AstroTopics
Books byHoroscope
The stories that speak to each sign. Reading picks matched to the temperament of every Chinese and Western sign.
Books · Chinese Horoscope
Year of the Rat
Rats are ruled by the Yin and Water elements in traditional Chinese astrology. This means that when it comes to literature, they love a good historical romance or murder mystery. Since Rats love to travel, a story set in an exotic locale is of particular interest, as are coffee-table books with glossy photographs of far away places.
Novels by authors such as Agatha Christie, Rita Mae Brown or Mary Stuart appeal to these people, as Rats love misty settings in medieval times and stories about the royal family. They love to sit on a train or by a pool and work through an intricate plot by James Michener or Gore Vidal. These profound thinkers are also fans of classics by Victor Hugo, Jane Austin and Charles Dickens.
Year of the Ox
Ox individuals are very practical personalities who are ruled by the Yin and Water elements of traditional Chinese astrology. Oftentimes, Oxen are so busy that they rarely have time to read anything but the newspapers. Their libraries are usually full of popular children's books that they enjoy reading aloud to their offspring.
Oxen are most attracted to self-help and "how-to" books. They prefer practical guides such as The Dummies Guide to... or The Idiot's Guide to... as these shortcuts save them time, money and research. Female Oxen are very concerned with the psychological development and health of their families so they are likely to own books by Dr. Spock, Dr. Phil, Dr. Laura, Dr. Wayne Dyer and Melody Beattie.
Year of the Tiger
Tigers are associated with the Yang and Wood elements in the Chinese zodiac, which means that they have a passion for adventure stories. Novels from childhood may include such favorites as the Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys series of mysteries. Tigers are also fond of works by Robert Louis Stevenson, H.G. Wells and the Brontë sisters.
All Tigers are fascinated by the lifestyles of the rich and famous and are quite happy reading biographies and autobiographies of such notables as Donald Trump, Jackie Onassis, Lady Diana, Heidi Fleiss and Jennifer Lopez. A tawdry romance novel that includes details about clothes and bodice-ripping men is mind candy for a female Tiger who loves passion and romance, while male Tigers like books that feature the adventures of modern day explorers.
Year of the Rabbit
Rabbits are associated with the Yin and Water elements in the Chinese Zodiac. This gives them an unusual talent for commerce and they are avid readers of tomes that have to do with high finance and personal power. The Fine Art of the Deal by Donald Trump, or You'll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again by Julia Phillips, would appeal to Rabbits who like stories about hobnobbing with the rich and famous.
These secret sensualists also revel in reading erotica and privately treasure books with taboo scenes such as The Godfather by Mario Puzo and Fear of Flying by Erica Jong. Works by authors such as Anais Nin, Henry Miller, Gore Vidal, Jacqueline Suzanne and Jean Genet also satisfy this sign's yen for erotic thrills.
Year of the Dragon
Dragons are of the Wood and Yang elements, which means they are risk-takers and love adventure. They enjoy reading paperbacks about true-to-life harrowing experiences such as Alive: Airplane Crash in the Andes Mountains by Scott P. Werthers and The Search for the Northwest Passage by Ann Savours. They also identify with intense individuals that have suffered unusual fates. Marilyn by Norman Mailer and The Kid Stays in the Picture by Robert Evans are good choices for this sign.
Dragons are also secret metaphysicians and enjoy classic works about magic, prophecy, the occult and fortune telling. Authors such as Lillian Too, Scott Cunningham, Anna Riva and Patricia Telasco appeal to this sign's lust for secret wisdom. They also collect sacred texts such as the Bible and the Zohar.
Year of the Snake
The intelligent Snake is of the Yin and Fire elements in Chinese astrology, which means they love art and beauty. The perfect gift for a Snake is a hardcover coffee-table book featuring fine art photography or gorgeous reproductions of paintings. Both male and female snakes also have a passion for historical romance, metaphysics, and exotic places. Lengthy historical novels such as Shogun by James Clancy or Olympiad by Tom Holt slake their thirst for love, history and mystery.
