I've ever read. I understood more of what tarot really is, from reading the introduction, than I did reading the lousy tarot book of Jane Lyle -for one year-!
~aeonx~
Jenny-Li
22-05-2002, 06:20
Originally posted by aeonx
Jenny-Li: I think the 78DW is the best tarot book I've ever read. I understood more of what tarot really is, from reading the introduction, than I did reading the lousy tarot book of Jane Lyle -for one year-!
~aeonx~
Oh - don misunderstand me now; I think the 78 DW is great, but it AIN'T plain and simple!
It's not a book that I read just for leisure, because it's quite demanding. Maybe it's my English giving me a hard time again, no matter how interesting I find the book I have to read it paragraph by paragraph, more or less...! Plus, it approaches Tarot from a historical and symbolical angle - which is exactly what I have been looking for, but it also makes the text a lot more complicated.
Hm, or maybe I'm just a lazy reader...?
Light and love,
Jenny :)
Jenny-Li: I agree with you, it ain't exactly plain or simple. 78DW has helped my tarot understanding tremendously! Before Amazon, I had no clue how much tarot really is! :D I work in a Multimedia shop/Bookstore, and the only tarot books we have (biggest store in the city!) are the most superficial and silly ones.
I got rid of the Lyle book right after I received the 78DW! And I never recommend it to anybody (even though the other yell at me for it :P )! I just can't say to a person that I like something I don't, even if the others tell me it's my job. We have different opinions on what good service is, I think...
~aeonx~
MystiqueMoonlight
22-05-2002, 08:08
The J Bunnings book and online course is very good for beginners. It gives you quite a comprehensive lesson in the Tarot.
The online course is free and can be downloaded so that you don't have to get onto the web to use it. It is broken into lessons with small assignments to complete at the end of each lesson to help you grasp the information you have just studied.
I have read Rachel Pollack's book which accompanies the Haindl deck. Someone told me it is like 78 DW plus vol2 because it dedicates half of it to the Haindl deck specifically. I don't know if that is true as I have not seen 78DW.
You may also want to check out
www.rglobal.net/user/nodntap/
for another source of online lessons.
Also www.kenaz.com/resources/tarot.htm
Blessed be
After my posting on 'Tarot Plain and Simple' a few months ago, and ordering from Amazon then cancelling the order, - I saw it on holiday a couple of weeks ago and bought it. I should have bought this book months ago, although its not the official book to the Robin Wood and could be used with any R/W clone, it does seem to have opened this deck up for me.
I've posted often on my inability to read with the Robin Wood but after reading through this book my readings seem to be getting clearer.
I like the style of the book and the fact that it uses detailed reversals, which I have just started to read with. It gives a few spreads to use and all in all its a good informative book, its fast becoming my favourite. :)
Minderwiz
20-08-2002, 05:12
I've got Tony Louis's book and a number by Mary K Greer, Rachel Pollack, Cassandra Eason, etc But Louis' book is usually the one that I reach for first (along with Tarot Reversals and 78DW). Mainly because I find it sparks ideas rather than slavishly following his keywords.
I've had some correspondence with Louis regarding Tarot issues and found that he was extremely helpful and forthcoming. He is I practising Psychiatrist I believe.
I also have Louis' book Horary Astrology Plain and Simple and found that also useful.
Minderwiz