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 Dwyer and Melody Beatty.

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 Dwyer 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 Dwyer, 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 Dwyer 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 Beatty. 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.