Astrology Encyclopedia

by James R. Lewis

Spiritual seekers and fans of the metaphysical and occult have always delighted in Visible Ink's celebrated and indispensable line of encyclopedias of the paranormal, the supernatural, and the counter rational. Unlike other guides to the strange and unexplained that tend to exploit rather than explain, Visible Ink titles on the otherworldly are definitive and expansive, each book representing the author's lifelong passion on subjects that defy easy categorization or validation. While this hasn't made it easy for them to make friends, it has resulted in a series of over-achieving guides to the unknown and unknowable unmatched in coverage or value. From aliens to UFOs, angels to werewolves, and astrology to vampires, the entire alphabet is put to good use. Each volume is extensively illustrated and indexed with lengthy introductions, valuable resource sections, unique chronologies, and very good suggestions for further reading. Well-known religion and cult expert Dr. J. Gordon Melton delivers his magnum opus on vampires, and we mean magnum. Brad Steiger, always a trusted guide to the irrational and supernatural, explores thousands of years of were-wolf myth and folklore, and offers ample evidence that the wolf man does indeed still shuffle among us. Renowned UFO expert Jerome Clark cashes in his frequent flying-saucer miles, creating a masterwork on extraterrestrial visits and overnight stays. And lest he seem preoccupied with airborne aliens, Mr. Clark tracks plenty of more earthbound but similarly unexplained phenomena in the fascinating collection of 200 real-life mysteries aptly titled Unexplained Dr. James Lewis is the original paranormal MVP, authoring classic guides toastrology, angels, death, and dreams. Entertaining and exhaustive, Visible Ink tales of the metaphysical are attractive to the eye as well, with a real flair for the graphic. Each edition is a comprehensive, insightful, and illuminating work that should please your customers browsing or levitating amid the metaphysical. "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 astrology for 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, andnumerous 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.

Genres: Astrology, Reference, Nonfiction

537 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1993

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Kevinhoytjr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent rendition

[Deborah]

use as a reference

[Aaron Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this book! Anytime I have an astrological question come to mind this is the book I grab off the shelf to help me out. Chock full of information you can't do without.