The 3 Best Books for Tarot Beginners

I get this question a lot, so here are my 3 favorite books for tarot beginners and why.
1. Learning the Tarot by Joan Bunning
2. Everyday Tarot by Gail Fairfield
3. 78 Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack
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[@frankm.2850]

I've never understood the fixation on the Celtic Cross. Three card readings are a lot more approachable, less intimidating, and you can get a LOT out of them (speaking as an experienced beginner).

[@shonna_77]

So cool that you included "Everyday Tarot". I love that it's so self-centred (like, instead of interpreting your cards to be about other people) and psychological. Also love that she teaches to read the neutral meaning of the card and then the positive and negative (she might go more into this in "Choice Centred Relating and the Tarot" -- don't remember). I learned so much using this book to help me with my daily readings. Your video makes me want to get back into it.

[@CarrieMallon]

It's so good! A lot of modern readers do the whole 'self-centered' thing with tarot now and Gail Fairfield probably deserves a lot more credit for shifting things in that direction.

[@gnomie2.0]

Thanks for that amazing restraint to show us just your top 3! I loved your choices and your reasoning, and I’ll definitely share this video with others when they ask which books are best for beginners! 💕

[@pradeepielts]

Thank you ma'am ❤

[@zzzzzz3006]

Ooooh thanks for this! I want to learn tarot and found this video. Browsed your videos and have just subscribed and intend to binge ❤️❤️❤️

[@kikiwylde]

Joan Bunnings website was my entry into learning tarot! It's fabulous. I'd recomment Kim Huggens 'Tarot 101' for another course like book. Or Yoav Ben-Dov's The Marseilles Tarot' if you are interested in TdM rather than RWS

[@kikiwylde]

Meant to add, 78 degrees is next on my list Glad to hear you think it's a great book

[@CarrieMallon]

I also have 'Tarot 101' and love it! It was a strong contender to include in this video. I don't have Yoav Ben-Dov's book but I do have his version of the TdM - another book for my wishlist :)

[@user-pn9mq9fk7b]

thank for your share

[@jahmallajaima]

What are your thoughts on “ The only tarot book you’ll ever need” I found it at a bookstore and looked through it. It seemed kind of nice but I didn’t take a lot of time looking through it. I’ve tried getting some from library to look at. They were terrible. I’ve been using tarot cards for awhile but still not very familiar , good with them. Wanting something that has a lot of information on each card , more then about the spreads.

[@crystalheart9]

Thanks for showing your books for beginners. I'm not exactly a beginner but I have only read for myself and not others although I would like to get more confident in reading so I can do that. Do you have a recommendation for a tarot book that talks about reading for others and interactions between the cards? I have a few tarot books but they only talk about the meaning of each card and don't talk about how the cards affect the meaning when they are in a spread together (I hope that makes sense.) Thanks you for a very nice video. 🥰

[@neliaferreira9983]

Try watching videos of readings on youtube. Is what I do. Find youtubers you connect to and watch them read and how they tell the story of the cards that come up.

[@crystalheart9]

@@neliaferreira9983That's a great suggestion, thanks so much!

[@adityapal8367]

she looks similar to stefanie caponi

[@LotusMira]

I love 78 Degrees of Wisdom, but I feel like I remember that Rachel Pollack has said that her newer book -- Tarot Wisdom -- is what she would consider her updated version of that book?

[@CarrieMallon]

I have 'Tarot Wisdom' as well. It was written quite a while after 78 Degrees and in the intro she mentions there are a few things in the older book that she either got factually wrong or has a different view on. That said, it's a totally different book, I don't think she meant it to be an updated version of her older book. She actually released an updated anniversary edition of 78 Degrees a couple years ago as well. I think both are definitely worth reading!

[@LotusMira]

@@CarrieMallon Ah - very interesting to know! It's been so long since I last cracked 78 Degrees; I'll have to circle back to the new edition sometime soon! Thank you!

[@elwirastadnik]

Thanks for "Learning the Tarot" by Joan Bunning. "78 Degrees of Wisdom" by Rachel Pollack - is the most messing in heads book about Tarot ever in my opinion. It's overloaded with philosophical aspects, adding theories of different philosophers, over-intellectualised, packed with unnecessary pieces of information as for someone who wants to learn Tarot. I got it as an audiobook and couldn't simply stomach it :( Perhaps it's a matter of a narrator voice.

[@QuantumBeeWellness]

I've heard good things about Justine Alessi's book: Rebirth of the Oracle-The Tarot for the Modern World, have you read it yet? If yes, what are your thoughts on that book?

[@CarrieMallon]

I've actually never heard of that one or the author!

[@QuantumBeeWellness]

@@CarrieMallon Hahah! What are the odds? :D I first heard of her while listening to an episode of Dolores Cannon's Metaphysical Hour back in 2006 and she piqued my interest with what seems like a unique take on Tarot that incorporates modern concepts such as technology and social media. kzbin.infosearch?query=alessi

[@alexgraal2860]

I recently bought the book “learning the tarot by Joan bunning”, and I see interpretations of cards that seem a bit off. In a way I don’t see some of the cards shown in the book as how I would interpret it. I noticed how they can be suggestions so the book isn’t at fault here since a lot of things have changed from the late nineties to now. What should i do? I have a different book and I compared it to the Joan bunning one and they seem to have different ideas about the cards :((

[@neliaferreira9983]

Imo just keep reading and learning and thinking and connecting to the cards. Tarot is a very personal language, and every author has their own language that they are kind to share with us. Accept all teachings with gratitude AND criticism, and keep practicing and thinking until you find YOUR own tarot language! It might take a couple of years... Some descriptions of the cards from one author will resonate with you, others won't, and by the end you will have a collage of different opinions that you will slowly start blending in your mind and heart and intuition into your own mix-pot! Good luck! (I am right where you are, man. I am trying to make sense of the soup of knowledge I have been collecting...)

[@ultravioletpisces3666]

See of you can understand *why* they are interpreted the way they are. It's more important to learn the process and the why than just the what.

[@ultravioletpisces3666]

If I were teaching tarot. I would honestly start with the celtic cross for many reasons. Also, I don't think 10 is a huge number of cards and is a very relevant number for tarot. Also I think a 3 card spread is more meaningful when you understand a 10 card spread.

[@deehowe4141]

I agree!!!! Thrilled that I learned the Celtic cross spread first! Took a class in a woman’s apartment here in NYC back in 1987… Love the Cc!