Need a Good SYMBOL Book

ZenMusic

I'm working on an "Advanced Tarot" boot that has extensive notes on the Thoth symbols (traces the Egyptian references, related stories of the Eg. Gods etc. includes the astrological references with explanations of each (for those not deep in astrology) Kabbalah, Magick, myth/legends etc.etc.) .. it will be out later this year

i have over 1,000 pages of notes just on the Thoth, book will be about 400 pages i think.
(also a section on waite symbols if they carry through or need reference via the Thoth images on the corresponding card)
 

Sophie

tabi said:
Most of my decks are Waite-Smith clones, I have the Thoth, and a one or two others that tend to go out in left field on me which was why a good book on symbolism is what I wanted.
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In that case, for the Waite and clones, you definitely need a book on Christian symbolism and myth - the Grail myths for example - alongside a more general book on symbolism (like the Penguin Dictionary of Symbols). For the Thoth - Crowley was a fountain of knowledge and curiosity, and his interests ranged widely across the world, from Tibetan symbolism and mythology (the 2 of Wands), to Egyptian, to Hindu, to Greek, and Lady Harris's art was formed at the Steiner school, so you can look at Steiner's thinking too (very interesting, btw - one of the things he developed was a synchretism of the divine feminine as "Mary-Isis-Sophia"). You will find a lot of what interested Crowley in the Penguin Dictionary, but I would also read more widely.
 

Ruby7

gregory said:
I'd second or third or whatever the Penguin Dictionary of Symbols - easy to find on abebooks... It is heavy to mail though :D It gave me quite a turn when the bill showed up, as the BOOK was only $8....
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Does the Penguin Dictionary of Symbols have illustrations or is it all text?

I'm trying to find a good symbol book too!

Thanks,
Ruby7
 

gregory

All text. I particularly like it because it is broadening - not confined to tarot.Which means you can gain aspects you never thought of before.
 

Ruby7

Thanks Gregory. I am looking for a book not confined to tarot but need illustrations. Definitely something I might get in the future though since it would make for a very interesting read.
 

Abrac

There are so many good symbolism books I would suggest getting as many as you can get your hands on. I have yet to find one that hasn't been helpful at one time or another.

One I acquired just recently is The Secret Language of Symbols by David Fontana; ISBN 0811804623; 1994; Chronicle Books. I don't know if it's still in print or not, it might be but I got mine used from an Amazon Marketplace seller. It's a larger trade paperback with excellent binding - the pages are sewn in. It has a lot of unique references you don't see in a lot of symbol books and its illustrations are quite beautiful. It coves a wide range of topics including Tarot. There is also a hardcover edition but it's rare and very expensive from what I remember. There is a newer edition by the same publisher (2001, I think) but it is very small and it's binding and images are not very good.

I'm going to have take another look at the Penguin book. I've seen it before but always passed it up because it didn't have illustrations. It might be time to reconsider. :)
 

Abrac

Well, I bit the bullet and bought the Penguin Dictionary of Symbols. Was that ever an experience.

After looking and looking I finally settled on the one at Amazon. The one in the picture is the one that actually showed up; however, the specs given do not belong with this book. About the only thing that matches is the ISBN. It is basically unillustrated, but does have the occasional chart, table, or drawing.

I will have to agree with the others, this looks like a very good resource indeed! The binding is good, it is printed on quality paper, the text is smallish but not as small as some I've seen, and its size is very good for reading. This seems to be a little nicer book than the one I remember looking at several years ago.
 

mythos

Reading your way through Joseph Campbell's Masks of God series (4 books - Primitive mythology, Oriental mythology, Occidental mythology and Creative mythology) is a wonderful way of seeing how symbols arise throughout the world, over time, cross-culturally, change meaning, interact and so on. Come to think of it ... his Hero of a Thousand Faces is a good place to start.

and

'Ditto' the Penguin Dictionary of Symbols.

Come to think of it Tom Chetwynd's A Dictionary of Symbols, and Herbert Silberer's Hidden Symbolism of Alchemy and the Occult Arts (a bit Freudian); The Meaning and Philosophy of Numbers by Leonard Bosman, Meditations on the Tarot and ... and .... and ... :D

mythos:)
 

Emily

I've just taken delivery of 'The Penguin Dictionary of Symbols' - I'm very impressed with it, I have other symbol dictionaries but I'm not sure how this one managed to get away from me for so long. It's 1177 pages long, with smallish writing, and is pretty amazing.

Even if you're not into tarot this book would make a really good gift for a book-lover. Its probably not perfect, no symbol book ever is but I've managed to find everything that I've been looking for and there is quite a lot that isn't covered by other symbol books. :)
 
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