Most Snakes have a killer sense of humor and treasure the works of Oscar Wilde, Dorothy Parker, Cynthia Heimel, Tom Wolf, Hunter S. Thompson and P.J. O' Rourke. They also enjoy positive, upbeat works such as The Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books.
Year of the Horse
The enthusiastic Horse is a Yang sign that is associated with the Fire element and this blend is responsible for his very short attention span. Many Horses are too busy and physically active to read anything besides newspapers and magazines. However, they do love scandalous biographies. Diana by Andrew Morton, A Prescription for Murder: The Menendez Brothers by Thomas Neil Cream and Helter Skelter by Vincent Buglosi are titles that would interest a Horse.
Horses are also attracted to titles that promise shortcuts to fame, money and power. The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene, Personal Power by Anthony Robbins and Manifest Your Destiny by Wayne Dyer are good books for Horses to leaf through between laps around the track or across the swimming pool.
Year of the Goat
This practical and positive sign loves spiritual, optimistic books about self-improvement. Ruled by the Yin and Fire elements, Goats love sophisticated New Age authors such as Deepak Chopra, Carolyn Myss and Wayne Dyer, as well as visionaries like H.G. Wells, Steven Hawking and Wyndham Lewis.
Most Goats love to read as much as they can and many of them have soaked up the classics as children. Favorites may include Alice in Wonderland by C.S. Lewis, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. They are also avid fans of the Harry Potter series of books by J.K. Rowling and the witty children’s stories of Raol Dahl.
Year of the Monkey
A Yang/Metal sign, Monkeys love books about the entertainment industry. They also enjoy reading plays and scripts, both ancient and modern. Most of them own The Collected Works of Shakespeare or a compilation of modern plays. They are especially interested in twentieth-century playwrights who explore human nature such as Edward Albee, Tennessee Williams and Sam Shepherd.
As Monkeys also love the movies, cinematic histories, including Kenneth Anger’s Hollywood Babylon: The Legendary Classic of Hollywood's Darkest and Best Kept Secrets and Gail Kinn’s The Academy Awards: The Complete History of Oscar would make great gifts for them. They also collect compilations of cartoons, humor, and inspirational writing such as the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.
Year of the Rooster
Roosters are an eccentric blend of the Yin/Metal element in Chinese astrology, which means their favorite reading material is a social column that mentions their name. Roosters love to impress others with their libraries, which often contain books that have been bought so they can appear spiritual, artistic or well educated to others. They are not usually avid readers, although they enjoy looking at fashion magazines and reading about society in People, Vanity Fair and Harper's Bizarre.
However, Roosters are very interested in furthering self-advancement and they take reading of this nature very seriously. The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene, Personal Power by Anthony Robbins and Manifest Your Destiny by Wayne Dyer make them feel pro-active and omnipotent. They also like spiritual books that apply to office politics such as The Art of War by Sun Tzu.
Year of the Dog
The Dog is a Yang/Metal sign, which means that he is fascinated by human nature. Dogs love reading books about psychology and are faithful readers of self-help gurus like Dr. Phil McGraw, Dr. Laura and Melody Beattie. As they are very family-oriented, but also love a dash of humor, an ideal gift for a Dog would be The Simpsons and Philosophy: The Doh of Humor by William Irwin.
Environmentally conscious, Dogs are also concerned about the ecology of the planet. Best-sellers such as Environmental Science: Towards A Sustainable Future by Richard T. Wright, Clean and Green: A Guide to Non-Toxic and Environmentally Safe Housekeeping by Annie Berthold-Bond, and Life Abundant: Rethinking Theology and Economy for a Planet in Peril by Sally McFague would suit their taste for proactive literature.
Year of the Pig
The Pig considers reading a great source of recreation and escapism. A Yin/Water sign, most Pigs are avid readers of science fiction and fantasy. Many are hard-core addicts of the Harry Potter series of books by J.K. Rowling and The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien. They also appreciate the works of visionaries such as H.G. Wells, Isaac Asimov, George Orwell and Jules Verne.
