| Title | : | Astrology (The Library of Esoterica) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 520 |
| Publication | : | First published December 18, 2020 |
A Date with Destiny
The art of astrology, from ancient science to modern-day practice
From the beginning of human history, individuals across cultures and belief systems have looked to the sky for meaning. The movement of celestial bodies and their relation to our human lives has been the central tenant of astrology for thousands of years. The practice has both inspired reverence and worship, and deepened our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
While modern-day horoscopes may be the most familiar form of astrological knowledge, their lineage reaches back to ancient Mesopotamia. As author Andrea Richards recounts in Astrology, the second volume in TASCHEN’s Library of Esoterica series, astronomy and astrology were once sister sciences: the King’s Chamber of the Great Pyramid at Giza was built to align with constellations, Persian scholars oversaw some of the first observatories, and even Galileo cast horoscopes for the Medicis. But with the Enlightenment and the birth of exact science, the practice moved to places where mystery was still permitted, inspiring literature, art, and psychology, and influenced artists and thinkers such as Goethe, Byron, and Blake. Later movements like the Theosophists and the New Agers, would thrust the practice into the mainstream.
Edited by Jessica Hundley, this vibrant visual history of Western astrology is the first ever compendium of its kind, exploring the symbolic meaning behind more than 400 images, from Egyptian temples and illuminated manuscripts to contemporary art from across the globe. Works by artists from Alphonese Mucha and Hilma af Klint to Arpita Singh and Manzel Bowman are sequenced to mirror the spin of the planets and the wheel of the zodiac. With a foreword by legendary astrologer Susan Miller and wisdom from new interviews with astrologers like Robert Hand, Jessica Lanyadoo, and Mecca Woods, Astrology celebrates the stars and their mysterious influence on our everyday lives.
Astrology (The Library of Esoterica) Reviews
-
Great choice of visual art, as usually, interesting text. Can't wait for
Witchcraft: The Library of Esoterica, third installment in the series. -
Daug kokybiškų iliustracijų. Teksto mažai ir jį skaityt nebūtina :) Tačiau jei skaitysit, galit rast įdomių dalykų - pvz., kad pirmiausia zodiako ženklų savybės kurtos/apibrėžtos pagal metų laiką, kai Saulė pasirodo tame žvaigždyne .
-
An absolutely impeccable edition, just like the others.
This is one of those books to get your hands on over and over again.
The information it contains is basic but still interesting.
A treasure. -
With every chapter the light of a star was dying, and by the end of the book I was left with only two stars to award. As much as I am interested in the subject, as much as I was craving for something deeper, sadly, my ship eventually found itself stuck in shallows. So, if some airy, easy-going, coffee-loving, feet-on-cushion, Venus-type-of-a-person disagrees and argues that the strength of this book lies in its beauty … well, no, most of its art is rather kitschy!
-
Visually beautiful, but there are too many typos and errors that could have been prevented with better proofreading.
-
Breathtaking artwork spanning the centuries, sprinkled with enough astrological info for those already familiar with astrology. This would be a beautiful gift for a beginner as well, but the written portion of this book does not go in depth. I noticed a few errors, typos and grammatical flubs, but the collection of artwork makes up for it.
-
Gorgeous physical object with inspiring, inclusive art.
-
There are a lot of illustrations in this book, which can be considered good or bad depending on how you feel about it. In the zodiac sections, it got to be a little too much. But it was interesting to see all the art about astrology throughout the ages.
In a way, this book is set up like a school textbook, with the large pictures and breaks. It's essentially a history book with art, explanations on the planets/signs, and a tidbit of information on natal charts.
I found myself more interested in the last bit of the book but thats my personal bias on hating books that read like history textbooks. -
Gorgeous book to add to your hardcover collections of esoteric books or to your coffee table books, for amateurs, non-amateurs and professionals. Beautiful body of artworks accompanying each chapter, this book is a visual pleasure to read through. A must-add to your collection.
Basic astrology information, straight to the point. You don't buy this book for advanced astrology knowledge - although the edition is a gem for it-, you buy it for the sensorial experience of astrological wisdom encapsulating in beautifully printed pages and expressed through unique artworks.
Bonus points for the historical references. -
As the first volume in this series (Tarot), Astrology delivers a beautiful set of paintings concerning the planets and zodiac signs. Moreso than in the former volume I found the text basically forgettable. Of course, it's no wonder in light of the necessary mass-appeal that the psychologisation of astrology is prevalent here, but one could at least have tried to paint a more diverse pictures of the development of astrological thought, especially for the last twenty, thirty years.
-
A masterpiece of Astrology gallery collections. More than a picture collection, it also organized the history and basic knowledge of astrology, as well as some classic quotes from famous astrologer.
If you like surrealism art, then the book is a worth reading and collection. The book is unable to give you direct detailed knowledge, but granting you inspiration through visual arts and meditation upon them. -
An informative historical account of where modern astrology began, and how it has evolved over time.
I love the artwork portrayed in this book, as well as the history provided!
If you're interested in learning more about astrology and how to read a birth chart, this book is an excellent place to start! -
Visually stunning. It’s best for beginners or for avid students as a collector’s item.
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ - This book was fine. I didn’t hate it enough to quit reading it but I probably wouldn’t read it again. -
A really great overview of the basic components of astrology, and incredibly beautiful art as always with Taschen books. The section on planets and houses were particularly helpful for someone looking for a deeper understanding of the subject
-
Astrology: The Library of Esoterica by Andrea Richards is my first foray into Taschen’s Library of Esoterica, and I’m totally hooked. This is a beautiful coffee table book of art associated with the zodiac, and it’s a great introductory book about astrology. After reading Taschen’s The Book of Symbols, I’ve been on the lookout for more books from this publisher. Astrology: The Library of Esoterica absolutely gorgeous, and well-organized. I have a feeling I will use this as a reference book for years to come. I can’t wait to grab another one of these beautiful books! I’m thinking Tarot: the Library of Esoterica might be my next purchase.
Enjoy!
⭐️ = Hated it! Couldn't finish the novel.
⭐️⭐️ = Didn't like it, but forced myself to finish.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ = Lukewarm liked it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = Really enjoyed the novel and was sucked into the story.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = Loved it! Couldn't put it down & I'd read it again! -
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book. It is not only aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but, the artwork and writing in here is phenomenal. If you love astrology and pretty coffee table books, you will surely love this as well!
1000/5 ⭐️ -
While I am not usually fond of the "coffee-table" art book format this series has great essays and great art.
-
Beautiful. Good foundational details and a nice intro on the history of astrology. As a visual exploration, it’s very satisfying.
-
2.5
-
Really great intro to astrology. But mostly it's a beautiful art book! Im excited to have the collection.
-
An image-heavy book that explains the history and basic components of the study of astrology. I found it to be a useful introductory resource.
-
Aparte de ser un libro lleno de arte increíble también tiene un buen compilado de información útil sobre los principios de la astrología.
