LS - Booklets and Books and more...

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 16 Jan 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

RiccardoLS	16 Jan 2004
As there will be a big meeting inside LS regarding the deck documentation in February, I wanted to ask for any and every comment on that regard. This will include opinions on all the booklets (quality of them... deck by deck if you wish), the few books, and the nature of the booklet themselves. Is that information enough? If not... what kind of info should be provided, etc... Thank you in advance, Riccardo

BlueLotus	16 Jan 2004
Some of the LS decks are the most beautiful tarot decks ,and I am glad to be the first one to add my comment as I have about 6 or 7 LS decks and all of them are excellent, well, except for the Dante, since I don't know how to read it, although I definitely appreciate the artwork, which attracted me initially to this deck. My own opinion regarding the LWB is that it does not provide enough information to go by,similar to the one that goes with The Fey deck making it hard to read/understand the cards at times ( take for example the Witchy Tarot...!). So, I usually go by the few words given, which are usually very skimpy, or try to develop my own interpretations. The cards themselves are made of very good quality, but it would help if they were a bit shorter, and wider, or just wider. So, maybe a mini book with some more extensive interpretations for each deck will be helpful. That was my humble opinion, and keep up the good work. Oh, and I love the Fey Deck to pieces. ;)

dolphinprincess	16 Jan 2004
There are so many great decks... ! I kind of second Feebie.. I think it would be very helpful to offer more decks that have a companion book - even if its a "mini" book, like some of the Llewellyn sets have... Thanks :o)

firemaiden	16 Jan 2004
Hi Riccardo, I think the booklets are quite wonderful, for being booklets, though I generally disregard them, unless totally stumped on a card, but I would love some more background information about some of the artwork: I would like to see a book for the Tarot of the Imagination, -- information about the artist, his process, what he was thinking, etc., when a specific event is represented, what precisely it is... (funny thing to call this the tarot of imagination, it is so much about grim raw reality, LOL) For Lupatelli's Fairy tarot, I would like to see it mentioned somewhere that the pips are all taken from paintings of Victorian fairy painter Richard Doyle, and the names of each Doyle painting, or painting fragment listed either on the card, or in the booklet. For the Vikings Tarot, a book would be wonderful, the various myths associated with each card could be told, not all are possible to find on Google. And it would be a lovely collection of myths to have in a book, with discussion of how the relate to the tarot card. That's my two cents for now. :)

jmd	16 Jan 2004
As far as I'm concerned, gone are the days when little white books were about the only assistance one was to get... Usually, a shop which stocks decks will also stock books. What would be useful is some notion of where the artists are 'coming from', and why the deck. In other words, a little more information on how the deck came to be - and maybe a small note to newer Tarot enthusiasts that it is suggested that, as they are likely to have done for the deck, they peruse books and choose one they seem drawn to... or even mention Aeclectic as a living ongoing resource :) With historical decks, comments about when they were originally produced (if known), where the originals are kept, and why LS may have decided to alter a card (like adding a zero upon the Fou), or by what criteria they decided on translating titles, would also be useful... Generally, assuming the professionalism of its clientele, yet providing useful information to both beginners and experienced buyer alike, without attempting to replicate what may have been useful 30 years ago... Just some brief - and maybe stern - notes ;)

Dark_angel	16 Jan 2004
I'll second the idea about companion books. I love reading about the creator's interpretations of cards.

Kissa	16 Jan 2004
Oh Riccardo, since LS wants some feedback from customers, how about suggesting to UPDATE that website of yours !!! last update was in 2002 !!!!!!!! It is a pity, IMHO it doesn't give a good image of the company. I like lots of LS decks, don't use the LWB too much, prefer a good companion book. Kissa

lunalafey	16 Jan 2004
folks here with the Fey- do you hve just a little booklet that fits in the box with the deck? Feebie- I don't understand what you mean by the Fey's book not giving enough info. There is a companion book that goes with the Fey that has a wonderful breakdown of the cards image, meaning, & symbolisim.....now I can see how a LWB would not be able to provide that info if it's a flod out type.....Tarot of the Origons has a single piece of paper fold out 'LWB' and it gives 'basic/little' info. Now I have a few non-LS decks that have a LWB that is truely a book, but is the size of the deck- I think these are really cool, because it fits with your deck in a bag or box. they have all the extra info like bio's on the artists and such

BlueLotus	16 Jan 2004
Quote: Originally posted by lunalafey folks here with the Fey- do you hve just a little booklet that fits in the box with the deck? Feebie- I don't understand what you mean by the Fey's book not giving enough info. There is a companion book that goes with the Fey that has a wonderful breakdown of the cards image, meaning, & symbolisim.....now I can see how a LWB would not be able to provide that info if it's a flod out type.....Tarot of the Origons has a single piece of paper fold out 'LWB' and it gives 'basic/little' info. Now I have a few non-LS decks that have a LWB that is truely a book, but is the size of the deck- I think these are really cool, because it fits with your deck in a bag or box. they have all the extra info like bio's on the artists and such Actually this is what I said .... does not provide enough information to go by, to the one that goes with The Fey deck making it hard to read/understand the cards at times ( take for example the Witchy Tarot...!). So, I usually go by the few words given, which are usually very skimpy, or try to develop my own ....etc

raeanne	16 Jan 2004
Hi all, The information I would like to have in a LWB is the artist’s explanation of the symbolism on each card: Why is there an owl on this card or a cat on that card? How does the art relate to the meaning of the card? I would also like to see more information about teaching beginners to develop their own spreads rather than using generic spreads like the Celtic Cross.

