The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need, New Edition [Paperback]

Joanna Martine Woolfolk (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2001

Bestselling author Joanna Martine Woolfolk has completely revised and updated The Only Astrology Guide You'll Ever Need for the first time in 19 years. Here is a book that with a few hours of reading will enable anyone to cast his or her own chart. It gives explanations of the influences that are often given scant attention in conventional astrology books: the moon signs, the rising sun, the placement of the planets, and the significance of the twelve houses. Woolfolk also discusses astrology in history and legend. Easy to use, this book supplies simplified tables that in most cases require only the laying down of a ruler across the birthdate.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Although this is not the only astrology book that your library will ever need, it is still a valuable title that should be strongly considered. Woolfolk, the horoscope columnist for Marie Claire and Redbook magazines, has updated her classic guide for the first time in 19 years. Thoroughly covered here are sun signs, moon signs, planets, and the significance of the 12 zodiacal houses, as well as the most recent discoveries in astronomy and 21st-century projections. The author gives an easy, logical way to integrate the interpretations of the sun signs, moon signs, planets, and houses in any given chart, something not easily done or often seen in general astrology books. The book's only shortcoming is its lack of instruction on making a detailed technical chart, which is necessary if one is to cast a complete and accurate horoscope. However, Woolfolk compensates for this by teaching a simplified method that is about 90 percent accurate enough to get a beginner started and includes a bibliography for further instruction. Astronomical tables are included to help cast the simplified chart. A great bargain for the price, this is highly recommended for all astrology collections. Marija Sanderling, Nesmith Lib., Windham, NH
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Truly lives up to its title. (United Press International )

A great bargain for the price, this is highly recommended for all astrology collections. (Library Journal )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Madison Books (October 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568332319
• ISBN-13: 978-1568332314
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (154 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #403,002 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #35 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Earth-Based Religions > Gaia

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

129 of 149 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not the only one you'll need, and not the best introduction, October 31, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need (Paperback)

The title really is false advertising: You can't even do the kind of astrology that's described in the book with just this book, as you need an ephemeris--a chart that tells you what degree your planets are in--to figure out the aspects between planets, and this is a central part of astrology. You can find an ephemeris--as well as more helpful readings of what planets in signs and houses mean--from Parker's Astrology, a far superior all-in-one astrology book. Much of Woolfolk's book has a cut-and-paste feel. There's a chintziness about the writing that is in keeping with the choice of such a cheesy, mercenary title. I'd like to single out the section on synastry, or chart comparison, which is bad to the point of being harmful. I give this book two stars rather than one because it can give a beginner a general idea of what real astrology is about, and may lead them on to more serious books. So it has some value to the extent that its title is wrong.

36 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars ALMOST the only astrology book you'll ever need, August 22, 2000

By 

Lovely Lady - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need (Paperback)

An excellent book anyone who has given less than four stars is being harsh !!! The only short comings that this book has are 1.) The aspects for planets are limited (It views aspects as bad, good, and ok but not in those exact words. The only information that she can give you on aspects is the conjunction between planets , which is no more than 2/3 lines, other than that there is no help.) 2.) Recent 'planetiods' such as lilith, chiron, ascendant and midheaven do not have aspect information. For instance if you wanted to know what sun conjunct ascendant meant in your chart, or any of the above I've mentioned, there is no help. 3.) Cusp information is not included at all. For instance say that your 4th house cusp fell on pisces. There is no information that would tell you what this means. To make a long story short, the book is excellent for everything except aspects and house cusp information.

41 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book with one glaring error, January 28, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need, New Edition (Paperback)

The author writes with clarity in a warm and direct style. I do not agree that it is the *only* book you'll ever need on astrology, but it is a good place to start.

I am most disappointed that the second edition contains a glaring error: The author lists George W. Bush as a "Famous Gemini." She is wrong! George W. Bush was born on July 6, 1946 at 7:27 AM in New Haven, CT. He is a CANCER Sun, Leo Rising (Ascendant) and Libra Moon.

I can hope that this is a publishing error/typo, but it makes me nervous--If she is wrong about the Sun Sign of the President, (and it's not a typo), what else is wrong with the book? How accurate is other information? After reading the second edition, I don't trust her expertise as much as I once did.

The Age of Aquarius is not usually covered in a basic astrology book and her section on entering the Aquarian Age is well-done. (Both editions have it.) The author provides something for all of us to think about because this Age carries both a promise for a better world and a dire warning: The inventions that can save us can also kill us. (Nuclear power, an Aquarian invention, as an energy substitute for depleting natural resources vs. global nuclear war) We have the technology to go either way. Which way will we go?

I have both editions of the book and I am disappointed in the second edition because it has "Completely Revised and Updated" in big letters on the front cover. I couldn't tell much difference between the two editions as I placed them side by side and compared them.

Still, astrologers are not known for their clear writing styles and Ms. Woolfolk explains astrology better than most. She has something to offer the beginner in the often murky world of astrological writing and terminology. I wish she hadn't written that George W. is a Gemini, but her writing style and clarity are worth a look.