Tarot books - an addiction
The first book I bought, "Tarot for Dummies" by Amber Jayanti, came with an RWS deck and a fold out spread "template" for a four card spread (plus a place for the significator and a clarifying card if needed). Like most of the "...for Dummies" books, it was a good starting point. One thing I liked is that it did not give keywords but instead it listed questions that you should ask yourself for each card. All in all, it was a good starting book.
After that I ordered:
"Power Tarot" by Trish MacGregor and Phyllis Vega ( RWS / lots of useful spreads)
"Tarot for the Green Witch" by Ann Moura (uses a mixture of decks, and addresses card pairs)
"Learning Tarot Reversals" by Joan Bunning (RWS / I haven't read this one yet. I'm waiting a bit on reversals.)
"Learning the Tarot" by Joan Bunning (RWS / excellent beginner book, and there's a webpage that can be used with it
www.learntarot.com, and is the textbook for the Barnes & Noble "Tarot for Beginners" class.)
"Tarot and the Journey of the Hero" by Hajo Banzhaf (I'm only through the first few chapters but I find it very interesting. It takes a very different view of the Tarot. Has lots of history and connects the Tarot with many other branches of metaphysics. So far so good.)
Today I received my next "installment" of books (can't recommend them yet, but I'll update this as I read them):
"Tarot Card Combinations" by Dorothy Kelley (RWS) (shows 2 card and 3 card reading combinations)
"The Tarot Court Cards" by Kate Warwick-Smith (RWS) (I have found this very useful. Provides insight on the court cards)
"Pictures from the Heart - A Tarot Dictionary" by Sandra A. Thomson (I love this book - but then I have always loved dictionaries! Lots of excellent insight to specific symbols. Is -jnot- strictly RWS. Covers Thoth, Osho and other styles also)
I also received my Osho Zen deck with "Tarot in the Spirit of ZEN - The game of life" by Osho (contains "pop-out" cards (mini) for the major arcana)
Maria