Need some insight please?

Hi! I've been learning and working with the tarot cards for over a month already, i've mostly just read the books that come along with some of the decks i've bought over the course of my journey with the tarot, but i've found it a bit lacking as of late. I've been able to remember basic meanings to quite a bit of the cards, and i'm really excited about that, since i've always had shoddy memory *sheepish cough* Ahem. Anyway, I was wondering what type of book i should get for a beginner, learning the meanings and symbols of the tarot cards?

78 Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack
Tarot Beyond the Basics by Anthony Louis
Tarot Made Easy by Nancy Garen
Tarot for Your Self - 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card by Mary K. Greer
Tarot 101 by Kim Huggens
The Tarot Bible by Sarah Bartlett

I've researched and looked at nearly all the reviews on Amazon for these books, and most of them seem positive, I'm planning to buy a few books this year concerning the books above, but i'd like to get some feedback from you nice people from AT and ask what are the top three for a beginner? I'd also like to say I'm asking right now instead of buying, is because i don't want to buy a book and not read it because it doesn't have the topics i'd like a more focus on, in terms of a deep, informative look on the cards and their various meanings and definitions. And not to mention I'll have to special order these books and it's quite expensive to do so in my local bookstore. Haha. xP

Thanks and hope to hear your guys' thoughts on this.

These are by far my go-to books even after years of reading. Accessible, direct, down-to-earth and very comprehensive.

http://www.amazon.com/Tarot-Plain-S...933818&sr=8-1&keywords=tarot+plain+and+simple

http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Taro...d_sim_b_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=18GEFA986GYX23MG981B

ana luisa said:

These are by far my go-to books even after years of reading. Accessible, direct, down-to-earth and very comprehensive.

http://www.amazon.com/Tarot-Plain-S...933818&sr=8-1&keywords=tarot+plain+and+simple

http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Taro...d_sim_b_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=18GEFA986GYX23MG981B

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Thanks! I forgot about those two!
May I ask how they are for you in terms of card definitions? I was gifted a "Idiot's guide to The Tarot" by a family member, and it gives only a sentence or two of explaining the definition, like a LWB, i'd like a more deeper understanding, if you know what i mean.

Gee, I THINK both books are way better than your ordinary LWB. They do not go as deep as spiritual work or inner search or analyzing the history behind Tarot symbology like others do. I would believe that's not what you're looking for, right ? Joan's book can be browsed through on this site (it's a free course she has been graciously offering Tarot students for years). I "took" it and liked it so much that got myself the book. As to Louis' book, you could go to Amazon's link and see inside the book. Press the "surprise me" option. It usually gives you a taste of how he analyses each card. He works on specific suits, specific numbers and individual cards. for instance, for Judgement, he may tell you the Upright GENERAL meaning is Summing Up. Rebirth. Then, he provides you with a gazillion meanings for the upright position (a choice, the end of a situation, a rite of passage, a carreer change, rejuvenation,readjustment, transition,graduation, etc). It may look daunting but if you read carefully, all meanings are connected. It helps a lot to see the general idea being translated in different words. Then, he gives you the overall meanings for the REVERSED card. Same thing, many meanings. His prose is super light and easy. He also gives sample true readings to illustrate what he's being saying.

Later on, you could also consider this book. I don't know why it hasn't been overly popular but it is a delight to read and is a nice intermediate step before jumping into more serious/deep stuff.

http://www.amazon.com/Tarot-Predict...sr=1-1&keywords=tarot+prediction+&+divination

I would definitely take Louis' Tarot Plain and Simple over his Tarot: Beyond the Basics because the latter is NOT a beginner's book. Some 20+ years into my tarot study, TP&S is still the first book I'll grab when I'm stuck on a card.

Plus of Nancy Garen's book is that for each card it gives you an interpretation in 32 different categories. Minus of that book is that most of the definitions need to be taken with a grain of salt. As long as you keep what resonates and discard what doesn't, you'll be fine. If you can try to see how a particular interpretation might apply to your understanding of the card and then use that twist of the meaning to form your own meaning, then that book is a good jumping off point. The best feature of the book is the large B&W illustrations of the RWS deck that can be colored in.

Rodney

ana luisa said:

Gee, I THINK both books are way better than your ordinary LWB. They do not go as deep as spiritual work or inner search or analyzing the history behind Tarot symbology like others do. I would believe that's not what you're looking for, right ?

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I hope so! The book that was gifted to me (The Idiot's Guide to the Tarot) gave me some nice insight when i first got started on learning the cards, but now they just remind me of "Career/Love/Family" type of a LWB with how the book skimps out on a deeper look on the meanings.
and you're right, i'm currently not looking for any deep "Spiritual " or "Inner search" with the tarot, maybe one day. For now I'm studying up the deeper and basic meanings to all the cards, if I can. I've always found the subject of symbology very interesting, finding the hidden and not so hidden meaning to things, and such. And the cards give me such an enthusiasm to learning them. I'm planning to buy Corrine Kenners "Tarot for Writers" soon, because i'm a writer and I'd love to add the cards into my writings, their personalities, their meanings and symbols, but for now i would like to gain a DEEPER understanding of them, i really want to understand them as much as possible.

rwcarter said:

I would definitely take Louis' Tarot Plain and Simple over his Tarot: Beyond the Basics because the latter is NOT a beginner's book. Some 20+ years into my tarot study, TP&S is still the first book I'll grab when I'm stuck on a card.

Plus of Nancy Garen's book is that for each card it gives you an interpretation in 32 different categories. Minus of that book is that most of the definitions need to be taken with a grain of salt. As long as you keep what resonates and discard what doesn't, you'll be fine. If you can try to see how a particular interpretation might apply to your understanding of the card and then use that twist of the meaning to form your own meaning, then that book is a good jumping off point. The best feature of the book is the large B&W illustrations of the RWS deck that can be colored in.

Rodney

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Thanks, may I ask why you'd recommend TP&S more than BtB? To be honest, the only reason I added BtB is because it seems to be easier to acquire in my country than most, but it's good to gain some feedback on the TP&S that it's more understandable for a beginner. And aww... how cute, it reminds me of that tarot deck that you can color in as well. I wonder if it's still in stock. x3

CuddlyBCat said:

Thanks, may I ask why you'd recommend TP&S more than BtB? To be honest, the only reason I added BtB is because it seems to be easier to acquire in my country than most, but it's good to gain some feedback on the TP&S that it's more understandable for a beginner. And aww... how cute, it reminds me of that tarot deck that you can color in as well. I wonder if it's still in stock. x3

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You asked for a beginner book and any book whose title is "Beyond the Basics" is not a beginner's book. I do own the book and have started reading parts of it. It is not a book of card meanings. Judge for yourself by looking at Anthony Louis "Tarot Beyond the Basics".

Rodney

This is my favorite *cough* *cough* 'go-to' beginner's book:

http://www.amazon.com/Its-All-The-C...it's+all+in+the+cards+tarot+reading+made+easy


****** BY THE WAY ******

All my Tarot books sell for $12.99 - so look and see what various prices are being quoted, and let the buyer beware! Those being sold for highly inflated prices ($30-100+) are a price the seller has created - I do not get any royalty from those inflated prices.

I really like the Joan Bunning book. And "Tarot For Yourself" is a nice workbook.