View Full Version : best book that comes in a set
dolphingirl
14-02-2002, 13:43
Hi
I was wondering if you anyone has bought a book and deck set and read the book and thought it was so much better than the other books that come in sets. To me alot of the books that come with the sets seem to rehash the same information and wondered if there were others that found one book in a set to be exceptional. My fav for new and different info is the Pagan 2000 tarot the book is full of poetry that is really lovely and tells about the cards in the deck. I would love to here others opinions.
Thanks
Samantha
Strange2
14-02-2002, 13:57
I highly recommend the Tarot of the Spirit book/deck set. The book is 400+ plus pages, and not only goes into great details on each card (4-6 pages per card), but is very inspiring and educational. The author is Pamela Eakins. For each card, there is a section on divinatory meanings, a meditation poem, and symbolism. The deck and book show a lot of influence from the Qabalah, and is a truly uplifting work.
The Cosmic Tribe is good. Not only is the symbolism of the cards explained, but you are then prompted with questions to reflect on to better understand the cards.
I also really liked the Celtic Dragon, and Legends book and deck sets.
Love & Light,
ive only got rider waite and faerie oracle..the rider waite book..well, leaflet is ok, hardly one of the best.
the faerie oracle book is amazing, i love it. although tarot books dont generally 'look down on you' as such, the ferie oracle book is written in a far more informal, chatty way and really does seem like someones talking to you as an equal. this might be because the person that wrote the book didnt actually do the cards..i dont know. but its wonderfully written.
slinky_jo
14-02-2002, 17:31
Yes, Hush, the book that comes with the Faeries' Oracle is wonderful and beautiful...
Another lovely book is the one that comes with the "Druid Animal Oracle" by P & S Carr-Gomm. It is also hardback, with a multitude of interesting and "useable" correspondents in the back and front of the book.
Also I love the little hard back book that somes with my "Goddess Card Pack" by Juni Parkhurst, that I ordered from a book club (not listed anywhere on the net!).
Strange2
14-02-2002, 17:35
Just thought of some other good book/deck sets:
- Wheel of Change tarot, by Alexandra Genetti: 400+ pages book with lots of insights by the author/artist, which goes into many tangents in describing the symbolisms and influences on the cards. Beautiful deck as well, a great mix of the modern and the mystical.
- Alchemical Tarot, Robert Place and Rosemary Ellen Guiley: 176 page book, featuring a well-researched history of the Tarot and the author's inspirations to create this deck. The card descriptions are both educational and inspirational.
- Ancient Egyptian Tarot, by Clive Barrett: 160 page book, providing excellent details on the Egyptian themes behind the cards as well as how these themes relate to traditional Tarot symbolism. Hard to find this set, but I believe it is being republished later this year (yeah!).
Logiatrix
14-02-2002, 18:03
totally with you on the book thing--it's more important than some distributors seem to think...
my picks:
--any of the creations by Brian Williams, including the book he wrote for Michael Goepford's Light and Shadow Tarot. anything he does is an education--always worthy.
--any of Robert Place's creations. also very scholarly.
--The Celtic Wisdom Tarot; the book is illustrated, hardback, and textuallly complete, IMO.
--Legend: The Arthurian Tarot; this book stands alone as a nifty guide to Arthur, et al., because of the stories given for each of the 78 cards.
--Robin Wood Tarot: The Book; yes, i know this book doesn't come with the deck, but it should! as a set, it would make a great gift for a beginner. i don't use this deck, though i like it well enough; however, i learned oodles from the book.
--Wheel of Change Tarot; rife with information. a seriously chunky read.
:)
okay, that's all (for now...)
silvereye
14-02-2002, 23:06
Russian Tarot of St Petersberg! The book is written by Cynthia Giles.
It's not a set with the cards but the book itself has a very detailed history of Russia and gives insight to the symbology used
Greenman
15-02-2002, 00:08
the 'Magickal Tarot' comes with a book by Tony Willis which is absolutely terrific (i love his tarot writings).
and the book that comes with the 'Enchanted Tarot' is very cool, very different and fun to read.
One of my favs is the book to the Wicca Pack by Sally Morningstar (ok, not a tarot deck), it does not only explain the cards but offers meditations, reciepies, Wiccan background information,etc all in a nicely done book with colourprinting.
Nice to look at and I think I will have a lot of fun with this book and the cards.
I can't believe no one has mentioned the book that goes with the Osho Zen yet - that is excellent.
I agree with the Cosmic Tribe book too - very good. I like the inclusion of poetry.
Pythgorean Tarot: Never in my life have I ever seen such an acdemic and intellectual and in depth(480 page) study of the cards! Certainly not light bedtime reading, but excellent all the same.
Robin Wood: Why, oh why, oh why did she not get it published by Llewellyn with the deck?! it would've been so much easier!!! It took me a year of searching to finally find this book, and I'm glad I did!
Legend, Arthuian: Lots of stuff to read, think about, and enjoy. I just love the way it presents the Arthurian legends.
Kiama
arizonagirl
15-02-2002, 07:59
The books that come with the Mystic Tarot and the Buckland Romani Tarot are both very, very good. They are 'real' books, not LWB's.
divinerguy
15-02-2002, 08:37
Don't forget the Voyager, which has a good book with it. James Wanless has also written a comprehensive reader's guide if you really want to get into his system.
Gary
Tho I dont personally own it yet, I hear the book that goes with the Tarot of the Saints is really good
Scorpion
15-02-2002, 11:57
kayne (15 Feb, 2002 20:42):
I can't believe no one has mentioned the book that goes with the Osho Zen yet - that is excellent.
I agree with the Cosmic Tribe book too - very good. I like the inclusion of poetry.
I agree entirely, Kayne - both these books have my backing, but the Osho one in particular - so relevant and so clear, I thought the various Zen excerpts were perfect illustrations.
Also, the bigger book that goes with the Voyager deck - I was a bit miffed at having to buy this separately as the book that comes boxed with it is a half-size version and I didn't like it at all: in fact, I put the deck to one side because I was struggling so much until I saw the full book.
Greenman
15-02-2002, 14:45
so, apparently everyone's favorite book is the one that comes with their favorite deck?
Greenman: :-D LOL Funny that...
Well, I guess if we didn't like the deck, we wouldn't look at the book... ;-)
As for my own biased opinion, the Vertigo tarot (which is one of my favorites) has a lovely book. Rachel Pollack, author of 78 Degrees of Wisdom, wrote it. It's quite in-depths and reads along beautifully with the deck by exploring the picture, explaining elements of the picture and then into their meanings. She obviously spent a lot of time meditating on the deck.
My only problem with the book is that the font is absolutely miniscule. And I'm serious here--after page 15, the font *notably* diminishes in size! You'd think DC would have more money than this.