these readings are stellar
There’s a reason we say something is “written in the stars.” astrology is an ancient system of philosophy and wisdom that is also a super popular cultural phenomenon. You probably know your sun sign and maybe you know a little about the zodiac. Zodiac signs often correspond to things like the colors you like best, the type of people you’re most attracted to, or the books you like to read. but where do these meanings come from? astrology is so nice, and even seductive, because it describes and gives an idea of what it means to be human. it is a broad theme with intensive layers and techniques; it also has a history dating back thousands of years. astrology books can help you approach the subject in a way that is easy for you.
We asked professional astrologer chris brennan, host of the popular astrology podcast and author of hellenistic astrology, for his recommendations on the best astrology books. We also spoke with professional astrologer Djenneba Drammeh (whose naming convention is all lowercase), who is co-editor of the upcoming astrology anthology Mercury’s Brood. With his help, we put together a list of the best books for every level of interest in astrology, from beginners to seasoned professionals. If you’re new to astrology, we’ve got great suggestions for easy-to-understand introductions to the topic. You can start with understanding the basic components of your complete birth chart, and then move on to more advanced topics. you may find, as many do, that once you dive into the stars, you’re hooked and want to know more. In that case, we’ve got the best astrology books to give you an insight into the vast history of astrology, the different types and uses of astrology, and the various ways you can read your own birth chart and beyond.
You are reading: Astrology books for beginners
If you love books, read on for the best astrology books to get a solid foundation on the subject. While you’re at it, here are some of the best books of all time, the best self-help books, the best non-fiction books, and the best books by authors for bibliophiles, history lovers, and those who love to read and learn. If that’s you, astrology could be your next obsession.
beginner books for astrocurious
1. astrology: using the wisdom of the stars in your daily life by carole taylor
via amazon.com
an illustrated overview of astrology
this is brennan’s favorite astrology book to recommend to beginners. he describes it as a “brilliant and comprehensive introductory astrology book that is extremely well illustrated”. If you’re just interested in astrology, this is an unintimidating book that’s easy to use and fun to read. This is one of the best astrology books for beginners because of its accessible infographics that make complicated topics easy to understand. This engaging introduction will give you the tools to understand astrology as a language and make it easy for you to use those tools. Brennan also likes it because it provides a manageable overview of what he calls a fourfold system that includes the planets, zodiac signs, their aspects, and the 12 houses. If you want to know more, here is an overview of the zodiac elements and how they relate to your sign.
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2. you were born for this: astrology for radical self-acceptance by chani nicholas
via amazon.com
introduction to the “big three”: the sun, the moon and the rising sign
brennan recommends this recently published bestseller because it focuses on a crucial part of the birth chart: the sun, moon, and rising sign. The book is organized around these “big three” locations as “keys” to understanding your birth or natal chart as a whole. Brennan finds that this book speaks to “this emerging understanding in public consciousness that astrology is more than a sign or zodiac sign, [but] actually consists of a number of different planetary locations.” author chani nicholas also has an astrology app, chani, that calculates your birth chart and offers daily guidance.
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3. The Astrology Journal: A Celestial Guide to Recording Your Cosmic Journey by Mecca Woods
via amazon.com
track astrology in your daily life
once you learn the basics of your natal chart, one of the next steps is to consider how astrology works in action. astrologer mecca woods provides a brief overview of astrological tools and components in this book of zodiac signs that is also great for record keeping. most of this book is a diary where he can record daily events. each day is a two-page spread that makes it easy to record astrological “weather”—things like the lunar cycle, retrogrades, or other events. he can also write down what happened in his life and how he feels that day. the format leads you to reflect on how these details connect to larger transits. it’s a great way for beginners to start a daily practice that helps notice patterns and get a taste of astrology as a meaning-making phenomenon.
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intermediate books when you master the basics
4. on the celestial spheres: treatise on traditional astrology by helena avelar and luis ribeiro
via amazon.com
an introduction to traditional astrology
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Brennan describes this book as one of her longtime favorites because it provides a comprehensive overview of what is known as traditional or Western astrology. Brennan notes that, although it is an introduction, she finds it at an intermediate level because it focuses on much more complicated and in-depth topics, such as different types of astrology, such as horary (making charts to answer questions), mundane (observing wide cultural events ), and elective (finding specific auspicious times in the future). he will find this to be one of the best astrology books for a broad and comprehensive overview providing history as well as information on specialized topics, with fantastic visual illustrations. Brennan cautions that you’ll get “a much broader scope of the full technical apparatus of astrology than is outside of natal charts.” astrologer djenneba drammeh describes this book as practical, with excellent descriptions of planetary meanings that you can easily apply to your daily life.
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5. astrology and the authentic self: integrating traditional and modern astrology to discover the essence of the natal chart by demetra george
via amazon.com
an accessible synthesis of traditional and modern astrology
This is a great book to read once you are hungry for more knowledge. Brennan considers this book to be “really successful in taking some of the old concepts and merging them with the modern concepts in a way that is compelling and makes sense both conceptually and practically.” george demeter is a major figure in the broader astrological discipline. She has a background as a translator of ancient astrology texts and her work provides an accessible overview that is excellent for readers who wish to study these topics. George has what Brennan describes as a natural gift for teaching and a knack for imparting wisdom.