EarthAngel2911	16 Jan 2004
How wonderful! It's not often that we, the customers and users of tarot, have the opportunity to give input on our favorite decks, let alone be ASKED for it, to the "guy in charge." Thank you, Riccardo, for asking! :) First, let me say that Lo Scarabeo has some of THE most beautiful decks out there, complete with very high quality card stock. My favorite thing about LS decks is that you know what you're getting, quality-wise. The decks are all uniform in size, which I love, and the boxes have a great bottom closure. There's no flap on the inside where cards get caught when you put them back in the box. But you're not asking about the quality of the cards, which is obviously not in question. ;) The first Lo Scarabeo deck I bought was the Fey (one of my very favorites!!). I had received other LS decks in trade before that, but always ended up trading them away because I didn't know how to read with them. (Of course, I've grown as a reader since then.) But the biggest reason I purchased the Fey is because there was a full companion book to help me appreciate the beauty of the art. And of course, from there I was hooked! And because my understanding of tarot has grown so much, I have accumulated many more LS decks! My biggest disappointment with Lo Scarabeo decks is their lack of documentation in the LWB. True, most LWBs are a far cry from a companion book (and I'm one of those companion book people), but there are definitely some that are better than others. Llewellyn, for example has mini sets that have a "Big White Book." They're not full companion books, but they offer much more detail, both on the image and how it relates to the meaning of the deck. (World Spirit is a great example.) Lo Scarabeo LWBs can be so sparse that I think it has to be discouraging for beginners. I know it was for me. Also, the new LWBs are deceiving. They are thicker and you think, "Yay! I'm finally getting more information." Only to discover that the booklet is in five languages, so you're not getting any more information than before. But now it's in a bulkier booklet rather than a little pamplet. (Of course, I do understand the benefits of printing one booklet rather than a different pamphlet for each language.) As far as the format of the LWB, I guess it really doesn't matter to me whether it's in booklet form or the little pamphlets that fold up. Here are the things I love about the booklets. I LOVE that each LWB has a different spread, specific to the deck. Nobody needs to see another Celtic Cross spread. I also like the way many (but not all) LS decks have meanings that are also specific to the deck. They don't follow the RWS traditional meanings many times. How to improve the LWBs? I do agree that it would be very nice to have more background on the artists. Being an American, I don't know anything about these incredibly talented people that are often featured for multiple decks. Another improvement would be more information on where the artist was coming from when designing the cards. Many times the explanations on WHY a card is created speaks louder than just an explanation of WHAT the card means. It also gives the reader the opportunity to develop a personal association, which helps him/her connect better with the deck. Those meanings they won't soon forget because they had to associate with the image to get there. And then there are some decks are so theme specific (like the Olympus, the Dante, the Art Nouveau, and the Spirit of Flowers, to name a few), that without more detail in the LWBs, these decks have to be relegated to the "art deck" category, which is a shame. One of my favorite LS decks is the new Gothic Tarot of Vampires. To me, this is an example of a great LWB (not to mention an incredible deck!!). There is a lot of information about why this deck came to be. And in the Gothic Vampires theme, each suit has a specific association relating to the life of a vampire. This was so well explained in the LWB, that it is a pleasure to take those three or four words of meanings and develop an association for the image. I know I've been wordy here (as always), but I wished I had my decks here with me at work. (Then I would have REALLY droned on and on!) I would be happy to write about specific decks later, if that will help. Thank you again, Riccardo, and I hope this has helped you. I'll be curious to see what comes out of the meeting! :) Blessings, Karen P.S. - I also agree with the suggestion that LS's website should be updated. There are so many new and incredible decks out and more on the way, that it would be great to be able to view them online before buying. (Or for me, even after buying. When you really love a deck, you can never get too much of an image.)

Jewel-ry	16 Jan 2004
I have the Crystal Tarot which is one of my favourites and I agree with several other comments on this thread. I would like to know more about why the author has used the symbolism they have and their reasons for depicting cards the way they have. I sometimes feel that the indepth books that go with some decks are too 'heavy going' whilst the LWB's are not enough. Is there a compromise? Maybe a mini book or more thorough LWB would suffice. J :)

spoonbender	16 Jan 2004
Riccardo, thanks for giving us the opportunity to give our thoughts on this. First of all I want to say that I love and appreciate a lot of the LS-decks. I also have to say, though, that I’m not too happy about the LWBs... Repeatedly, the LWB gives hardly any useful information about the cards and leaves everything up to the reader. I would love to see more explained about the symbology and thoughts of the author, and would like to see some meanings listed that actually fit, especially since most of the LS-decks are not very traditional in nature (at least the decks I own). For example, in the LWB of the Secret Tarots, the meaning listed for the Empress is “action, beneficial influence, resolutive help”. On the card sits a passive Empress in a dark room looking extremely sad and lonely. In the LWB of the Tarot of Dürer is written for the Magician: “Bold woman with organizational abilities at work”. On the card stands a chubby, older looking male with his mound open wide. In the LWB of the Olympus Tarot, there is only one meaning listed for the Knight of Cups: “punishment”. I think you can see what I mean... Likewise, I have recently learned that the cards in the Bruegel Tarot are based on proverbs in Italian. I’m not Italian, so it would be helpful to receive a little more info about the proverbs used. I think it’s a real shame that the LWBs are so unpractical, ‘cause that way, you miss out on so much. Those wonderful decks deserve better, in my opinion. Mind you, I’m not saying by this that I want a highly detailed book that analyses the deck completely. I do believe that some things have to be left to the imagination and intuition of the reader. I loved the book that came with the Fey Tarot and was so pleased to see it. But even a practical and useful little/big white booklet would be a beginning. Warm regards, Spoonbender

