< One of my favorite times of the year: gift-giving season. Here are some book suggestions in various categories. I hope you find something for your friends or for yourself if you've been very good! Beginners For the tarot curious, this little book is like a sampler box of chocolates. It is a great way to see a lot of different decks and enjoy some bite-sized information about tarot. Llewellyn's Little Book of Tarot If your beginner is a calendar lover, Llewellyn's 2024 Tarot Calendar would do the same thing, but with a larger format and less information.   Interacting with the Cards The Tarot Apothecary by Ailynn Halvorson gives us an excuse to play with our

Not long ago, my friend Joanne Matthew asked me how I would advise people to choose a first deck and what we should do with conflicting information in books, what we should be aware of so as not to get discouraged. Many new readers are overwhelmed by the many options of tarot decks available. Most are advised to select a deck with art that appeals to them. That is fine advice, but I think people who are new to tarot could do with a little more guidance than that. First, be aware that there is a difference between oracle decks and tarot decks. Tarot decks have 78 cards, with 22 Major Arcana cards and four suits with 14 cards each. There are some variations with additional cards,