Tarot Books

Pineapple88

What book is great for Tarot beginners? Do you need to buy the book based off the tarot deck you purchased?
 

Tanga

Likely we're in the wrong AT section as there is a books and media place...

'Learning the Tarot' by Joan Bunning. A great basic book.
'21 ways to read a Tarot card' by Mary K Greer.
'Tarot 101' by Kim Huggens.

You don't have to have the book that comes with your deck - but at some point you may
want to as likely there may be specific symbols and meaning that the artist has put in it...


**guess I should add - I don't mean the little white book in the card box - I hardly ever look at those. :)
I assumed you meant larger companion books.
 

gregory

Not necessarily. Many books that come with decks are generic rubbish....

Good for absolute beginners - Barbara Moore is one author you CANNOT go wrong with; her new one: Your Tarot, Your Way specifically deals with the ANY deck question. There is also Kim Huggens: Tarot 101.

You could look through the books here: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/books/beginners.shtml
 

Julian Jaymes

I really like Tarot 101 by Kim Huggens, as well as the Complete Idiot's Guide to Tarot. Sadly I lost both of those in the process of packing, storing, transporting, and unpacking the last time I moved...I ordered the Idiot's Guide from Amazon because I'm really rusty on some of the cards and I really needed a book.

Some decks do come with decent books, but the little white book (LWB) that comes with many packs just doesn't do it for me.

Tay
 

AnjouTwo

While I agree in general that kit books, or the "little white books" that come with decks, are often an afterthought or woefully inadequate, there are a few exceptions. Barbara Moore wrote the companion book for Llewellyn's Classic Tarot, and it's wonderful. Juliet Sharman-Burke's book that came in the kit with Giovanni Caselli's underrated deck is also comprehensive and well written.

While my friends generally groan when I mention him, Dusty White's workbooks are actually amazing and I learned a great deal from them.
 

RiverRunsDeep

Another vote for "Learning the Tarot" by Joan Bunning.

Also, a little more in depth but still good for beginners, "Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom" by Rachel Pollack. This one is very RWS-based. I love this book to bits and refer to it often, even after years of tarot practice.
 

bradford

The best book for beginners is the best book you can find, not a book written for beginners.
It's important to have a good foundation.
But, that said, the Bunning book is as good a place too start as any,
except that she doesn't really grok the Swords. Hers is free online.
Pollack's 78 Degrees pair is good for starters too, but I wouldn't bother with her other ones.
Gail Fairfield's Choice Centered Tarot is worthwhile.
The Tarot by Alfred Douglas is decent,
Lon Milo DuQuette has a good intro to the Crowley tarot
Eden Gray's is more influential than deep.
Waite doesn't understand the pips or court
Mary Greer's 21 Ways and Understanding the Tarot Court are decent
Louis Anthony's Tarot Plain and Simple is worthwhile, but he confuses number symbolism with numerology.
Jana Riley and Bill Butler both have books that summarize what many others have to say.
The comments above about booklets that come with decks are correct,
with the one exception being Wasserman's booklet with the Crowley deck.
 

moonbear

Another recommendation for Juliet Sharman-Burke and the Beginners guide to Tarot. It's not a very big book, no reversals, but it would certainly get you started.

I also like the cards that go with the book, they give clear readings. http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/sharman-caselli/

moonbearxxx
 

rwcarter

Surprised no one has mentioned it directly. A free resource is our own Thirteen's Tarot Basics which can be downloaded as an e-Book.

Rodney
 

Pineapple88

Wow there is so many great books out there. Kinda overwhelming lol. I just hope it doesn't muddle my brain with all the various interpretations each author has. I feel this is a 7 of Cups situations for me.