The Book of Symbols: Reflections on Archetypal Images (Sourcebook)

I am a watercolor and collage artist. Recently, I've been studying Betsy Dillard Stroud. She is an extremely talented artist. She makes little "stamps" using linoleum and cutters and uses watercolors/acrylics/inks to stamp designs onto her nearly completed paintings. This is kind of the finishing touch. She makes the remark that every artist should own a good book on symbols and their meaning. It was my take on that statement that she was fashioning her hand carved stamps to mean something ... they meant something to her ... and she was using these to say that in her art work. After googling a bit, I decided on this book. It took awhile to arrive. It was well worth it. This is a forever keeper. It's a gorgeous book. Hard cover. 800+ pages. The pages have little scallops cut out of them, and each scallop has a different color ... to aide you in finding sections quickly. I forget what this process is called but it's done in "library type of reference books". It's a very nice book. Every subject imaginable is enclosed. I know I will make use of this book forever! If you're not an artist, I could see this being a permanent addition to your library, and hate to call it a "coffee table" book because it is much, much, much more than that. High quality materials (paper), high quality art (the colors reproduced), it's all there.

Fantastic broad reference book. Perfect for dream, art, or fiction interpretation. The book came in good condition. Im very happy with it.

Absolutely wonderful sourcebook

I love symbolism, mythology, etc. Most books on symbolism follow a certain pattern, which is just fine. This one stands out. Physically, it has beautiful foil insets for the different sections, just like in old dictionaries. It's sized where it's convenient to carry but would also make a good coffee table book. The content is a collection of individual essays about each topic with beautiful images to accompany most subjects. It's divided by category too, which reinforces its reference-book styling. The essays are brief enough for a fairly quick read. Most, I would say took me no longer than 4-5 minutes, and that include studying the pictures. Expect an introduction to subjects, not a deep study, and you'll treasure this too. I'm very happy to add this to my library.

My friend who has studied Jung psychology for many years recommended I get this book as the one good book to get on symbols, a starting reference to help me decode and decipher the symbols in my dreams. I had second thoughts about buying this book after I read some of the negative reviews. After having used it for a few weeks, I have come to the conclusion that many of those leaving negative reviews for this book bought it without understanding what this compendium is meant to be. It says very clearly in the description, "The highly readable texts and over 800 beautiful full-color images come together in a unique way to convey hidden dimensions of meaning. Each of the ca. 350 essays examines a given symbol’s psychic background, and how it evokes psychic processes and dynamics." While I am new to deep diving into my dreams, I think this is the kind of book that is most useful to people who are already interested in dream interpretation and have invested in the Jungian model of the psyche. Those already well-versed in the field probably have many books that go into greater detail and this wouldn't supplement your library well. If you're new to the field, the entries in this book probably won't make a whole lot of sense because it's intended as a starter or adjunct reference book to what you already know. Get Robert Johnson's Inner Work book first, do the exercises, then use this book. I have docked a star because the text is awfully small, I'm less than wowed by quality of the color photo printing, and there is only one ribbon bookmark (orange) in the product, not multiple ribbons as shown in the product images.

The strength of this delightful book is its breadth and diversity: you'll find a few choice, well-researched words about most common and many uncommon symbols to help you begin your current dance with them. Like a good tourist guide, the abundance of lovely pictures whet the appetite for [symbolic] adventure, inspire you to step off the beaten track and explore, and invite vague plans for future trips into the great undiscovered country that is the human psyche, which Jung reminds us is hand made from 100% symbol. Whether you dive in for a quick answer [for mind only!], wander aimlessly looking for ideas, or read studiously from end to end, you'll find plenty of prima materia to work into gold. I'd be very surprised if anyone working with myth, symbol and image (be they writers, artists, alchemists, analysts or just plain ol' venturing souls) would not be glad to have this lovely book in their reference library or beside the bed next to a well-thumbed etymological dictionary, as I am... and do: I predict it won't be long until it too is well thumbed! [PS: A gentle reminder not to forget that any description ain't the symbol it describes and if you start to think it is, you've probably missed the symbol's point]

Jung didn't like the idea of books interpreting symbols, but this is much more than that. A valuable reference for anyone working with dreams, art, myths ....

Het boek is super mooi, maar de hoeken zijn beschadigd

IMÁGENES: Coincido con algún otro lector en que la (restringida, por la amplitud del tema en cuestión) selección de imágenes son lo más interesante de este libro. TEMAS: La elección de los temas tratados resulta correcta, para mi criterio quedan algunos fuera y otros podían haber sido prescindibles, pero en un trabajo que intenta abarcar algo tan amplio es lógico encontrar algunas discrepancias. Al menos, se han agrupado de forma lógica y ordenada, lo que resulta de agradecer. TEXTOS: Los textos son algo pobres, más propios de un escritor que de un investigador; y parece que la elección del editor sobre el tamaño tan mínimo de letra empleada se ha hecho a propósito para desanimar su lectura (ciertamente hay que forzar bastante la vista para poder leer los textos, algo impropio de una edición cuidada como pretende ser ésta). CONCLUSIÓN: Una obra de interés eminentemente gráfico y cuidadas ilustraciones, con vocación generalista, que intenta agradar a todos pero que carece de profundidad.

Ce livre est sublime ! je l'adore. Je l'ai reçu aujourd'hui en parfait état :)

Muy bonita edición