A good book for beginners?

The first book I ever had was The illustrated book of tarot, by Jane Lyle. It came in a set with a pack of tarot cards. The cards weren't any good, but the book is still one of my favourites, it explained everything in a really clear yet quite indepth way.

I always recommend Tarot for Yourself by Mary K Greer to beginners. This one doesn't just tell you what the cards mean, it gives a ton of exercises for you to explore the cards and figure it out yourself, which is a very meaningful way to learn.

My *bible* for years was The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals by Mary Greer. It has everything for upright AND reversals, easy to read, & basically these were the definitions I just kept coming back to over all others. I pretty much threw most everything else away after a while.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/listi...LA-_-Book_15To24-_-Q000000633-_-2695180813663

I just finished "The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination" by Robert M. Place. The book tells in detail where tarot came from, shows how the images on the early decks evolved over time, and discusses the symbolism which eventually was incorporated into the Rider Waite deck. The last part of the book gives instructions for a 3 card layout which can form the basis for larger spreads giving more detail about specific aspects of a querant life and environment.

Mr. Place has authored a number of books on tarot, and also created several tarot decks.