Cerulean	16 Jan 2004
Italian language kits with books for the following: Elisabetta Trevison's Crystals Tarot. It used to be available at Il Trigono, but then it was pulled and I cannot order it. I would love to see it put into circulation and translated into English. Ancient Tarot of Lombardi, by Giordano Berti and Marisa Chiesa. I own the Italian book, but I'm still puzzling over it. I would enjoy seeing it in English. I've heard that Giordano Berti wrote a book for the Dante Tarot and Mantegna, but it is not published...I would love for it to become available. The beautiful reproduction of the Golden Tarot of the Renaissance, Estensi Tarot--would a kit with an English language book be available, similar to the Fey, Egyptian and Visconti Gold? The Fey book is impressive, interesting and innovative. Pictures, sketches, color and symbolism, artist and author interaction--I really enjoy the creative inserts and found it invaluable. The LWB was a summary and yet gave enough to evoke good readings if I just wanted to take the deck for travel. The Egyptian and Visconti Gold books are also high quality and I adore them being in English. Pictures, ideas, some history. Especially in the Egyptian, the black and white sketches that have historical context. Some of your sci-fi decks, such as the Tarot of the Roboti, would be wonderful for fantasy fans if done with good booklet or book...there are many fans of Japanese anime or Vertigo who like different titles as well...like me. The Gothic Tarot of the Vampires is also a great crossover from creative tarot characters to science fiction comics.... for me, the Gothic Tarot of the Vampires deck doesn't need a book, but I'd enjoy seeing what could come up one if there is a background storyline. So that is my two of pentacles....thanks for asking. Mari Hoshizaki

BlueLotus	16 Jan 2004
Now, I have to add a few 'honest' remarks here. When I first started with Tarot, a year or so ago, I didn't know much about decks, where and why's of them...! I used to order them over the internet based on the images I saw . But with expererience I learned where to get the best quality ones that are accompanied by a 'decent' book/-let , or by at least a book that is sold seperately, which is written for that particular deck. Although I initially love/-d LS decks, I became more suspicious of them, due to the 'little' information about the making of the images, and meanings of each card. I still order LS decks, once in a while when a 'stunning' deck comes around, or when I am able to get one on sale, but the 'overall' deck/accompanying book(s) are more important to me now. The whole package is what counts for me anytime, and it wont hurt if I get it at a discounted price . It feels like the deck has 'family'/ 'roots'. :) Sorry for being 'blunt ' but I had to add my 2 cents.

Mimers	16 Jan 2004
Riccardo, Thank you for giving us the opportunity to provide feedback. In general, I much prefer a deck/book set rather than just a deck. I do however, realize that not everyone can afford deck/book sets and therefore if just a LWB is going to be provided, here is what I would like to see. In regards to the LWB, I would prefer to see insights regarding the symbolism used in each card or the theme of the particular card which ever is most appropriate. Throw the key words and basic meanings out the window. You can throw the short history of the Tarot out the window too. A spread unique to the deck would be nice too. Historical backround on the deck's theme would be nice too. I would like to say that I always prefer to buy a deck that has a book available that will go into these topics in more detail. The book you wrote for the Fey Tarot is an excellent example of what I appreciate in a deck's book. I loved how you brought us through the process of the card's creation. I loved seeing Mara's sketches and how they progressed into the final card. You explained why you chose to create a Fey deck and these were all great features. Another example of a good book is the one that goes with the Tarot of Prague. It discusses the history of Prague in general. It gives the details of all of the symbolism used in the cards. It provides the source of the symbolism as well. It also gives you general meanings. Both of these books are very well written. There are many LS decks that have intrigued me but I have not purchased simply because they do not have a book, and I know that I could never fully appreciate, nor understand them without one. Oh, and please do update that website!:) Regards, Mimi

Umbrae	17 Jan 2004
Stick with me here – I hate LWB’s. With a passion. Often they begin with the words, “Nobody knows where Tarot originated…” and then they proceed to discuss trite opinions. I actually read (GASP) the LWB’s that came with Tarot for the III Millennium, AND Gothic Tarot of Vampire. Both were good. Key words for parrots, and enough discussion to peak the imagination for those who love to dive deeply for themselves. I wonder what the LWB for the Etruscan is like… Large books that accompany decks are usually a waste, Tarot of Prague and Victoria Regina excepted. The above is opinion of the poster, and is not to be taken as a reflection of Aeclectic Tarot or it’s members, subscribers or guests.

