Another Day, Another Card

Well, things are progressing along here. This seems to be an exceptionally long week for whatever reason. I've been helping a couple people with Tarot readings, but of course since I told them it was confidential, can't really provide too many details. But I can say, it's always nice to be able to deliver good news to people.
Tabatha is pounding away at learning the Tarot, using the Gilded Tarot, one of the ones I liked myself. She's really making great progress, although in my case there was always a risk of rushing through and missing something important. Personally, I'm giving some thought to modifying readings- I use a 14-card spread, a modification of the old Celtic Cross that everyone and their grandmother probably has seen. I liked the basic design, but found 14 cards can lend a little more clarity to the reading. I've heard there are larger readings, though I haven't tried them out. There are different ones, so like with most aspects of Tarot, try out everything and see what works best for you. That's how I came to use the decks that I have- at last count I think it was five, although I've used two Tabatha owns with good results as well. So here's my recommendation of decks I'm familiar with- nowhere near a complete list, there are thousands out there, but here's a good starting point-
There's the Rider-Waite deck, which is probably the most commonly used deck. Most other decks derive from the symbol set used in this one, and it's generally held to be one of the easier to use decks. I have one, and use it regularly- very simple and easy to use, with kind of medieval/Renaissance-period pictures made with a kind of woodcut pattern and colored.
If you like this deck, I highly recommend the Radiant Waite deck- the pictures and images are pretty much the same, but brighter and a little more three-dimensional. A very nice deck visually, and just as easy to use as the original R-W deck.
Next up is the Fenestra Tarot- it's also very pretty and well-done, and similar in many ways to the R-W deck. Many of the changes are merely cosmetic or details, and can be easily interpreted.
Another deck is the Pagan Tarot- it's one of a number made by Lo Scarabeo following a similar format. Among these is a deck called the Universal Tarot, again similar to the R-W deck- also highly recommended. The Pagan Tarot uses as its theme one person rather than the multiple figures seen in other decks, and this can make it a good starter deck, as the pictures are easy to interpret and set in the modern everyday world. Tabatha also has a Scarabeo deck, the Tarot of the Animal Lords- again, an R-W based deck with animal-headed people and some really striking artwork. I found this really easy to use, although I suppose it depends what each of us is used to.
A deck I use frequently is the Necronomicon Tarot, which is a departure from the norm for Tarot decks, and while slightly morbid and dark, it's a good all-around deck and gives you an interesting perspective on a lot of the cards. I use it regularly, although some people have complained that the grim images have a negative effect on readings. I personally recommend it for people familiar with the Necronomicon, or anyone with a background in ceremonial magic.
Apart from this, I have seen the Viking Tarot, based on the Asatru legends and religious tradition. This may be a little esoteric for some people, but those familiar with these stories will find the deck easy to use and familiar. This is a trick to choosing a Tarot deck- look to what you're familiar with, and go with that. There is probably a deck out there incorporating those images and traditions.
The Gilded Tarot remains a favorite, just for sheer cool pictures. The Major Arcana incorporates lots of mechanical-looking devices, which is an interesting take. The colors are bright and contrasting, and visually I would recommend it. Some of the images are a little on the odd side, such as the High Priestess card and the Devil card- both of these came across as a little vague to me. However, the deck is easy to use and is often recommended as a beginner deck.
The Herbal Tarot is another interesting take on the Rider-Waite deck, incorporating a specific plant or herb for each card, giving both a related image and the Latin name of the plant. I'm not familiar enough with herbology to say too much about the correspondences, but the images are very good line drawings, and the deck is easy to interpret.
Apart from this, I would recommend the Tarot of the Pirates, just because it's so darn cool. But in actuality, the cards are easy to read, and the images very true to the underlying meanings of the cards.
There are a few more advanced decks that I would not recommend for a beginner, mainly because they could be a little more confusing to people not yet familiar with the images and meanings of the cards. However, someone with a little more familiarity may find use for them- one is the Tarot of the 78 Doors- it features a common theme of (obviously) doors, in some sense or another- the images vary in their time and place, but all do convey the essence of the cards.
Another is the Crowley-Thoth Tarot- although I don't generally recommend anything by Aleister Crowley, I think this deck is an interesting take on the Tarot, although definitely not recommended for beginners due to the fact that it's pretty "far out", so to speak.
I personally like to become familiar with multiple decks, although other people recommend finding a deck that works with you and sticking with it. I can see the value of both approaches, although I find familiarizing yourself with more than one deck can provide more insight into each card than just one deck would. Well, at any rate, I hope this has been of some help, and that all goes well.