As Pigs are excellent hosts and love to entertain, a perfect gift would be a classic cookbook such as The Joy of Cooking. They also enjoy any glossy tome authored by Martha Stewart and the Moosewood Restaurant cookbook series of cookbooks featuring exotic dishes from around the world.
Books · Western Horoscope
Aries
Aries is ruled by the element of Fire in Western astrology, which means that books about risk, exploration and adventure are right up his literary alley. Classic true to life accounts, such as The Pirate Hunter; The True Story of Captain Kidd by Richard Kidd and Alive: Airplane Crash in the Andes Mountains by Scott P. Werthers appeal to Rams. They also love books by Robert Louis Stevenson and Mark Twain.
Extremely ambitious, Rams are interested in self-development and instruction on how to get ahead in life. Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, and Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion are "how-to" books that an Aries would find informative. These intelligent individuals also love thick, glossy coffee-table books that feature their favorite subjects: photography, art, cinema and cars.
Taurus
Taurus individuals are ruled by the element of Earth, which means that they most enjoy reading practical books about self-improvement and weight management. Bulls love food, yet at the same time are very self-conscious about their weight, so they collect a contradictory mix of cookbooks and diet books.
This occasionally conservative sign often keeps religious texts by the bedside. Bulls are known to delve deep into works of philosophy in an attempt to understand and survive the trials of modern society. Fearing the fallibility of human nature, these insecure individuals are drawn to fictional works like The Plague by Albert Camus and 1984 by George Orwell.
Gemini
Gemini natives are intellectuals that are ruled by the cerebral Air element. They are avid readers of everything from Mad magazine to romantic novels, self-help books, and treatises on science and philosophy. Geminis love psychology and social anthropology and are quite happy reading works by Margaret Mead, Susan Sontag and Carl Jung.
Their enormous imaginations are captivated by science fiction and fantasy and love nothing better than to escape with a good novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, or J.K. Rowling. Geminis love rereading fairy tales and myths by authors such as Rudyard Kipling, Hans Christian Anderson and Oscar Wilde. They are also riveted by Stephen King’s horror novels, and true tales such as In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.
Cancer
Cancer natives are emotional, idealistic individuals that are ruled by the Water element. They love to learn and consider all literature to be tools for their personal epiphanies and realizations about life. These profound thinkers are avid readers of philosophers such as Plato and Sartre who examine the conundrums of human existence. Cancerians are also drawn to self-help books such as Manifest Your Destiny by Wayne Dyer and The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra.
Crabs are also addicted to classic romance novels such as Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, and The Color Purple by Alice Walker. They also love to analyze their relationships and are drawn to books like Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus.
Leo
Leos are ruled by the restless Fire element, which means that they are usually too busy to read books. This flashy sign often buys items to impress other people. Leos subscribe to the notion that it is advantageous to "judge a book by its cover."
Materialistic Lions are fond of large, glossy, coffee-table books (the heavier the better) that feature their favorite subjects: horses, fashion, human portraits, cars, exotic places and anything to do with Hollywood or the movie-making business. Lions also love gossip, scandal and reading about the rise and fall of celebrities. Biographies such as Hollywood Babylon: The Legendary Classic of Hollywood's Darkest and Best Kept Secrets by Kenneth Anger and Hollywood Madam by Heidi Fliess are books that would hold this excitable sign's attention.
Virgo
In Western astrology, the profoundly analytical Virgo is ruled by the practical element of Earth. Structure, order, purity and balance are important components for these people and they are inspired and motivated by books about the arts or the sciences. Books such as The Theory of Everything by Steven Hawking, or Math and Physics Across Cultures by Maurice Bazin would make good gifts for this inquisitive and intelligent sign.
Virgos love cinematography and photography so they tend to have at least a few thick, hardcover books on these subjects sitting on their coffee table. They are also greatly interested in fine art and would enjoy compilations from famous photographers such as Helmut Newton or Ansel Adams, and illustrious painters such as Georgia O'Keefe or Frida Kahlo.