firemaiden	17 Jan 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae Large books that accompany decks are usually a waste, Tarot of Prague and Victoria Regina excepted. Part of what makes the books Umbrae mentioned worth it, is that they discuss the source of the artwork on the card, and in the case of the Tarot of Prague, give photos of the original source. That is fascinating. The source material for the artwork on the card is not only interesting in its own right, it can also inform the divination. The poignant example in my mind, is one Umbrae has pointed out in previous posts, of the three of cups in the Victoria Regina, being the dancing balinese women in the world's fair, and who inspired Debussy... While such connections might seem irrelevant to a reading, one day it might be of earth-shattering importance.... That is why I recommend the books primarily address the source material, the inspiration, the artistic process. I don't have the book that comes with the Fey, but I have heard that it does just that. It sounds fabulous. So fun to have you here, Riccardo, and to have the opportunity to respond here.

full deck	17 Jan 2004
Riccardo, one thing LS could do that makes more sense than putting a LWB into each deck is to simply create a web page (a self-contained mini-site of several pages) for each deck that contains an interview with the creator and a walk-through to the deck. This should be a *complete* commentary on the deck as well, not just footnotes. This would achieve several things: - it would save printing and packaging costs on LS's part. - it would act also as a marketing tool to others that do not yet have a certain deck. - color graphics, photos and even audio visuals could be used (without incurring a printing cost) thus making for a much more interesting deck documentation. You could also have a HTML version that could be downloaded and viewed privately later, offline and even printed out. One could even create a PDF or better yet, a FLASH version of such that could be loaded into a PDA (Palm Pilot, Visor, etc.) for pedagogical purposes. You could easily subcontract someone to do the HTML, design, Flash, etc. on a deck-by-deck basis. Concerning content, my impression is that you already have some good ideas and direction of your own (I don't know about the others at LS though). I would make it as a mini-documentary style, with history, personal insight, a story or two, pictures, even some digital video footage of an interview with the creator or a sample reading. Mind you, if you use *more* video streaming from your site, you will have to deal with your web site provider about speed issues. If your current web hosting is not fast enough, you can easily get an additional site hosted for not much money, from anywhere in the world. My business site is in New Jersey (USA), I'm in Greece, Korea and the US. Considering the state of the internet today and in the future, are these reasons not compelling enough to make such a leap?

Demonesse	17 Jan 2004
I would like booklets that give a bit of information about the cards of that particular deck, such as what Firemaiden has suggested, rather than just general meanings, and preferably a spread or two designed specifically FOR that deck, and a foreword from its creator. For me: An example of what to do: Gendron. What not to do: Gothic (Joseph Vargo). So far, I find LS's booklets to be a tad bland and rather off the mark even when it comes to the general meanings, and the fold-out booklets are a bit of a nuisance. If I remember correctly, the Avalon's wasn't too bad though...I also like a bit of information about the history of the deck (if it's a historical/traditional one) like in the Visconti Gold. full deck's suggestions are excellent.

jmd	17 Jan 2004
full deck's suggestions are wonderful... but please do not replace the booklets with an internet site. Lately, a (small) number of books have been published with the footnotes available for download - an example is Kaplan's The Nothing that Is. It is absolutely pathetic to have to buy the book, then go to the trouble of logging on, finding the footnotes, printing them, and then carrying a wad of paper for the footnotes which should have been printed with the book. Updating your website and adding those suggestions is wonderful... but please do not deprive those of us who also value what may come from a tiny booklet attached to the cards :)

firemaiden	17 Jan 2004
:confused: All of the LS booklets do already have a spread created just for that deck, don't they?

musclegirl	17 Jan 2004
I'm curious why the LS Cups suit is called by the relatively rare and quaint name Chalices rather than Cups. Also, why does LS call the suit Pentacles instead of something more traditional and less occult like Coins, like it does in the other languages that appear on the LS cards? As well, I find the unusual title Knave very odd for decks of the 20th and 21st centuries. Why not call it Page?

Shade	20 Jan 2004
Hmm I kinda liked the knave... but there's the diversity for ya. I also wanted pentacles to be coins in the decks... and I'm Wiccan so that was odd for me. I LOVE the book for the fey, read it cover to cover and I love the amount of depth that comes with it and the versatility it lends to every card in the deck. I would love a companion book to be made for every single deck but i know that's not possible. I'm praying that the upcoming pagan tarot and gay tarot would get full book treatenst but I doubt it.

jog1118	20 Jan 2004
i only have the celtic tarot (gaudenzi/tenuta) and the tarot of the hidden folk so i'm speaking from a limited knowledge of LS decks: *card quality is great...dont change a thing about them *like everyone else have said, i would appreciate that lwb's be more in-depth...i'd like companion books too *UPDATE THE SITE *i may be speaking for the celtic tarot (gaudenzi/tenuta) alone but i think multiple artists for a deck really dont work... *here in the philippines, i believe the market for tarot cards is growing...i suggest you work things out with a local bookstore here (like Powerbooks or National Bookstore) so that more decks can be made available...he!he! this was really off-topic but i just had to say it... :smoker:

HudsonGray	20 Jan 2004
Right - books that SAY something are the best way to go, be they large or small. People do read them & it does help considerably when trying to work with a new deck. But I also really like Full Deck's idea of having a web page for each artist/deck. It'd bring more people to the Lo Scarabeo site (a big plus!) and it would give insight into the cards. I read the interviews that Aeclectic's site has with the deck designers & there can be so much information there that it helps understand the concepts behind the decks better. Downloadable is good too. Most everyone can get online now, either at home, school, work or the library, so this would be a significant advance for your site--something that the others haven't picked up on yet perhaps? The cards themselves are fine. The boxes are fine. It's just the books. Book sets are great to get. Good information in the books is essential.

