Anyone have this book? [Kaplan's Tarot Cards for fun & fortune telling]

Anyone have this book?

Hi,

Does anyone have this book,

Fortune Telling with Tarot Cards by Stuart Kaplan

I'd like to know if its at all useful for reading Marseille decks

J

I have it Jewel-ry,

It was my first book when I bought my 1JJ Swiss years ago - I found it very negative, it was also very confusing for a beginner - it uses keywords (lots of keywords), not phrases, to interpret the cards and goes from very positive to very negative - I love keywords now to help to remember the cards but I never got on with this book.

I have it here somewhere but I haven't seen it for years and it certainly wasn't a book I was about to use again to start to study the tarot properly lol, but from what I can remember it used Rider Waite interpretations, although the book is illustrated with the 1JJ Swiss, and didn't touch on the Marseille decks at all. Nothing about numerology or even the details on the cards.

I do know people who loved this book though, so I'm probably biased but, no I didn't like it. Actually its the only tarot book I've ever read that I didn't like and I've read a few.

I'll see whether I can find it and make sure the years haven't added to my dislike of this book.

Thanks Emily,

I appreciate you replying. I was in half minds anyway as I have so many other books, I was just looking for something different. I think I will give this one a miss.

J

cheap copy

Saw a copy of this on EBay. The old 1970 hardback version. It's under $2, last I noticed ... (I'm not a Kaplan fan so won't be bidding) if you want to try it cheap

I do have Stuart Kaplan's three editions of the Encyclopedia of Tarot, which is excellent, yet seem to remember others not liking the book you mention...there is a link in the bibliography section of learntarot:

learntarot.com/biblio.htm

terri

Thanks lionette and tmgrl2,

I think I may go for Kaplans encydlopaedia's instead. In fact, that is what I was originally looking for when I came across the other one. I do find it frustrating when books show pictures of Marseille type decks and then give RWS meanings. Guess I'll just have to wait for Diana to do her book !!

J

Hi Jewel-ry...I have this book....someone gave it to me a few years back.
I do turn to it now and again, I quite like it, very concise. The spreads are a bit awesome though.
It wouldn't hurt to get it you know, for what it would cost.
Put it this way...I wouldn't part with my copy!!
Gloria.

If one recalls that it was written in 1970 (or close to that date), and that not many books were around at the time, it is a very handy and useful book...

If one wants a book of card-by-card meanings, and a variety of spreads well and succintly described, then this little book is probably going to please.

Personally, I have never recommended it to anyone, though I have recommended all of Kaplan's other Tarot works, including his Tarot Classic, which has, in my view, many errors.