Comments on some books please :)

Grizabella

I have Cirlot's Dictionary of Symbols and like it a lot.

I also have Tarot Wisdom, which I think everyone should have in their Tarot library.

Most of the others I've seen mentioned I don't have. I rely a lot on this forum for information. Nothing beats a paper book, though, that you can hold in your hands and refer to whenever you want.
 

Teheuti

I have Cirlot's Dictionary of Symbols and like it a lot.

I love Cirlot's, but IMHO, it has been surpassed by The Penguin Dictionary of Symbols (I believe they acknowledge Cirlot as a starting point).

I also have Tarot Wisdom, which I think everyone should have in their Tarot library.
Agreed - for every serious tarot reader or one who wants to go deep. It's totally different from Ben-Dov and so one doesn't replace the other in any way.
 

The Happy Squirrel

While the Ben-Dov book is certainly a worthy replacement for Tarot Wisdom, I am not fond of the so-called open reading method. Yoav Ben-Dov was a student of Alejandro Jodorowsky, with whom I also have issues. I do think that Ben-Dov's CBD Tarot is a masterpiece of Conver restoration. Strangely, the deck was designed as a companion to the book, not the other way around.

I agree with Mary that Nichols' Tarot and Jung, as well as Jung's Man and His Symbols, are excellent. In particular, Man and His Symbols is an enjoyable read, quite an accomplishment for a man of Jung's originality and erudition.

I do have reservation about open readings as I understand it, and my understanding is very limited. But I don't think any of the other books address this (?) and I already have two beginner's 'how to' books. Not that Tarot Wisdom is basic 'how to' from what I heard. But in order to get as much width of topic for my money and initial exploration, I thought this one has to wait. But will definitely be on the list for next round. Depending on where I am heading after my first round of reading maybe. Nichols' book has to wait too because I think it was written in 1980? Not that older books aren't valuable, but I thought I should learn more recent developments in tarot first. Since new thinking about tarot has developed in the last few years. The other Jungs should serve as starting point for that part of the learning for now.

And I have to be honest, I was a little influenced by some of the comments left on amazon about the two books I moved from 'now' to 'later' list.

Man and His Symbols is one of my favourite reads. That book has my notes all over it :)

So can you share a bit about what it is about Jodorowsky and open reading that you find troubling?
 

The Happy Squirrel

I love Cirlot's, but IMHO, it has been surpassed by The Penguin Dictionary of Symbols (I believe they acknowledge Cirlot as a starting point).


Agreed - for every serious tarot reader or one who wants to go deep. It's totally different from Ben-Dov and so one doesn't replace the other in any way.

Putting these down for next round for sure :)

Would you say Tarot Wisdom is more of a 'how to' book?
 

gregory

Ahem. To be perfectly honest here - I would now say - STOPPIT ! You have a SLEW of books on the way, and presumably with most it is now too late to cancel.

I have well over 150 tarot books; I have to confess to not having read them all yet. I am reminded here of someone I know who visited another tarotista and asked her a question. She didn't know the answer, and he said "But you have xyz books about exactly that". "Yes, I do. OH - you have a point - maybe I should read some of them..."

I fear you are already at serious risk of overkill. WAIT for a while; get some of these in, read them and THEN you will have more idea what kind of reading path you want to follow. Because there is no way you can hope to read every book that someone here says is the bees' knees. There are books in this thread that I am SURE are excellent - but I have only so many years left to me, and I know that there are other books that I, being who I am tarotically speaking, NEED to read before them !

That's the reason I suggested Giles - she covers every approach without judgement of any kind, and IMHO therefore makes a brilliant springboard ! (she's also cheap !)

ETA but the Penguin Dic of Symbols is a must have for everything - tarot and anything else with symbols - you don't have to READ it but as a reference aid it is unsurpassed.
 

The Happy Squirrel

:D

I did manage to cancel some and swap for a few others actually so I am keeping the number constant after your sensible reminder in the last post :D

And indeed, some will be reference books, some to read now. In honest truth, I think at this stage I am probably more looking for reference books. But I am also compiling a list to ponder and revise until my next round.

Dictionary of Symbols and The Philosophy of Symbolic Forms are definitely on the list for next time :D

So, this is the final list for now:

(1) The Way of the Tarot by A. Jodorowsky
(2) The Fool's Journey by R. Place
(3) Meditations on the Tarot (anonymous)
(4) The Esoteric Tarot (Ronald Decker)
(5) Symbols of Transformation (Collected works of CG Jung Vol 5)
(6) The Tarot: Mystery, History, and Lore (C Giles)
(7) Mystical Origins of the Tarot (P Huson)
(8) Tarot - The open reading (Yoav Ben-Dov)
(9) A Wicked Pack of Cards (Dummett)

And Gregory, the list has been closed :D
I already have a couple of basic 'how to's so no more on that front for awhile now :)
The rest are either out of print, out of stock, available in secondary markets at insane prices, or too far off my line of inquiries. So those will have to wait too :D
The list for 'next round' is growing, and will be continuously revised. I will pull the trigger maybe early next year :)

Thank you all for your comments. I think this book discussion is useful, shopping list aside :)
 

The Happy Squirrel

Finally, a year on, I managed to find JMD's Reading the Marseilles at a reasonable price.

:)

You guys were amazing in helping me gathered these books I am forever grateful.

Still looking for two or three books and they are being sold at too high prices sadly.

I also ended up with kindle edition of Tarot for Yourself 2nd ed and Tarot and Psychology: Spectrum of Possibilities which I found very good :)
 

Nemia

Yes, they are both excellent, I bought them too (AND read them!... well I'm in the middle of the second one). This discussion about books was very instructive and interesting.

Tarot for Yourself is one of books that don't "work" as well on the Kindle as in hard copy. My copy is covered with notes from every time I read it. It's a work for the ages.
 

The Happy Squirrel

Nemia I am beginning to think this too :/ I have that on Kindle and find myself wishing for a real book instead....
 

The Happy Squirrel

The JMD book for the Marseilles finally arrived (after much to-ing and fro-ing with Lulu.com cancelling ebooks because of nightmarish attempts to download them to my tablet), and it is gloriously HUGE! Ha! So excited.