Deck Study Books?

[iAmRiotEyes]

What are your favorite books that have been for "deck study?"

I don't mean one for a particular deck but one that helped you explore and get to know a deck.

I've been looking at 78 Days Around the Tarot but I'm not convinced yet. Just want to hear some opinions on your guys' favorites.

[shadowdancer]

I guess for me my 'must have' books have been Tarot Tells the Tale, and Tarot Playbook.

Fun exercises to really get to know my deck. One has a focus on 3 card readings, the other is just... well... fun.

[Winterchild]

Like Shadowdancer, I like Tarot Tells the Tale.... I do like James Ricklef........

I also like the two Mary Greer books I have:

21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card

Tarot for Yourself

Tarot Playbook is on order, and I cant wait

[marimorimo]

I concur with:

21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card
Tarot Playbook

These two books center on really getting to know your deck.

This one has a more general approach but is useful as well:

The Complete Tarot Reader

As for Tarot Tells the Tale, it's my favorite tarot book (James Ricklef rocks!) but I didn't feel that it's deck-study centric. Maybe if you use the same deck as him (Sacred Rose, New Palladini, etc.) I felt the central thrust was more like "How to weave a story with the cards to create a meaningful tarot reading." Still a great book, though, but I wouldn't recommend it for intensive deck studies.

(Sorry but my opinion differs! )

[swedishfish612]

I'm working with Tarot for Your Self and the Tarot Playbook right now, and I'd highly recommend both books.

Tarot for Your Self more serious in nature, but I'm learning a TON and I think it's a perfect beginner book. I actually wish I'd gone with this book first (my first was Joan Bunning's Learning the Tarot). I think this one will be an invaluable resource even when I'm not a beginner anymore. A wealth of info in this one!

The Tarot Playbook is lighthearted and just plain fun! I like how I'm learning about my deck without feeling like I'm working at it. I can see myself coming back to this book with other decks, too.

I took both of these to a local copy store and had them cut off the spines and put on a spiral binding. For a few extra bucks, they laminated the front and back covers, too. So much more user friendly this way!

[Skydancer]

Swedishfish - I've heard they could do that, too!! I cannot wait to take in several of my favorite tarot books and have them made into spirals. But our nearest store for that is over an hour from here so have to plan in advance. But I will prevail!!

Great idea!!

*S*

[Barleywine]

The book that helped me most in learning the deeper (that is, esoteric, qabalistic, philosophical) meanings of the cards was Robert Wang's "The Qabalistic Tarot." For the more traditional meanings, Eden Gray's books were what started me off. Unless I'm learning a new deck from a different system, I don't use books for "study" much anymore, just as an occasional, quick refresher.