~X~	21 Jan 2004
Another vote here for knowing more about the symbols and/or scenes that the author has chosen to represent each card. Thank you for striving to meet your customer's needs.

Khatruman	21 Jan 2004
I didn't read through all of these posts, so I apologize if I am repetitious. I see my request in a few of the posts I have skimmed through. Many of the decks that you have offered have LWB with very general card meanings and interpretations. This is frustrating for those of us who have a general sense of the cards anyway, but not a sense of the imagery and symbolism of the particular deck. For instance, as firewench pointed out, the Tarot of the Imagination. What are the figures and where are they from? I don't have my decks in front of me, but I know several other themed decks do not have any background into the symbolism and imagery. Your Fey Tarot is a wonderful exception to this. Please note to LS: many who buy your themed decks are already fairly proficient in tarot, or at least have books to help them in that regard. Inclusive booklets ought to enlighten the deck user therefore on that particular deck's idiosyncracies.

BlueLotus	22 Jan 2004
I do not mind the little folded pamphlet that comes with most LS decks (although it looks like a maze to me, and an irritating one at times )particularly when with limited budget, but I suggest that a 'seperate' book/let be available : a cooperation between an author, the creator of the deck, and the artist, for those who are interested in adding more insight and knowlege that will fascilate understanding the cards. Some suggested books/lets for these decks: Dante Tarot Journey to the Orient ( Marco Polo ) Tarot Secret Tarot The Tarot of the Sphynx Bosch And I am sure other members have other decks that need to be deciphered as well. . Not much added to what have already been said, but perhaps, a bit different ;)

Le_Corsair	22 Jan 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Khatruman Please note to LS: many who buy your themed decks are already fairly proficient in tarot, or at least have books to help them in that regard. Inclusive booklets ought to enlighten the deck user therefore on that particular deck's idiosyncracies. [font=Times New Roman]I'll second that; I think it is obvious from this thread that people want minimal information on generic card interepretations, and maximum information on the artist's vision. Bob :THERM[/font]

lunakasha	26 Jan 2004
I agree with many of you who have requested more companion books from Lo Scarabeo, and that the purpose of these books would be to gain the artist's perspective in creating each card: how did he/she come up with that particular image, and what is the significance of a specific person/object/animal in the card??? Speaking selfishly, I would like to advocate for a companion book for my absolute favorite deck (LS or otherwise): Tarot of the Animal Lords. These cards are soooo beautiful, and they are also easy to work with. But it would be wonderful to be able to learn more from the artist about how these amazing cards came to be..... Thanks Riccardo! :) Luna

RiccardoLS	27 Jan 2004
I'm listening to all comments. Thank you very much. They shall be most useful... By the way... the LS website has been updated... (just the atalogue section). http://www.loscarabeo.com/catalogo2004/Catalogo_UK/catalogo.htm Best, R.

Cerulean	29 Jan 2004
And I am eager to find the corrected Egyptian (I heard the early copies had errors) and New Vision in small format. I bought the Universal in the mini edition and have taken it everywhere...the colors and images are very clear and an excellent reading copy even in the smaller size. Thanks for the update news. Mari H.

firemaiden	29 Jan 2004
Quote: Originally posted by RiccardoLS By the way... the LS website has been updated... (just the catalogue section). http://www.loscarabeo.com/catalogo2004/Catalogo_UK/catalogo.htm The website is BEAUTIFUL! Thank you Riccardo!.

Cerulean	29 Jan 2004
1. I saw two things. Under Classical Tarots, the review for the Renaissance Tarot by Mark Filpas was listed under his wife's deck, the Crystal Tarots by Elisabetta Trevisan. 2. And if you would like to add links, both Solandia and Mari Hoshizaki reviewed the Leonardo Da Vinci Tarot http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/leonardo-da-vinci/review.html I only mention the Leonardo reviews, as it is one of my favorite 2003 decks...and it would be nice if prospective buyers could read up... Mari H.

lark	30 Jan 2004
I would like to add something about the quality of the Fey book. I like the size of the book. It's easy to handle. The pages are connected well. You can't imagine how many tarot books I have that the pages have become loose because of poor binding. But I really like the lightness of it. It's kind of hard to explain put the actual weight of the book in your hand feels very light. I have no other book that feels like this book. I really like it. If future book sets have the same quality of book in them, I will be very happy. It's very nicely done. And I just wanted you to know I appreciate that kind of quality.

spoonbender	30 Jan 2004
Quote: Originally posted by RiccardoLS By the way... the LS website has been updated... (just the atalogue section). http://www.loscarabeo.com/catalogo2004/Catalogo_UK/catalogo.htm Wow, what a great site! Already added to my favourites! It was great seeing some of the new decks that are gonna be published - very cool! Thank you so much, Riccardo! Spoonbender

Shade	30 Jan 2004
An Atlantis and Dragon deck in the works... why wasn't I informed... heads will roll!

