Thoth Books: Snuffin vs. DuQuette

[Cassandra022]

So I kind of have the two extremes when it comes to Thoth study books: Crowley's Book of Thoth (which I am slowly making my way through, given current life time constraints. It is interesting background reading but not so relevant to reading with the cards directly, for me...) and the Banzhaf Keywords book (dead useful in familiarizing myself with the basics of symbolism while still reading my normal intutivish way, also dead useful to consult when time is limited). Kind of want to get something in between, heavier reading that actually relevant to reading with the cards, for after this current barely sleeping for days on end school nuttiness subsides...

I was planning on getting the DuQuette book, but I recently just succumbed to getting an ereader, finally, and so tempted to get the Snuffin, because there is a kindle version of that, so I can mix it up a bit by having on of the books in e-form and the others in physical...but if DuQuette is really significantly better/more useful, I can just wait and get that and have paper, no problemo...

Sorry if this is rambly, aforementioned shortness of sleep, er. Basically, my question...for those who have used/read both, or I suppose either, which did you find to be more useful/if you were only to get one, which would you go with, and why?

[Grigori]

For me the difference is that Snuffin is more focussed on the card's symbols, and maybe useful in the context of readings. DuQuette more on the system, and more useful to understand why things are the way they are.

They serve different purposes IMO, so I'd get both

[Fianic]

Personally I don't find Duquette useful. It doesn't say anything that's not already in the Book of Thoth. Snuffin is more useful.

[rif]

I liked both, but the conciseness of Snuffin is an advantage IMO; and I liked his presentation for each card.

[gregory]

I have been using both extensively recently.

I am now VERY fed up with DuQuette, who so often (the first time I though fine, a one off...) describes as frightfully significant things that ARE NOT ON THE CARD AT ALL. NOT HELPFUL when you are working on understanding the symbolism. Which I am. Discussion on the symbols on a card need to relate to what is actually there. I keep wondering whether he actually looked at them while he was writing. I mean - I suppose he must have - but if so, how can he say some of what he does. It makes me question what he writes.

For the CARDS, Snuffin now wins hands down, but as a general read, DuQuette is good fun and informative.

[Le Fanu]

Ach! I have loads to say on this! But dashing out to work!

ETA; it was something along the lines of DuQuette; contextualisation, Snuffin; cards. (Yes, agree with gregory!)

[Barleywine]

Originally Posted by gregory

I have been using both extensively recently.

I am now VERY fed up with DuQuette, who so often (the first time I though fine, a one off...) describes as frightfully significant things that ARE NOT ON THE CARD AT ALL. NOT HELPFUL when you are working on understanding the symbolism. Which I am. Discussion on the symbols on a card need to relate to what is actually there. I keep wondering whether he actually looked at them while he was writing. I mean - I suppose he must have - but if so, how can he say some of what he does. It makes me question what he writes.

For the CARDS, Snuffin now wins hands down, but as a general read, DuQuette is good fun and informative.

I came to DuQuette with great expectations that didn't really pan out. A good read but definitely in the "Bud Lite" category as far as useful substance not already available in the BoT. I also have the Banzhaf "Keywords" and now "The Handbook to the Cards" (which I haven't started yet). I don't have Snuffin yet. But I got most of my really useful interpretive background material from the Tryskelion website and a couple of other on-line sources. I downloaded, printed and organized the material, keeping it in a tabbed binder.

[gregory]

Originally Posted by Le Fanu

Ach! I have loads to say on this! But dashing out to work!

ETA; it was something along the lines of DuQuette; contextualisation, Snuffin; cards. (Yes, agree with gregory!)

Oh dear, I must be wrong

ETA (crossposted) Banzhaf also has some actual errors, but I am enjoying that too. the BEST is the wrong IMAGE for the Magus - one of the alt versions

[Babalon Jones]

The Duquette book has overall loads more info than the Snuffin book, which I liked but there was much less content. Duquettes as was mentioned is great for the overall view of the Thoth system too.

But for "reading" (as in card reading, but it also was pretty interesting reading) purposes, I think the most useful is Akron/Banzhaf's Handbook (not the keywords book, the other one).

There is another image error though as gregory mentioned...I think the images for Strife (5 Wands) and Strength (9 Wands) were reversed; guess someone wasn't counting their wands or reading the text!

edited to add: I second grigori, get both, they are different but both useful; and actually, get the Handbook too...but don't listen to me, I am a book fiend

[gregory]

TRUE ! I hadn't got that far yet