Written in the Stars: Constellations, Facts and Folklore for the Armchair Astronomer by Alison Davies

Written in the Stars: Constellations, Facts and Folklore for the Armchair Astronomer Reviews

• 
  Arimo

  A simple and interesting collection of myths behind the constellations of the sky. Instead of a very deep analysis, expect lightweight snippets that mainly focus on Greek and Roman mythology. The book doesn't really help finding the constellation of the sky and it's not on the same level as HA Rey's stargazing books, but it's still okay.
  
  This book is supposed to be checked every now and then. If you read it from cover to cover like I did, you will find issues with the structure: all the most interesting constellations are explained in the beginning, and the last chapters are focused on unremarkable, newer constellations with less mythology behind them.
  
  Otherwise the book is "ok" (2 stars), but I'm giving the Finnish localisation an extra star. The Finnish version adds a few sentences about Finnish myths and also tells wether or not the constellations are visible in the northern latitudes.
• 
  Cherith

  I know I'm not supposed to judge a book by its cover but good grief this is a pretty book! Full of delightful myths and interesting facts this is a charming little book. The illustrations are gorgeous and there is information on when best to view constellations, from which hemisphere and the names of the individual stars that make up the constellations. I really loved it and it has inspired me to start star gazing.
• 
  Katie Daniels

  I loved this book except for the part where the author said "Aphrodite and Cupid." It includes the names of the stars in the constellations which is AWESOME but it isn't very helpful for actually finding them constellations in the night sky. However, it makes a great companion for any decent sky map and provides the stories behind every one of the 88 official constellations.
• 
  ABCme

  Gorgeous illustrations with a short story for each constellation. It has a Contents, a Monthly Guide and a list of Gods and Goddesses. The only thing missing is an alphabetical list: when you search for a particular constellation, you have to go through the whole book, unless you know which group it's in. I use this beauty with my Compendium of Constellations cards.
• 
  Emily Schmidt

  Great design. Beautiful illustrations! This is literally one of the prettiest books I own and it’s just lovely. Some of the information is repetitive and the coordinates they offer for where to look for certain constellations is vague, but otherwise the book would make an excellent gift for young and old stargazers and modern mystics who want to know the stories behind the names and shapes of constellations.
• 
  Janika Puolitaival

  Mukavasti tietoa tähtitaivaan myyttien takana. Plussaa siitä, että suomennokseen lisätty tähtikuvioiden näkyvyys Suomessa, huolellista työtä.
• 
  ReadingSloph

  I enjoyed this book a great deal. I thought the artwork was really good, I liked the information given about when are where to see the constellations and I really enjoyed the lore around them. I am a fan of Greek mythology and so I loved knowing who was behind some of the most well known constellations and the stories behind them, and I also like learning about other constellations that I don't know so well due to the fact I've never been south of the equator.
• 
  Hannah

  wasn't a fan and didn't end up finishing this book. the folklore/myths are quick summaries and lack any of the more interesting details. there aren't really maps of the night sky or anything super interesting to draw you in. very much a book meant for someone that is passively interested. if you're someone like me and you love myths then you're going to want something a little more in depth than what this provides.
• 
  Leah

  Such a beautiful book, all blues and creams and silvers. Each constellation is only given a tiny paragraph per page to highlight the myths and history behind it.
  
  Sadly, I noticed a handful of grammatical errors ranging from spelling errors to odd spacing in the middle of a word to two instances where the meaning of the constellation's name was a repeat of it's location in the sky.
• 
  Tamara Fahira

  Give this one four stars because I don’t understand those what-so-called constellations at all, but with beautiful design and a fairly detailed explanation, I can recommend this book to you. This book captures the beauty of the stars and is the perfect gift for novice stargazers and armchair astronomers alike.
• 
  Peaches

  While you won't do a *tonne* of learning, this is a low brain energy, beautifully illustrated and fun look at each constellation in the night sky with a little description with each one. I would say this is a "coffee table book" - looks stunning, easy to flick through and fun. Glad to have this pretty little number in my collection!
• 
  Cynthia Troncquo

  I really thought this book very interesting. I learned a bit about each constellation origin of name and rhe myths or history behind them. It's a fun book to have around at home or gift as a gift for someone intrested in stars, mythology or history
• 
  Belle

  "Magic sits in the stars. ✨
  
  Let's not forget, the stars have seen all of life on Earth unfold beneath them. Like eyes, blinking and watching, these tiny, enduring beads of light witness and hold our stories and memories long after we're gone."
• 
  Ella

  Enjoyed the book. I liked learning about the Greek mythology and genera background to the constellations.
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  Tapani Aulu

  Lyhyt hakuteos tähtikuvioiden historiasta. Jokaisesta kuviosta kerrotaan pieni tausta, tärkeät tähdet, sijainti taivaalla ja näkyvyys Suomessa.
• 
  Amanda

  Good read
  
  This is a fun book of facts and some folklore related to constellations. If you enjoy this kind of thing, which I really do, you will like this book.
• 
  Alicia Riley

  Lovely book.
• 
  Teresa Tursi

  a beautiful book written in a simple language that talk about the most important constellations, their stars, their forms in the sky and their history
• 
  Miss K

  A lovely collection of short writings about constellations and the myths and stories connected to their names, as well as the history of science and astronomy. I loved the artwork, too.