Libra
Libra is ruled by the artistic element of Air in Western astrology. These romantic and sensitive creatures love collections of poetry and glossy books that feature the works of the world's finest artists and architects. The perfect gift for a Libra would be a comprehensive resource text such as The Oxford History of Twentieth Century Art.
As poetic structure represents the perfect balance between body and soul, Libras tend to own many collected works by such classic and modern poets as: William Shakespeare, William Blake, Robert Browning, Robert Frost, Sylvia Plath, E.E. Cummings, Ted Hughes and Maya Angelou. These lyrical souls are eager consumers of biographies of ancient and modern luminaries such as Beethoven, Mozart, the Beatles, Janis Joplin and Judy Garland.
Scorpio
Secretive Scorpio is ruled by the Water element, which gives them a great fascination with books about metaphysics, the occult, and psychology. Scorpions love classic and modern horror writers such as Mary Shelley and Stephen King. Metaphysical guides to personal power such as The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly Palmer Hall, Jr. or Discover the Power Within You: A Guide to the Unexplored Depths Within by Eric Butterworth appeal to this sign's desire to dominate others.
These sexual individuals are also lovers of erotic literature. Ancient and modern classics such as La Fleurs De Mal by Jean Genet, Tropic of Capricorn by Henry Miller, Fear of Flying by Erica Jong and Hollywood Madame by Heidi Fleiss make excellent bedside reading for lusty Scorpions.
Sagittarius
Inquisitive Sagittarius, ruled by the Fire element, possesses the mixed blessing of both a thirst for knowledge and a short attention span. Sagittarians prefer short stories and magazine articles to novels, and are the sign most likely to buy the Cliff Notes version of a classic work to avoid reading the whole thing.
Archers love language and are great collectors of encyclopedias, thesauruses and dictionaries. They are also fond of thick, heavy tomes that cover centuries of art, socio-political history and theory. Although they seem flighty, Sagittarians are very concerned with morals, ethics and correct behavior. For this reason, many of them keep a Bible or similar religious text by their bedside.
Capricorn
Capricorn, ruled by practical Earth, is an intelligent sign that loves philosophy, economics and history. For entertainment, Capricorns read well-written biographies, autobiographies and historical romances. A comprehensive book such as Civilization by Kenneth Clark makes an excellent gift for this inquisitive sign.
Capricorns stock their bookshelves with classical and philosophical works such as Symposium by Plato and Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Nietzche. As they enjoy surveying economic trends, a book such as Financial Reckoning Day: The Guide to Surviving the Soft Depression of the 21st Century by William Bonner may be of interest. They are also drawn to practical, somewhat moralistic self-help books such as The Game of Life and How to Play It by Florence Scovell Shinn and Scientific Meditations by Paramanhansa Yogananda.
Aquarius
Aquarians are creative and imaginative individuals who are ruled by the Air element. These idealistic, heavy readers love all literature, especially dramatic novels about the future such as Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and 1984 by George Orwell. Their constantly ticking brains love a good mystery and many of them are addicted to the works of the great mystery writers such as Agatha Christie, John Grisham and Patricia Cromwell.
Science fiction and fantasy also thrill them. A perfect gift for an Aquarian would be a collection of fairy tales by Hans Christian Anderson or a compilation of the works of H.G. Wells. Many of them are also activists in ecology so they would appreciate a book such as Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature by Janine Benyus.
Pisces
Pisces are spiritual individuals who love literature that examines the soul. Many of them keep a Bible or other religious text by their bedside, or in the office, to inspire them when they feel down. Ruled by the Water element, this creative and self-aware sign is attracted to spiritual self-help books such as The Lightworker's Way: Awakening Your Spiritual Power by Doreen Virtue and The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra.
Female fishes love historical romances and are big fans of writers such as Mary Stuart and Barbara Cartland. Both sexes are fond of classic novels about obsession and passion such as Wuthering Heights by Charlotte Brontë, and The Girl on A Swing by Richard Adams.