Cerulean	30 Jan 2004
Golden Tarot of Renaissance Estensi Tarot Giordano Berti Artwork by Jo Dworkin Gold Foil Impressions 78 cards - 66x120 mm - Instructions Languages: I, Uk, F, D, Es. Code: EX 83 The antique deck of Charles VI, commonly known as the Estensi (Este Duchy) Tarot, are proposed here in their entirety, thanks to a careful and in-depth historical and artistic research. A very valuable work, with water-coloured cards, embossed, and enriched with a golden lamina. Tarot of Stars Eternal Roberto Negrini Artwork by Andrea Serio 78 cards - 66x120 mm - Instructions Languages: I, Uk, F, D, Es. Code: EX 82 These Tarots are the result of the complex in-depth research undertaken by Roberto Negrini, an expert on the Book of Thoth and its' evolution. The painter Andrea Serio has transposed the results of this amazing work by Negrini onto the illustrations, in an effective synthesis of art and magic. These cards are inspired by the hermetic tradition of the Egyptian Decans, the astrology of Golden Dawn and the "Book of Thoth". ----------------------------------------- Well, the Estensi one looks as good as I dreamed. Deepest thanks! I've been needing a delightful bit of news--a restored historical deck in a lovely new setting. And decans and a Thoth workalike! Now that will be interesting. Mari H.

Rusty Neon	31 Jan 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Mari_Hoshizaki Tarot of Stars Eternal Roberto Negrini Artwork by Andrea Serio 78 cards - 66x120 mm - Instructions Languages: I, Uk, F, D, Es. Code: EX 82 These Tarots are the result of the complex in-depth research undertaken by Roberto Negrini, an expert on the Book of Thoth and its' evolution. The painter Andrea Serio has transposed the results of this amazing work by Negrini onto the illustrations, in an effective synthesis of art and magic. These cards are inspired by the hermetic tradition of the Egyptian Decans, the astrology of Golden Dawn and the "Book of Thoth". Here are blurry scans from the Liber T - Tarot of Stars Eternal deck. http://www.schors.nl/loscarabeo/liber_t.html Riccardo ... Do you have any more scans or information about this deck? Does it follow, in some way, the specifications of Crowley's _Book of Thoth_ or the Order of the Golden Dawn's _Book T_? Thanks.

BlueLotus	02 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by RiccardoLS I'm listening to all comments. Thank you very much. They shall be most useful... By the way... the LS website has been updated... (just the atalogue section). http://www.loscarabeo.com/catalogo2004/Catalogo_UK/catalogo.htm Best, R. The new updated site looks so neat. It is easier now to check out the tarot decks. Thank you Has anyone been 'reading' with the Fairy Tarot? It looks like a nice one to have next. There is also a book for it.

Cerulean	02 Feb 2004
Sorry, are you talking about the Fey Tarot book in English or a book on Lupatelli's Fairy Tarot? I only know of the Fey Tarot book in English, although some of the Lo Scarabeo decks had some Italian books...although the Fairy tarot isn't one that I remember to have seen. A link to the old Fairy Tarot on the old site...it still comes with a booklet. http://www.loscarabeo.com/catalogo/files/fairy.htm At aeclectic.net, many have discussed the Fey and I'll add links if you are talking about this one.

HOLMES	02 Feb 2004
if you truly wish to make money ,, PUBLISH THE AQUATIC TAROT AND STEEL WIZARD TAROT, us games obiviously want nothing to do with them, and we who tarot runs in our soul cry every day for not having these two decks, while we are at it , i would look at the rainwalker link here on aeclectic and offer a deal to publish that deck. also i would like to see some advanced tarot books from your company should you branch out. but to published the aquatic tarot and the steel wizard torot (they are both seeking the publishers from what i understand ) is to go to the bank and cash it, trust old holmes on that . :O) edited to add, if you need a hint for what kind of advanced book , get the tarot symbolism reprinted by robert v o neil , or approach him for a sequal ? *ps i have the celtic, secret, universal waite, and got the vikings tarot coming, *

BlueLotus	02 Feb 2004
Mari_Hoshizaki There is a Fairy Tarot I detected on the new updated site as well. It look similar to Fey. Very beautiful. http://www.loscarabeo.com/catalogo2004/Catalogo_UK/catalogo.htm

Cerulean	02 Feb 2004
I found it under SETS. The Lupatelli tarot is available both in mini and regular and I have had it for awhile. Rather cute, but a lack of book in English has hampered me from using it other than a novelty. His art is not really like the Fey at all, the majors being his own creation--from the 22 card version--and then the minors have a different look altogether, very much like old fashioned fairy tales by Warwick Goble to me. Thanks for the heads up. An aeclectic.net member who looked at the Fairy Tarot in the past noted the paintings of Richard Doyle for the 56 minors seemed to be source...hopefully hte book also notes Doyle's work... http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=237716#post237716

BlueLotus	02 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Mari_Hoshizaki Feebie, you need to let me know where it is ...classical, gold and silver, modern...etc...thanks. The only Fairy Tarot under Modern in the new catalogue is the Lupatelli one, either mini or regular. Thanks. Mari I see you found it ;)

HOLMES	02 Feb 2004
you really need a coming soon section , and a list under those those pictures for those of us with slow browsers , or can't get the little pictures to load up for the sections of the decks on the left side. the reason why i aske is what is the magican figure tarot deck that is in the middle of the moderen page, he looks cool

