The Astrology EncyclopediaThe Astrology Encyclopedia

"What's your sign" and the Age of Aquarius may seem like artifacts from an earlier, more primitive age now referred to as "the seventies, " but astrology remains a popular subcurrent in our culture, with polls suggesting that more than one in every four Americans believe that celestial bodies influence behavior and fate. Written by an authority on nontraditional religious movements and a professional astrologer for more than 25 years, The Astrology Encyclopedia presents 800 alphabetically arranged entries intended to help today's students of astrology better understand the heavenly influences. "Astrology may be unappealing to some because of its apparent determinism, " writes author James Lewis, "but it allows people to comprehend the events in their lives as part of a meaningful, predictive system over which they can gain some control." Even individuals with lots of control (Nancy Reagan) seem to like a bit of astrological support. NASA, writes Lewis, utilizes a form of heliocentric astrologyfor predicting and thus avoiding space missions during periods of solar flare activity. Most people are familiar with only a tiny portion of astrology, namely the 12 signs of the Zodiac as they relate to personality. The Encyclopedia examines the complete art and science of astrology, covering dozens of historical and contemporary astrologers, hundreds of astronomical bodies, and numerous technical terms of astrology and astronomy. A special section provides information on casting a chart. An American Library Association Award winner and a Visible Ink standard, The Astrology Encyclopedia will please readers looking for their place among the stars.