Which books do I purchase???

So at the moment I am working with Mary Greer's Tarot for your Self and I love her whole interactive approach, I like being involved and am learning so much.

I have a Waterstones voucher and a discount codes that soon expires so I would like to get some books now.
I am looking at the following:

-Rachel Pollack - Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom: I borowed this and loved it so it would be nice to have my own copy. Rachel's presentation takes me back to my English Literature days, the book just flows so well, I love her card descriptions and all the helpful tips.

-James Ricklef Tarot Tells the Tale: This looks fun although am not sure what to expect.

-Mary Greer Tarot Court: This I am sure I want!

-Mary Greer Tarot Reversals: Is this any good, can't find many reviews, unsure yet with Mary Greer as my teacher I feel this book could be useful.

I am looking at really just getting 2 books for now and maybe the others not at all or at a later date.
Opinions welcome

-Mary Greer Tarot Court:

-Mary Greer Tarot Reversals:

To me these are both must-have's. I have them right by my reading area and both of them are full of Post-its and notes.

Hi rosebud,

Well, I must say, those books are excellent in their own respective manner. However, it depends entirely on what you're looking for. I love them all, but since I'm not sure exactly what 'kind' of book you're looking for, I'll provide my personal 2 cents:

-Rachel Pollack - Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom: I borowed this and loved it so it would be nice to have my own copy. Rachel's presentation takes me back to my English Literature days, the book just flows so well, I love her card descriptions and all the helpful tips.

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Rachel Pollack is someone I consider, "A Tarot Philosopher". Her beautiful writing style captures a person's imagination, allowing them to explore the tarot in numerous ways. I feel this is an 'essential-must-have' that should belong to anyone who is passionate about the tarot. A single card can possess so many dimensions, and Rachel seems to expand upon them through her writing. I would also recommend "Forest of the Souls".

-James Ricklef Tarot Tells the Tale: This looks fun although am not sure what to expect.

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This book is an absolutely darling (just like the author). James goes to show how we can use the tarot in a fun, yet incredibly deep way. Along with really helpful tips on the tarot for a beginner, he provides a scope for interpreting the cards in a creative manner. He has taken characters from numerous stories from various branches of literature, from Cinderella, to the Wizard of Oz, to Jane Austen, and made them clients asking him questions, for which he provides a 3 card reading, and it's surprising how the cards he pulls out matches the flow of the story the character belongs to.

-Mary Greer Tarot Court: This I am sure I want!

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It truly gives you an understanding to approach the court cards, as well as, enables you to be creative and allows you to connect with them. I like the interactive exercises she has provided us with, especially the story-telling spread. Whenever I buy a new deck with 'complex' court cards, I refer to the exercises provided here to 'figure them out'.

-Mary Greer Tarot Reversals: Is this any good, can't find many reviews, unsure yet with Mary Greer as my teacher I feel this book could be useful.

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I do have this book, and I have read through it, and found it informative, and quite competently presented. However, I still don't feel comfortable with using reversals (I prefer elemental dignitaries).

Again, these are just my personal views on the books. I hope they have been helpful.

Love and Blessings

I think if you ask around and hear what books people recommend in general, these four and Mary Greer's 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card could very well turn up as the top five. You've basically already listed the best books to buy. These books might be all you need for a long time, as all four (five) of them are excellent choices and together they cover quite a broad area. So I'd really say: pick two books for now and buy the others some time in the future. And then perhaps for now I'd recommend Ricklef over Pollack for a beginner. So there you go: Ricklet and one Mary Greer book to start with, the Court book perhaps?

I was made a gift of the book called Tall, Dark Stranger by Corrine Kenner recently and I enjoyed her outlook and writing style so much that I also got her more recent book called Simple Fortunetelling with Tarot Cards. I heartily recommend those for a newbie.

I agree with 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card and the one on Tarot courts by Mary Greer. I haven't seen the one on reversals, but have thought of checking it out eventually. Even though I don't use reversals, it's always interesting to get new insight into the reversed meanings.

Tarot Tells the Tale is very good, too, by James Ricklef.

I didn't get much out of 78 Degrees of Wisdom or any other Rachel Pollack books. I don't think they're really for beginners, to be quite honest. I had some of her books when I first started out and they were too much for me. Too dry in some instances and too philosophical in many others.

The reason I'm impressed with the Corrine Kenner books is that they're so conversational and easy to understand while also having lots of fresh insights into the cards instead of the same old rehash of "book meanings". They're very enjoyable to read. New people can get lots out of them and "old" people can find a lot of original thought in them, too.

Thankyou so much for your help
Placed my order this morning for James Ricklef and Tarot Court, I will be stalking the post now!!
I know I will end up purchasing the rest at a later date.....now I just need more hours in the day so I can fit all my reading and Tarot play in!

Does excited dance on the spot......my books arrived today!!

The Pollack is a must-have, as is Tarot for Yourself.

I have been rather spoilt and have aquired all 4

I would love both the Greer you mentioned and the 21 Ways book.