RiccardoLS	02 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Rusty Neon Riccardo ... Do you have any more scans or information about this deck? Does it follow, in some way, the specifications of Crowley's _Book of Thoth_ or the Order of the Golden Dawn's _Book T_? The main reference is to Crowley-Harris Book of Thoth, expecially for the Majors Arcana. The Astrological connections for the Court Cards and the Numerals, are due to the Ermetic Order of the Golden Dawn – the same source as Crowely’s. The Minors are fully illustrated – on the contrary of Harris deck. Sorry, but no scans yet available :( http://www.loscarabeo.com/catalogo2004/Catalogo_UK/Tarocchi/70_starset.htm It is an amazing deck - in my opinion - this time with a powerful research and accuracy behind. We have many problems with translating the documentation and - beside - we fear it won't be enough for such a deck. Best, Ric

RiccardoLS	02 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by HOLMES and a list under those those pictures for those of us with slow browsers , or can't get the little pictures to load up for the sections of the decks on the left side. I'm afraid, I've not understood :( Ric

dolphingirl	02 Feb 2004
Here is a partial list of ISBN numbers for the new decks that are comming out by Los Scarbeo :) Will post the ISBN numbers for the pocket decks shortly New Lo Scarbeo decks for 2004 include : Atlantis tarot- ISBN: 0738704644 Gay Tarot - ISBN: 0738705977 Native American Tarot - ISBN: 0738705985 Dragons Tarot - ISBN: 0738705993 Tarot of Stars Eternal - (this one doesnt' seem to be in amazons data base yet but if anyone finds the ISBN please let me know) Pagan Tarot - ISBN: 0738702439 Tarot of Druids - ISBN: 0738705179 Golden Tarot of Renaissance Estensi Tarot - This is a gold/silver foil deck (this one doesnt' seem to be in amazons data base yet but if anyone finds the ISBN please let me know)

RiccardoLS	02 Feb 2004
DolphinPrincess, if You send me an e-mail address, I can give You an excel file with all of the new titles and ISBN. The ISBN You have been referring to, are the Llewellyn ISBN (good for North America). In UK or Australia there are different ISBN, as there are for non English speaking countries. Best, R.

firemaiden	02 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Mari_Hoshizaki An aeclectic.net member who looked at the Fairy Tarot in the past noted the paintings of Richard Doyle for the 56 minors seemed to be source...hopefully hte book also notes Doyle's work... http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=237716#post237716 Not seemed to be--- are the source. http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=116346#post116346

HOLMES	02 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by RiccardoLS I'm afraid, I've not understood :( Ric sorry riccardo , what i mean is when i was looking at your modern tarot section and there in the middle is that big waite based version of the magican, i could't figure what deck that was. so could you tell me, ? and consider putting a little title under the little pictures of each of the preview from the collage you got on each section. it would help a lot i think. edited to add, ooops i mean that big magican in the classical page , sorry riccardo

HOLMES	02 Feb 2004
ok riccardo , it is the universal waite, thing is i eve have that deck , but when you do the scrollin down the links to the tarot deck on the left of the main page of the classical , it shows a differnt card from the universal waite and hence all my confusion . (that may want to be rectified so others dont' get confused ) . (slaps the virgo self and says hush to self )

Cerulean	03 Feb 2004
I would enjoy seeing: Lo Scarabeo do 1) a mythical gypsy tarocchi with the beautiful Tuscan or countryside theme 2) a tribute to Petracha (for you have done Dante and Boccaccio). At least the ideas for the majors might be suggested. By the way, I very much enjoyed the tarotpassages.com interview! http://www.tarotpassages.com/minettiint.htm Sincerely, Mari P.S. Did Riccardo pose for this? http://www.sirbey.com/Version2/html/tarot05.htm

RiccardoLS	03 Feb 2004
Diane tricked me!!! I refused to sent her any photo and she asked Valerie. Bad girl, Diane!!! Sigh... poor me. :( Ric

Maan	03 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by RiccardoLS Sigh... poor me. :( Ric Oh come on Riccardo, its not a bad picture...you look cool!( probebly cause you are ;) ) And i loved reading the interview! Love Maan

Cerulean	03 Feb 2004
There's a mysterious reflection in your glasses, which we will take as a mysterous tarot spirit taking visual form. Otherwise, you are very handsome and we will all guess what the placard says hanging from your neck. I still think Maya's drawing of you as a Fey will be my favorite depiction of a tarot author. Best wishes and thanks very much for all the information, the catalogues and news. I am looking forward to a bright 2004! Mari H.

Mimers	03 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by RiccardoLS Diane tricked me!!! I refused to sent her any photo and she asked Valerie. Bad girl, Diane!!! Sigh... poor me. :( Ric but you look great in that picture! I have to confess I pictured you much older. Probably because of your impeccable manners. Poor you, but lucky us! Good Diana!;) Mimi

