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Title: Pictorial Key to the Tarot by Arthur E. Waite ISBN: 0-87728-218-8 Publisher: Weiser Books Pub. Date: 01 June, 1975 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $9.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.09 (11 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Waite not at his best...
Comment: While Waites influence and authority in the esoteric world is without question, and equally without question is the massive influence he had on the art and practise of tarot, this book is not his finest work.
'Pictorial Key' is tolarable as a simple catalogue of meanings (which now can be got at any number of web pages) and gives a simple spread it is deviod of any real explination of why and wherefore. It does not explain the principles underlying the construction of the tarot and the practical results that come with the understanding of those principles. I would even go as far as to say that Waite deliberatly obscured and provided misleading information, prehaps in order to keep his obligations of secrecy to the G.D. or his own Order.
As a practical beginners text I would say look elsewhere for clearer texts that have expanded and illustrated what Waite has published in 'Pictorial Key'. For more advanced folk I would say the 'Pictorial Keys's best application would be to bury it in peat for several hundred years, dig it up and use it to light a fire. I gave it a rating of three purely for its historical importance. To rate it on a scale of usefulness would be to rate it several points lower.
Rating: 4
Summary: A hard to read, obscure, and confusing little book.
Comment: I've bought this book with expectations of getting loads of information in it, and was somewhat disappointed by it.
The book suffers from several problems :
- The book is a hard reading - Waite's style is obfuscated, which makes the non-trivial material harder to understand.
- Waite doesnt tell the whole truth, and not even half of it, not to mention the inclusion of misinformation. Examples include unexplained symbols (symbols on charioteer's belt, the fool's clothings, and many others), desciption of the emptress being 'virgo intacta', etc.
- Some of the cards' descriptions contradict, or at least appear to contradict, the pictures on the cards.
- Waite borrows a lot from earlier writers, but then goes on to pass criticism on his sources and belittles them.
So the book has to be read very carefuly, criticaly, and with a lot of patience. And those who do so *will* gain - the book is better than many of the instant tarot reading guides, giving truer and deeper information from the horse's mouth.
I suggest people to read this book, but *not* as the first book on the deck, and preferably along with other material (e.g. books about the golden dawn, tarot history, or symbolism).
Rating: 3
Summary: Pictorial Tarot
Comment: To begin I have been reading cards for well over 10 years and was taught by family members with regular playing cards. In relation to the standard Waite/Rider decks the meanings tend to be the same. When I converted to the tarot deck I purchased this book as a primer and tutorial reference. I have to say that if you are a beginner this book should probably not be the first of choice due to the reference-like short meanings for the cards. This is more of a condensed version.
I do consult the book once and a while to confirm meanings and for different spread configurations but for the most part, it is and always has been reference only.
Thanks, Vandella X
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Title: The Original Rider Waite Tarot Pack by A.E. Waite ISBN: 0880796863 Publisher: U.S. Games Systems Pub. Date: 01 January, 1993 List Price(USD): $20.00 |
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Title: Mastering the Tarot by Eden Gray ISBN: 0451167813 Publisher: Signet Book Pub. Date: 01 July, 1995 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
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Title: A Complete Guide to the Tarot by Eden Gray ISBN: 0553277529 Publisher: Bantam Books Pub. Date: 01 January, 1983 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Modern Magick: Eleven Lessons in the High Magickal Arts (Llewellyn's High Magick) by Donald Michael Kraig ISBN: 0875423248 Publisher: Llewellyn Publications Pub. Date: 01 August, 1988 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
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Title: Learning Tarot Reversals by Joan Bunning ISBN: 1578632714 Publisher: Weiser Books Pub. Date: 01 November, 2003 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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