New Book: Origins of the Tarot, Dai Léon

Just the one library nearest to my area ( ...miles away!):

Wetherby, W Yorkshire, LS23 7BQ United Kingdom

But thank you for that link fyreflye. I can still use it for other books


Bee

I've just done a search on my area in the UK and the only copy is in the British Library....... in Yorkshire.... 206 miles.

But I do have this book so will reserve comment for now because I've skimmed the beginning but not read it yet.

Don't you Brits have an inter-library loan system like us Yanks?
Living out here in the sticks I'd be mentally dried up and dead without one.

We do have an inter-library loan system which can get you most books. There are a few exceptions, such as those volumes that are very costly, in which case a library might not be willing to let them go. I found that when trying to get the Dummett/McLeod tarot books - they were available at another couple of libraries but they weren't willing to loan them, so I had to find £135.

I managed to get an old and hard to find book on Jacob Frank valued at several hundreds of pounds from my local library through the UK inter-library loan scheme. I have used inter-library load scheme extensively over many years, having quickly gone through my local libraries resources like a dose of salts...

I rather thought that was the case. So what's all this complaining about a book being in a library 206 miles away and all that? The public library system and its inter-librarly loan option is one of the glories of democratic societies. Not that I'm recommending anyone bother reading Lèon's book.

As the summation of opinions about this book has not been terribly positive so far, mainly because of the way it's written, I'm wondering if Ceruleans' approach to reading it might be of help;

See post 13.
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?p=2041274#post2041274


Bee



:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Let this be the last word on Libraries:

It should be understood by those who are not in the UK, that library services in a number of areas have suffered due to 'public spending' cuts. They do the best they can with the resources they currently have, and currently we appear to have only one copy of this book in the UK.

I can only assume that fireflye would complain about these conditions, and has (unintentionally?) projected this attitude to include others.


Bernice.
____________________________
Moderator:- Historical Research, Marseilles & Other Early Decks.

Hi Bee,

Cerulean's method is similar to one that I use, particularly when I have to read quickly. I read the Contents page, Index, and then go through the book reading the first sentence of each paragraph, then I read the whole book properly. Its a method taught to me when I used to study and I find it to be a great help for books which are a difficult read, particularly if the reading is out of necessity and not pleasure. No doubt I will use this method for Dae's book, (but for pleasure). As I said, I already have it so don't need the library service for this one, (and I imagine that waiting in line for the only UK copy would take some time).

I've only read the first couple of chapters and am having the same troubles as most of you—awkward organization and convoluted writing, etc. I've read other books written in a spiral manner that produced delight rather than frustration. IMHO, Léon's writing and organizational style does not serve either the audience or the material.

My main pet peeve regards the history (rather than philosophy—which I found more interesting). Many of Léon's explanations start with an historical fact as the basis for a whole spiral of further development. However, I found all too many of the historical "facts" to be totally unfounded or highly questionable in themselves—which then brings the whole logic of the argument into question. When there are significant flaws in the foundation then the tower is weakened and may fall under stress. I don't have time to list these root flaws now, but if you know your tarot history and look carefully for the historical baseline of each of his arguments I think you'll find many problems. Watch for this kind of thing: "Given that this is so, then . . ." Too often the first part is not necessarily so. Even when he indicates "If this is so," the rest of the argument wants us to assume it is fact.

I'd have preferred to read a pure philosophical work by Léon (ala Meditations on the Tarot), even one based on myth, that didn't claim an historical basis.