If you had to choose only one book on learning the tarot, what would it be?

Aina

Aeclectic Tarot

mountains of information here, and mountains of opinions. After awhile you learn to sort the blowhards from the intelligent.

What deck do you have?
There are sections of this forum dedicated to the study of individual decks.
Pick one, stick with it, read what the others have posted, and add your own view for every single card.

Writing down your own view is a really good way to realize you know more than you think.
Reading what others have said helps you spot symbology you may have missed, historical background.

Buy a subscription here...worth far more than any one book.
What you are asking for sounds like Kaplan's encyclopedia of decks, with concordance ;)

No joking, lol? Subscription here for two years would cost the same as 1 expensive or 2 normal books. I get loads of info for free, anyway, lol. Does subscribing will bring me even more benefits? I'm sure it will, I'm just "joking". Good idea, thanks! :)
 

Richard

I am looking for the number 1 book for tarot learning. It should be thick, well rounded and cover ALL the basics and a little more than basics. Something that the beginner as well as an intermediate or even an experience reader could use. Or a book, that would "last" and would not be easily exhaustible.......
In view of your stated requirements, I don't think you would be satisfied with a simplified or 'dumbed down' introductory book. Maybe a solid intermediate book like Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack would do. I really don't keep up with what's being published nowadays.
 

InkyAlchemy

As someone who needs structure, I recommend Tarot Foundations by Biddy Tarot. It's a great book/workbook and will be a valuable reference once I work through it. The subtitle is 31 Days to Read Tarot, but I am taking my time and moving through lessons when I feel I am ready.

That said, I don't think there is "one definitive book". I have Pollack's Tarot Wisdom and Katz and Goodwin's Around the Tarot and Greer's Tarot for Yourself and can honestly say each offers a tremendous amount of info.

I'm not a "one and done" type of gal - I think a handful of solid choices works best.
 

magpie9

I have a tall bookcase full of Tarot books. At some point, each of them was the "best" book for me. Just keep reading and studying and practicing and hanging out on ATF and you'll get more Tarot education than you can possibly use.
 

QueenPen

#1The complete book of reversals

Others I like:

Power Tarot
Tarot: plain and Simple
 

celticnoodle

Aeclectic Tarot

mountains of information here, and mountains of opinions. After awhile you learn to sort the blowhards from the intelligent.

What deck do you have?
There are sections of this forum dedicated to the study of individual decks.
Pick one, stick with it, read what the others have posted, and add your own view for every single card.

Writing down your own view is a really good way to realize you know more than you think.
Reading what others have said helps you spot symbology you may have missed, historical background.

Buy a subscription here...worth far more than any one book.
What you are asking for sounds like Kaplan's encyclopedia of decks, with concordance ;)

I second this.

besides, at times you can find people giving away for free or selling dirt cheap books on this subject as well, right here on A.T. But, if I were faced with this decision, I'd spend the money becoming a full member here.
 

Tarot Terry

'Learning the Tarot' by Joan Bunning. Also good on-line support, in fact you could just use a deck and her online course to save money. Just google 'Learning the tarot'.
 

chongjasmine

I like Tarot plain and simple.
 

BeastlySerenity

"The Easiest Way to Learn Tarot Ever" by Dusty White.
That book simplified Tarot so much for me, and I think simple is powerful when learning a new discipline.