RiccardoLS	04 Feb 2004
Yesterday I finished translating and organizing what you all have been writing on the subject of LWBs and books. It is all now printed on the desks of LS directors. I’m now free to say what is my opinion on these regards, and to thank You all for the useful and intelligent advice. It will be very unlikely that LS will change size and dimension for booklets, due to simple technical and costs problems. But I think we are starting to became aware of a general shortcoming in the LWB quality, for the way they are written. And this may be changed... maybe not in one day, but it eventually shall be. Regarding the books, we shall probably proceed one step at a time. The Fey, Egyptian and Visconti books... and the incoming book regarding the Fairy Tarot are all “pilots”. I would like – as most of You do – an increase in books for the decks in the future. I really liked – and I must be honest, because I share that concern – the intervention of Kathruman making a distinction between material that actually says something and material that is irrelevant space in form of words. Internet intervention will probably be a future, but I have many doubts - for the right here, right now -. While it may seem easy to just get extended material available online, it needs time... translation... and the writing of that material in the first place. So – we are cronically short of time – it will take time before being the rule, and not the exception. Working with English speaking authors is probably an asset, but with few exceptions, it is still a lot of trouble. While author A has been the perfect author, author B has – for instance – been terrible late with time. And this make it difficult for us to have a schedule and a planning. I’m pushing for accepting submissions. We rarely do, as you know. Sometimes just because we don’t have the time to adapt them to our standard or style (just a matter of communication and dialogue). I feel that submissions, many times have a different energy from custom made decks... and the authors are much more motivated into helping others understand their deck. One last opinion came from speaking with Solandia herself. She told me she had some trouble connecting with Laura Tuan books. I felt she was not the only one to have that feeling – just look at the review on the Karma oracle by Laura Tuan – and I started wondering why. I think there are in the world two different broad approach to Tarot. One is the “spiritual” approach that I feel deeply entrusted in this community. It is originated in the English speaking countries and – I must admit – it is the approach I prefer and share. On the other side there is an approach that is “oracular” and it is more similar to the Italian standard. They bring out totally different “languages”. As for a “spiritual” tarotist the keyword “fair haried maiden” is of no help, and feeling wrong, for an “oracular” approach it is perfectly ok. A keyword of “look within yourself to find a balancing emotion” on the other way is perfect for a Spiritual approach and wrong, unuseful, not-understandable, for the oracular approach. [i wonder if i have been able to express this feeling i don’t really have clear myself] Well, See you on the funny papers :) Ric

HOLMES	04 Feb 2004
to do an informal poll in this way. i like all the decks forthcoming this year, with the emphais for me is the dragon and native american for i am native as well. ric , you given any thought to the aquatic tarot and steel wizard ? for either 2005, 2006 anything ? http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/aquatic/ http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/steele-wizard/ i would of pmed you this but you dont'have pms enabled. ----------------------------------- i seen some great little white books liek the native american tarot, the jungian tarot little white book i used to use as my study bible. then we got the old little white booklet that paraphrases toth or waite and adds nothing to the personality of the deck itself. one thing i did notice is the tarot sets that come from other companies like the magical golden dawn or the enochian tarot their little books were just a shrunk down version of their big books. if i had known that i would never have got the big books as well. i would to see the lo scarabeo spread riccardo for the old celtic has been in almost every little white booklet (i wonder if it was designed for that purpose sometimes a general all around spread to deal with everything ) and so perhaps you can make a better spread to go with your bookelets. for your internet problems it would be advisable (but expensive as it would be a job created for that purpose i agree) to get a lo scarabeo specialist who translate it for you , update it frequently, and write whatever you like. then all you have to do is look at the website perhaps one or twice a month or week given your dedication (example i check aeclectic like at least once a day for new decks in the new section ) then this person could promote the website to all the magazines, websites. of course this person would have to lo love lo scarabo , tarot, and commited to sharing your product. regarding the ocular , i thought at first you meant that you would be getting in oracle decks, until i saw that in north america the focus has switched to the spiritual journey , while in your aurea they remain focused on the divinatio aspect. i think to combat this it would be wise to have a editor coming from a spiritual approach edit the work of the ocular approach and vice versa. in fact they should work together in order to get a well balanced product. then again riccardo i dont' know much about business, let alone publishing . but any comments on these would be greatly appreciated

EarthAngel2911	04 Feb 2004
Riccardo, Thank you for giving us an update on the status, and I especially appreciate your own opinions. Your differentiation between the two different styles of reading and the difficulty in writing a LWB made perfect sense to me. And I guess I never thought of that before. I wonder if a LWB could include both..... :) Blessings, Karen

Cerulean	04 Feb 2004
Laura Tuan's approach to decks is something that I was trying to figure out by reading some of her commentary in the Del Negro decks: an Egyptian, Celtic and the Dotti. I of course am very limited in my Italian, but I can pick out when she associates color and some 'traditional' (I do not know if they are just Milanese or standard Italian card traditions) keywords that I am familiar with... In the same way, Isa Donelli's designed titles produced for Del Negro do have an oracular tilt, but the two decks that I have of his seem to be more geared to design notes seem to be based on colors and items appearing on the cards--but I don't know if that is his authoring, the production house or just a coincidence of the decks that I am looking at or remembering. The Gitani deck, which is both French and Italian, has a beautiful coloring and old fashioned feel similar to the Dotti designs and the descriptions of the card scenes, while imaginative, also seem true to its folkloric theme. Of course I am hoping to see something woodsy, colorful and warm like that from Lo Scarabeo that touches on both 'naturalistic' and perhaps Tuscan folklore? Mari H. Thanks for your notes.

Cerulean	11 Feb 2004
It's April 2004!! I just received my catalogue...I had ordered once from Wonderful Tarots, so I was put on the mailing list. THe online catalogue is similar enough...what a wonderful feat. Thanks for the news and links! Mari H.

lunakasha	11 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by HOLMES ric , you given any thought to the aquatic tarot and steel wizard ? for either 2005, 2006 anything ? YES, I would also like to know if the Steel Wizard is going to be published, I have been waiting anxiously for this one! Thanks HOLMES for bringing this deck to Riccardo's attention... :) Luna

The LS - Booklets and Books and more... thread was originally posted on 16 Jan 2004 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.