Looking for the Little White Book

Suzanne A

When I bought my RWS (the Universal version), I took a look at the Little White Book and tossed it aside in disgust, as it seemed confusing, unhelpful, and downright stupid in parts. Now that a few years have passed by, I have a hankering to study the RWS more deeply, which includes trying to figure out what Waite had in mind when it was created. But, I can't find the LWB--it's not in the sock drawer where I left the original box and the couple of extra cards that came with (don't ask why the sock drawer).

I've done a little searching around the forum, and haven't found any threads specifically related to the LWB. My questions:

1) Was the LWB you get with the RWS written by Waite? (I'm assuming you get the same LWB with the various versions of the deck--if I'm wrong, please correct me)

2) Does anyone know of an internet link for the text of the LWB (either here on Aeclectic or somewhere else on the web)?

Thanks in advance for any guidance.
 

rwcarter

The LWB to the yellow box RWS from US Games is basically a very condensed version of the Pictorial Key to the Tarot. The LWB to the Universal says, "Instructions by Stuart R. Kaplan" and has different instructions than the yellow-box RWS.

I don't know of any online sources for the LWB's text, but you can always trying contacting US Games through their website to ask if they either have a PDF version of the LWB or if they would sell you one. You never know what might happen.

ETA - There's also a companion book to the Universal Waite Tarot, so if you can't find the LWB, there's another option for you.
 

Suzanne A

Thanks for this information. I did a little reading around the net today, and if I understand it correctly, Waite wrote a little book called The Key to the Tarot which was issued with the deck as early as 1910. Then he revised and expanded the book to become The Pictorial Key to the Tarot. And, as it happens, a local used bookstore had a copy of the Pictorial Key that I was able to pick up cheap this afternoon.

It seems to me that if I want to understand Waite's intentions, the Pictorial Key is probably the best place to start, as Waite wrote it very near to the time that the deck came out. I'm guessing the LWB I had was written by Stuart Kaplan, the guy who commissioned the Universal version of RWS. I may hunt it down to see if he just cut and pasted some of Waite's writing, or if he wrote something of his own.

A quick skim through the Pictorial Key reminds me why I didn't buy it when I came across it a year or two ago--Waite's prose can be terribly turgid. But, I can also see a lot of good information, and I can see how this is going to help me fit the RWS deck into the context of tarot history (something I'm feeling compelled to take a stab at).
 

Bhavana

Suzanne A said:
Thanks for this information. I did a little reading around the net today, and if I understand it correctly, Waite wrote a little book called The Key to the Tarot which was issued with the deck as early as 1910. Then he revised and expanded the book to become The Pictorial Key to the Tarot. And, as it happens, a local used bookstore had a copy of the Pictorial Key that I was able to pick up cheap this afternoon.

It seems to me that if I want to understand Waite's intentions, the Pictorial Key is probably the best place to start, as Waite wrote it very near to the time that the deck came out. I'm guessing the LWB I had was written by Stuart Kaplan, the guy who commissioned the Universal version of RWS. I may hunt it down to see if he just cut and pasted some of Waite's writing, or if he wrote something of his own.

A quick skim through the Pictorial Key reminds me why I didn't buy it when I came across it a year or two ago--Waite's prose can be terribly turgid. But, I can also see a lot of good information, and I can see how this is going to help me fit the RWS deck into the context of tarot history (something I'm feeling compelled to take a stab at).
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I don't think I have ever been in a used book store that DIDN'T have a Pic. Key to the Tarot - glad you found one, I was going to offer you one of mine.

Now, as for the little white books - someone DOES sell replacement ones - one of the major tarot websites...I just can't for the life of me remember which one. Will have to think about it, or maybe someone else will know.
 
Key To The Tarot: Question/Text of What Became the Celtic Cross All the Waites...