thoughts about “Public Domain Tarot Books

Tarot Worksheets: Free Downloads

A few books in the public domain are worth adding as a library addition. These books are essential for tarot studies and should be familiar to serious practitioners.

Pictorial Key to the Tarot by A. E. Waite (1911). Click Here to Download (Source Credit to SacredTexts). Recommendation : This is a great book for beginners that can be used to access the Rider-Waite Smith deck.

Oracle of the Tarot by Paul Foster Case (1933). Download by clicking . Source Credit: TarotWorks. Note: Keyed the Knapp-Hall Tarot.

Book T Harriet Felkin (1888). Download HERE. Not keyed by Rider-WaiteSmith and perhaps too dense for novice tarot readers, BookT provides a solid foundation for the Golden Dawn system.

Tarot of the Bohemians by Papus (1892). Download by clicking . This refers to the Tarot de Marseille, which is a Marseille-based Tarot deck that has some modifications.

If you’re a beginner, start with Waite’s pictorial Key and Case’s Oracle.

As a beginner’s guide, I prefer Case’s or Waite’s books. Holistic Tarot is my preferred method of reading the cards. However, here are the books that taught me how to use beginner’s decks: Mary Greer and Eden Gray. I later read Joan Bunning’s book and Barbara Moore’s, and both proved to be great foundational resources. These books are not in the public domain, so you will have to purchase them. These books make a great addition to any tarot library and I highly recommend them.

7 thoughts on “Public Domain Tarot Books”.

Bruce Babcock

Your PD sheets and books are greatly appreciated. Your book has received very positive Amazon reviews. Your book has been added to my wishlist.

Hi Benebell,

As a fellow tarot reader, your work resonates with us. Since 2012, I have been working to build a large online school. Because of my health issues, which interfered with client bookings and class teaching, I decided to focus more on tarot-writing. As a teacher/writer of the tarot, I feel more comfortable than as a reader. If you wish to donate, I have an option. I am currently working on a series that focuses on deep analysis and interpretations of love or relationship readings. These books will only be available for sale. I’m about halfway through the Wands Book. Due to the sheer volume of content in this Book, I plan to release it in installments. Problem is Rider-Waite Smith imagery, which I plan to use with my written content. I am aware that coloured images are not allowed due to US Games’ copyright protection, but the Black and White Ink images of The Pictorial Key To The Tarot are permitted. Recent research has left me puzzled. The Public Domain has been given this book and its contents. They would be great to have. However, I’m from Ireland (Europe), so I was curious if there were any copyright laws in Ireland. The permission granted by US Games Systems to reproduce cards from the Golden Tarot by Kat Black is included in your book “Holistic Tarot”. There is no mention of Rider-Waite images used for card analysis in chapter 13. Perhaps you didn’t really need it.

We would appreciate any advice. We appreciate your help.

Vivien Ni Dhuinn

Your style is quite different than other people I’ve read from. Many thanks for sharing your thoughts when you had the opportunity.
It can be saved, I suppose.

The PDF for the Tarot of the Bohemians is at page 104. This is something I’ve never seen before. These are incredible. Amazing. It was amazing to see Waite’s perspective about the meanings of each card as well as the overall significance of Tarot. Cool stuff.

Filloria

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