The worst tarot books you have come across

stella01904

MM ~ No, the worst Tarot book would be the LWB. Just about ANY LWB. Although I didn't like The Pictoral Key to the Tarot, either. Guess what? When you get the "Original" RWS, it's used as the.....LWB! BB, Stella
 

hannahma

The Goo Factor

See my thread complaining about the goo factor-- sentimental goo instead of a clear exegesis of the cards, their esoteric meanings, or anything, really. The book that set me off was the drippy Three Goddess tarot (oracle deck, really) -- great pix, gooey book.
 

mythos

My all time favourite WORSTtarot book - currently - is Essence of the Tarot: Modern Reflections on Ancient Wisdom. Pure fluff from beginning to end. And it seems that we have yet another author who bandies around the name CG Jung without really having read anything that he actually wrote. He'd turn in his grave at some of the rubbish that has grown from his writings. Okay, so the guy wasn't the easiest of read, and the Latin (which is translated) and Greek (which is not ... grrrr!), can be a tad annoying, but if you persist ... what a well-spring of wonder ... and yes, much of it is very relevant to tarot. I just loathe it, though, when his name is scattered about without due study of his works.

In addition, we have all the usual new age fluffy gooey stuff. A bunch of aphorisms that have not been thought through. A kind of Louise Hay for the tarot set.
 

BlueLotus

stella01904 said:
MM ~ No, the worst Tarot book would be the LWB. Just about ANY LWB. . .

This is exactly how I feel about Lo Scarabeo decks LWBs, and I always dread adding yet another new deck from them, in case the LWB would add to my confusion in learning that deck.
 

Kiama

Luckily, I never owned this book - just picked it up whilst browsing in Blackwells.

I don't know the title, but it was a book by Hali Morag, in which the author gives you card combinations that, for instance, definitely predict pregnancy. (Such as the 3 of Cups + Empress.)

Bleurgh...

Kiama
 

cormac

mike gorth said:
THE PICTORIAL KEY TO THE TAROT was a terrible book to get. How disappointing. What ever you do, don't get it!!!!!!!!!!!

hahaha i was just going thru the thread wondering if i should post that book :D

granted i haven't read as many books as most here but did mr. waite have an incurable case of hemorrhoids that made him hate everything and everyone when he sat down to write?? his tone and edge throughout this book is spiteful and arrogant leaving me with the impression that no one but him could ever understand the tarot -- luckily i picked this book up at a used book store for two bucks so it wasn't too painful a monetary loss ... i don't think he ever found any joy or optimism in the tarot at all
 

Vadella

I don't use the LWB's... I never have. There is not enough information in them to suit me. I'm a extremely curious person who needs detailed information and key words are equaled to BLAH.

Tarot Made Easy by Nancy Garen = Chaos.
 

stella01904

cormac said:
hahaha i was just going thru the thread wondering if i should post that book :D
MM ~ Buy it used and cheap or else check it out at the local library, gratis. It's interesting but useless.
granted i haven't read as many books as most here but did mr. waite have an incurable case of hemorrhoids that made him hate everything and everyone when he sat down to write?? his tone and edge throughout this book is spiteful and arrogant leaving me with the impression that no one but him could ever understand the tarot.
What is really strange is that if you try to read a spread using his interps, you get gobbledegoop. The "vibe" that comes off that book is completely different than the one emanating from the eminently user-friendly RWS deck - which leads me to believe that Pixie was the brains behind the deck, in the first place. BB, Stella
 

Sophie

stella01904 said:
What is really strange is that if you try to read a spread using his interps, you get gobbledegoop. The "vibe" that comes off that book is completely different than the one emanating from the eminently user-friendly RWS deck - which leads me to believe that Pixie was the brains behind the deck, in the first place. BB, Stella
Or at any rate, the heart.
 

stella01904

MM ~ Both, IMHO. BB, Stella