mejenks
Thanks for the reply. Personally, I would rather invest in one set of twenty two exhaustive books than have thirty that repeat the same 90% of information, with the additional 10% being a hidden jewel that is something exciting to know. 
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Rider-Waite Symbolism
Teheuti
Paul Foster Case's book: The Tarot: A Key to the Wisdom of the Tarot is as exhaustive as it gets. This book talks about most of the Major Arcana symbols as pictured in his revised deck. In addition to explaining the symbolism that appears in both decks, he makes what is hinted at clear (like the gathers at the top of Temperance's gown being the Tetragrammaton). In other cases he adds a visual detail that is alluded to in Waite or Golden Dawn materials or is in keeping with these works. He misses a few things in his explanations, but not many.
I consider this as an essential work for anyone who wants to understand the GD and symbolic underpinnings of the RWS deck. It should be read several times in your tarot journey. Newer copies have color plates of his revised deck of cards. I also like the older B&W drawings because you can photocopy them onto the center of a page and write notes on all the symbols right next to each symbol on the card. This was a major teaching tool that I've used for years.
I consider this as an essential work for anyone who wants to understand the GD and symbolic underpinnings of the RWS deck. It should be read several times in your tarot journey. Newer copies have color plates of his revised deck of cards. I also like the older B&W drawings because you can photocopy them onto the center of a page and write notes on all the symbols right next to each symbol on the card. This was a major teaching tool that I've used for years.
mejenks
Thank you! If I have a pet peeve of amazon its that you cant peruse any pages worth seeing. This was one I looked at but didn't know if it was what I was looking for. Just ordered it!
Zephyros
Teheuti is right, Case's book is as good as it gets on something similar to the RWS.
Still, I can only bemoan the fact that someone like DuQuette hasn't done something similar to his Understanding book, discussing not only what is on the cards themselves, but also the context for them. On the one hand this achieves the deck's purpose of forcing those who want to know go look for the information themselves and glean it from a myriad of sources. On the other hand, knowing what I don't know and hints on where to look could prove very useful, as well as bringing Waite's brand of mysticism to modern readers.
The misfortune is that because of the lack of reliable information, generations of readers have seen Waite as a pompous fool who wrote a useless book and had little to nothing to do with the deck. More than it would useful, the RWS deserves a book like that.
Still, I can only bemoan the fact that someone like DuQuette hasn't done something similar to his Understanding book, discussing not only what is on the cards themselves, but also the context for them. On the one hand this achieves the deck's purpose of forcing those who want to know go look for the information themselves and glean it from a myriad of sources. On the other hand, knowing what I don't know and hints on where to look could prove very useful, as well as bringing Waite's brand of mysticism to modern readers.
The misfortune is that because of the lack of reliable information, generations of readers have seen Waite as a pompous fool who wrote a useless book and had little to nothing to do with the deck. More than it would useful, the RWS deserves a book like that.
Teheuti
I'm working on it, but don't know when or how to stop!!! And reading over 50 of his books is soul-deadening, even if his core mystical philosophy is beautiful (his writing isn't!).
Richard
I think the hardback editions of the Case book have color plates of the B.O.T.A. majors. My ©1990 hardback does.
ravenest
I'm working on it, but don't know when or how to stop!!! And reading over 50 of his books is soul-deadening, even if his core mystical philosophy is beautiful (his writing isn't!).
MY GOD! You read over 50 of his books .... come in, come in ... sit down, relax, have a nice cup of tea, put your feet up. Would you like brain massage?
Teheuti
I need to have my brain examined!
BTW, Case started the Builders of the Adytum or B.O.T.A. - which is the deck being used in his book - modified by Case and artist Jessie Burns Parke.
BTW, Case started the Builders of the Adytum or B.O.T.A. - which is the deck being used in his book - modified by Case and artist Jessie Burns Parke.
mejenks
Teehee ravenest... So I have two of your books teheuti, but of all of YOUR books, which would you recommend based on this topic?
Eta: I lied. I have three of your books but one was on kindle and got lost in the shuffle... I bet that's the one I should be reading! Lol.
Eta: I lied. I have three of your books but one was on kindle and got lost in the shuffle... I bet that's the one I should be reading! Lol.
Teheuti
The Kindle store keeps all of your book purchases in the Cloud, so you can reload it anytime.So I have two of your books teheuti, but of all of YOUR books, which would you recommend based on this topic?
Eta: I lied. I have three of your books but one was on kindle and got lost in the shuffle... I bet that's the one I should be reading! Lol.
None of my books, yet, goes into the symbolism of the RWS deck in depth. Tarot Reversals has my best and most complete interpretations for the cards - both upright and reversed. There's great material on working with the symbols in 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card and a chapter on symbolism in general (broadly by category rather than specifically).
The closest I've come is a webinar on Waite's stories for the Minor Arcana, and talks I've given on a couple of the Majors.
