Tarot

I like this set, it's a basics, no b.s. version of the tarot. It's simplicity is what draws me, not the bells and whistles of other decks/book sets. Will purchase again. I'm a tarot reader and fortune teller, been doing readings for 9 years, and this is the only deck I will use from now on.

The deck, though inexpensively printed, is the star attraction here. What you get is a very standard historical reproduction of a Nicholas Conver style Tarot de Marseille, which was originally printed in 1760. Other reprints of this deck are available, but the one in this set is the least expensive. This is a historically accurate and traditional deck which has not been remade after the image of any group's specific teachings. The deck was originally made for playing a card game, and came to the attention of occultists shortly before the French Revolution. This is the deck that stands at the root of all subsequent esoteric systems; the symbols they contain begin here. Jane Lyle's book, unfortunately, while good enough in itself, is a poor fit for the deck. She gives mostly Rider-Waite-Smith meanings for the cards without the "training wheels" of the Rider-Waite-Smith illustrated pip cards. For a beginner, using that system with these cards is going to involve a lot of memorization. For learning to read the Tarot de Marseille, a system based on numerology would be more appropriate. The French "tirage en croix" system, which uses only the trump cards, could also be taught with this deck. I gather that the book and deck were put together as a marketing decision. Still, it's an excellent deck, and a fairly good beginner's book, but the unique virtues of the deck are not mirrored in the book.

I had read a few reviews of Jane Lyle's work and remembered that she was generally highly recommended. I concur. The book that accompanies this set is worth the price tag. I have plenty of books on tarot and card interpretation. This one is definitely one of the best. The focus here is simple: card meanings. There are a few spreads and some other information at the end of the book, but it is in the interpretation of the cards that the book shines. She does not go into the history of the tarot or other information that many books contain, which might be interesting but not particularly necessary. The only weakness in that area, in my view, is in the section on court cards, which was skimpy and lacked depth. Each card meaning is given in upright and reversed positions. It is also a good thing that the book is so strong, because the deck that is included isn't the greatest. It is a Marseille deck, and the cards are cheaply made. They are usable, but that's about it. (The pip cards in the Marseille deck, unlike many others, give no indication of the meaning of the card - one must memorize the symbolism from other sources.) They are not well colored and the cardboard is not something that will hold up. Also, I have small hands and found them hard to manage. If the cards were just a little nicer I would have given this set five stars.

What can I say? It's a well-written, beautifully illustrated, informative book on the tarot. For most of the cards, the author gives a two to three word synopsis of the card's meaning, followed by a more in depth discussion of the card. I think this format helps the reader to remember the meaning of the cards. The author really goes into great detail to tell the reader about the mythological and astrological backgrounds behind the meanings of the cards. I bought my book second-hand at a bookstore, and I'm glad I found it. You will probably have a hard time finding a copy, because I would think that most people who bought it would want to keep it in their library. Sorry....I don't plan to part with mine anytime soon, so you'll just have to find your own.

Tarot, by Jane Lyle, is an extremely descriptive and enlightening book written in an easy to read format. This book has wonderful preparatory information for the beginning tarot reader, and is an essential reference source for the master. Filled with in-depth background information, the author shows the reader how each of the cards is linked with astrology, numerology, mythology, and alchemy, as well as psychology. This knowledge in turn helps to make it easier for the reader to interpret the cards within a spread. Beautiful illustrations abound throughout this remarkable work, which help the reader to understand the all the knowledge given by the author as they read. There is also a step-by-step guide to help the beginner to get started with reading different tarot spreads (this includes samples of each of the spreads contained therein). I have found this book to be a most helpful resource when interpreting tarot readings. It is truly a shame that it is out of print.