Foreseeing the Future: Evangeline Adams and Astrology in America

by Karen Christino

Evangeline Adams was the world's most famous astrologer over 100 years ago, and single-handedly popularized astrology in the U. S. "Foreseeing the Future" tells the dramatic story of Adams' life, her career and marriage, arrests for fortune-telling and radio stardom. The author documents her forecasts and analyzes when she may have embellished her claims. (Updated 2019 author edition).

Genres: Astrology, History, Biography Memoir

253 pages, Paperback

First published October 27, 2002

About the author

Karen Christino is an author, astrologer and researcher who’s written eight books on astrology as well as horoscope columns for Glamour, Cosmopolitan and Life & Style magazines, among many others. She was the astrologer for Modern Bride and Your Prom for ten years and has written hundreds of articles for astrology journals. Karen has researched astrological forecasting, cross-cultural astrologies and many other metaphysical topics. Her greatest interest lies in the history of astrology, which led her to write Foreseeing the Future: Evangeline Adams and Astrology in America, a biography of the life and predictions of America’s famous turn-of-the-century astrologer, and What Evangeline Adams Knew, which examines Adams’ astrological techniques.

A second-generation astrologer, Christino began studying astrology as a teenager and was a consulting astrologer for over twenty years. She has studied Zen, Reiki and the Edgar Cayce readings, and practices yoga and meditation. Karen is accredited by the National Council for Geocosmic Research, and was awarded research grants from the NY chapter of the NCGR. She has a B.A. in English from Colgate University, also studied at Columbia University, and lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband.

“Christino’s meticulous research and thoughtful analysis give the reader much to ponder… Through her passion for the subject, Christino… makes the reader hungry to learn more.” -- Geocosmic Journal

“The thorough research she has done also underlines the book’s strongest point, which is that it is fair and balanced… a major contribution to the history of astrology.” -- American Astrology magazine

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a massive disappointment; I learnt more about her and Winski's photo collection than I did about Evangeline. The problem was Christino emphasized more the times EA lived in more than the life of EA. It did not help that it is rather disorganized with people mentioned with no context. A good example is EA's husband Mr. Jordan. He shows up on the pages of Chapter 11, appearing out of no where, and then they are married. There is little about his background, or their relationship.
Christino gives a cursory reason for EA marrying him -- she was "lonely" and tried from the Trial, but certainly other men were also interested in her, no? In that vain, there is her first fiance, Mr. Lord, that comes in an early chapter and leaves just as suddenly with little information on him either than he existed. In fact, everything about EA is so foggy that we never get a good hold on who she was, what she did or why she was so important. It is unfortunate, as Christino hints that there is a great archive of material, but most of what she relies on is already public knowledge. I think the book should have been half the size with greater emphasis on her than the times she lived in.

[Mia Carelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a genealogist with an interest in astrology, I eagerly read Karen Christino’s Foreseeing the Future when it was originally published in 2002. This unusual biography traces the life and work of Evangeline Adams, who is credited with popularizing astrology in the U.S. in the early 20th century. She was also related to the American presidents.

The new update is even more engrossing. The author has taken advantage of the many genealogy tools now available online to fill in names, dates and backgrounds for many of the characters in Adams’ life. Once again, we get to know Evangeline Adams, a unique woman in an odd profession at the turn of the 20th century, who pursued her career despite her family’s disapproval and several arrests for fortune-telling.

I couldn’t help but admire her perseverance, self-confidence and commitment, even while shaking my head at some of her efforts to publicize her work, which even seem to have led to her marriage late in life. She was a sweet and sometimes sad personality! Adams counseled many celebrities and some of their testimonials are included. I was also intrigued with her predictions, both those that succeeded and the ones that fell flat. Truth is indeed sometimes stranger than fiction.

As astrology is becoming more popular today, anyone with an interest in learning more about its history will love this book.

[Amy Ruth Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been waiting 30 years for this book.

Bravo. Among astrology today being very Virgo quality dissecting and cold that lacks life Falling among the bones of what's called psychological astrology or astrology being very Capricorn like creating a cold mathematical Amazon warehouse with astrology its nice to read about what astrology can do. Nice to see the unorthodox Aquarius quality make a big splash. This was a great read. A Very Fresh Approach to astrology in a very old way. It seems like since her passing nobody has Come forward to help Humanity and we are suffering the consequences currently.