The Astrology Encyclopedia [Paperback]

James R. Lewis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1994

Aimed at laypersons, this reference contains over 750 alphabetically arranged entries ranging from one paragraph to several pages. Users can access information on the vocabulary of astrology, signs of the zodiac, chart-casting, astrological systems of other countries, people (past and present) involved in astrology and the branches, theories and influences of astrology. Entries include: Evangeline Adams; age of aquarius; agricultural astrology; Saint Thomas Aquinas; Christianity and astrology; day horoscope; Egyptian astrology; gemstones; Icarus; Julian Day; local mean time; newspaper astrology; Sappho; sidereal time; Ronald and Nancy Reagan; Venus and zenith. Appendices provide directory listings of astrological organizations and periodicals, and a "how to" discussion on casting an astrological chart.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This comprehensive encyclopedia covers everything from astroeconomics (business astrology) and agricultural astrology (the practice of choosing the time to plant and to harvest crops) to the signs of the Zodiac. The field of astrology, long viewed with antagonism in both scientific and Christian circles, has been growing steadily over the past 100 years, with people showing a casual interest in horoscopes and a dependence on stars for major business and political decisions. Did Ronald Reagan actually consult the heavens for guidance on national policy? What are the ethical ramifications of providing astrological information for political leaders? Lewis, a respected authority on alternative religions, attempts to answer some of these contemporary astrological questions in this fat encyclopedia. The book lists some 780 entries and includes a detailed index, names of astrological organizations, and a listing of periodicals. Recommended for all libraries.?Ravonne A. Green, Emmanuel Coll. Lib., Franklin Springs, Ga.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Reference books on controversial areas of knowledge such as astrology present an interesting challenge to the reviewer--and researcher--who may not agree with the foundations or tenets of the field. Although aimed at the believer, Lewis' work may be confidently consulted by the skeptic seeking basic information about astrology.

The Astrology Encyclopedia presents 780 alphabetically arranged entries "intended to help today's students of astrology better understand the heavenly influences." The author, an authority on nontraditional religious movements and a professional astrologer for more than 20 years, states that it "can be used as a foundation or textbook for acquiring a basic understanding of astrology"; as such, Lewis suggests the optimal order for studying the entries. The focus here is almost entirely on natal astrology, which deals with individual personalities, as opposed to mundane astrology, which is concerned with nations and political events. Neither is Lewis much concerned with horary astrology, "the practice of casting charts for particular questions." And though they are mentioned in passing in the introduction, those astrologers perhaps best known to the newspaper-reading public--Jeanne Dixon, "Zolar" (Bruce King), Sidney Omarr, and Ophiel--are neither given main entries nor mentioned in the extensive index. The simple sun-sign astrology of newspaper horoscope columns, because it ignores other astrological influences, is given little credence here.

Entries ranging in length from one sentence to more than 15 pages include dozens of historical and contemporary astrologers, hundreds of astronomical bodies (mostly asteroids), and technical terms of astrology and astronomy. Perhaps most interesting for the casual reader are longer entries such as Astrotherapy, Chinese Astrology, History of Astrology in America, and History of Western Astrology. Hundreds of the longer entries have appended lists of sources. Many of the biographical entries are followed by a list of selected writings. Preceding the index are appendixes for casting a chart, astrological organizations and their addresses worldwide, and astrological periodicals with addresses, description of contents, and subscription information. Illustrations include black-and-white photographs and line drawings.

Although books on astrology are numerous, good astrological encyclopedias are less abundant. The Astrology Encyclopedia makes a fine supplement to the Larousse Encyclopedia of Astrology (NAL, 1980) and Eleanor Bach's Astrology from A to Z: An Illustrated Source Book (Philosophical Library, 1990), both of which are frequently cited in Lewis' work. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 630 pages
• Publisher: Visible Ink Press; illustrated edition edition (March 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081039460X
• ISBN-13: 978-0810394605
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,140,989 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Such a Deal!, February 10, 2000

By 

fritz Fratz (St. Moritz) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Astrology Encyclopedia (Paperback)

If you were limited to only one astrological reference, this should be it. It is thorough, interestingly written and concise. You can sit down and actually read this like a text. Wonderfully annotated articles so that you can reference better detailed sources if the thorough but concise treatment of a topic is not enough. The paperback version gives you great "bang for the buck". Some articles are well illustrated or diagramed and the text is pleasantly set with judicious use of bolded text to get critical names or concepts through in a hurry. Wonderful coverage of all asteroids and hypothetical planets. An excellent addition to any astrological or occult library.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book! It is great for a beginner!, June 25, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Astrology Encyclopedia (Paperback)

I bought this book because I am studying astrology, and I needed to look up some words I didn't know the meanings of because, you can't find them in a regualar dictionary or encyclopedia. But it also lays out a step by step guide to how to begin studying astrology. He writes a list of which things to look up in what order for you to be able to understand it best. It really is a great book and I recommend it to anyone studying astrology. Or anyone even interested in learning more about your horoscope you see every day in the paper, but never knew what the terms meant. It is a really fun subject to explore and I love this book!

This book also has a lot of beautiful illustrations. Makes this book even better I think.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not Really An Encyclopedia, February 27, 2004

By 

Steve Zephyr "StarGazer Steve" (Monterey, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Astrology Encyclopedia (Paperback)

If you have the Larousse Enclopedia of Astrology (ISBN:07-007244-2), you already have the very best (Robert Hand called Larousse's work "far better than any existing work of its kind.").

With such a promising title, sadly Lewis does not deliver a comprehensive astrological dictionary-slash-encyclopedia, at all. Rather, Lewis apparently skimmed rear indexes of some standard astrological cookbooks, selecting only those he had an OPINION about, and then publish his musings in -- Ugh! -- their original alphabetical order. No attempt was made to connect the differing concepts, in any useful order.

Astrology CAN be a complex, highly technical art. Even professional astrologers need backup comprehensive astrological reference works to back them up. But this underwritten, incomplete, and pretentiously titled book is nothing short of a nightmare. Especially when used as intended -- as a reference work!

Apart sharing with us his highly subjective musings, Lewis does NOT touch even make a point of touching upon MOST of the major terms frequently used in astrology. Rather assemble useful, short primers on astrological terminologies, Lewis rambles on with his own pet insights -- like a man with too much time on his hands, who now wants YOURS too.

This book is neither complete in scope, comprehensive in description, nor well organized. So, even if you spot this title in the 75%-off discount bin at your local bookstore (and no doubt you will!), by all means DO pass this one by.

Of course, you are free to give it a try; buy it, put it on your reference shelf, hoping for the best. But, I assure you, in practice, the second or third time you need a complete, succinct, quick clarification upon most any astrological term, in the context of serious astrological study, you will eventually find yourself reaching for another reference.