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6. Ancient Astrology in Theory and Practice: A Manual of Traditional Techniques, Volume 1: Assessment of Planetary Condition by Demetra George
via amazon.com
a book to solidify your foundation in astrology
ancient astrology strikes drammeh as a great companion book to astrology and being authentic and a true intermediate text in the sense that it builds upon and adds to a foundation. “It gets into the nitty-gritty details of how things work and why they work,” says Drammeh. Although it includes mathematical and scientific content, it has a way of making the complex aspects of astrology digestible and straightforward. Don’t be intimidated if this sounds difficult: George’s work is perfect for you if you want to understand more.
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7. transiting planets: life cycles to live by robert hand
via amazon.com
a great reference for quickly interpreting chart locations
“This is an astrologer’s holy grail,” says Drammeh, “but it’s also a reference text.” describe this as a great resource to have at your fingertips: “Transiting Planets breaks down every possible transit into short, easy-to-digest notes.” is the perfect text to look up if you have a question, for example what it means if the moon is transiting your 11th house. this is a book that gives you an easy way to understand the meanings of specific aspects of your chart in a simple way. that grounds you and prevents you from being overwhelmed. you will find it concise and direct. It also includes information about the modern planets (pluto, uranus and neptune) and the traditional ones.
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8. postcolonial astrology: reading the planets through capital, power and labor by alice sparkly kat
via amazon.com
a better understanding of the meanings of the planets
In this book, astrologer Alice Sparkly Kat examines the “etymologies,” the broader historical and cultural meanings, of the traditional planets in Western history. Sparkly Kat asks in the introduction how to make astrology more accountable, and her book offers a way to criticize or think differently about seemingly universally accepted meanings. the book offers a strategy that is queer and inclusive in considering astrology’s connection to politics and power. sparkly kat sees astrology as a way to offer healing and community, but in order to do so, she must understand its history and influence so she can discard it when necessary. this is one of the best astrology books to delve into the planetary meaning. read it to really get to know the two luminaries, the sun and the moon, and the traditional planets: saturn, venus, mars, jupiter, and mercury.
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advanced books when you’re ready for more
9. cosmos and psyche: hints of a new worldview by richard tarnas
via amazon.com
a philosophy of astrology as a legitimate phenomenon
“cosmos and psyche is perfectly fine as a text for a beginning astrologer,” says drammeh, who finds this book a beautiful text that “is also very heady and philosophical.” he read this for an overview of how planetary archetypes play out on the global stage. Brennan describes this book as arguing for “astrology as a legitimate phenomenon.” It is for both academic and general audiences and demonstrates the ways in which astrological concepts correspond to and help describe broad cultural events throughout history. note that it is quite thick: about 500 pages of rich philosophical wonders. richard tarnas work influenced what is now known as “archetypal” astrology and you can find a related website archetypal explorer which is like horoscope books in that it has an interactive interface for everyday understanding of your own chart and the world in general.
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10. hellenistic astrology: the study of fate and fortune by chris brennan
via amazon.com
a fundamental introduction to ancient texts and techniques
“Hellenistic astrology was my personal introductory text,” Drammeh says of this nearly 700-page masterpiece that is essential reading for advanced astrologers and anyone else with a passion for the subject. Drammeh recommends jumping around in this book and “not getting overwhelmed by the sheer number of pages.” the book is dense and intense, but you can still get into it as an advanced beginner if you master the basics. Brennan learned Greek to translate ancient astrology works backwards, which was an inspiration for this work that took ten years to write. Before Hellenistic astrology, there was no complete primer on ancient astrology. translating those ancient texts was very important because they contained techniques such as complete sign houses, the sect concept, and synchronization techniques such as prophecies and zodiac release. these old concepts are fascinating and are gaining popularity. try this one if you want to know the vast history of astrology and how to put these techniques into practice.
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books for professionals and avid enthusiasts
11. a history of horoscopic astrology by james herschel holden
via amazon.com
an essential masterpiece in the discipline
Brennan calls this her favorite book on the history of astrology. he describes it as a masterpiece offering “an overview of the last three or four thousand years of Western astrology in some 350 relatively concise pages”. You will find brief biographies of the main astrologers throughout history. And since Holden was a scholar who knew several languages, he could read ancient texts in their original forms. This astrology tome includes detailed footnotes and two indices for amateurs looking to further their knowledge.
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12. The American Ephemeris 1950-2050 at Noon by Neil F. michelsen and rique pottenger
via amazon.com
planetary motion tables
Brennan cautions that this is one of those astrology books that should be on the shelves of serious astrologers and enthusiasts. it’s basically a book of tables showing the planetary positions on a given day over 100 years. While you can access planetary transits with astrology apps or software, Brennan offers that there is something valuable about having an ephemeris in your hands. modern software allows you to skip the calculations that most astrologers of the past had to master. get this book if you want to go “old school” and have an overview of planet positions that you can see all at once. You can also find an episode called “How to Read an Ephemeris” on the Astrology Podcast that explains how to read these charts. this can be fun and compelling if you are interested in astrological time and applying it to your everyday life.
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sources:
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- chris brennan, astrologer, astrology podcast host
- djenneba drammeh, astrologer