When I began my journey into astrology back in 2018, I rummaged around bookstores and the internet for the best beginner astrology books. I found out one thing about myself as it pertains to my astrological practice: I am extremely picky. Through six years of studying astrology, and despite all that searching, I have only racked up a collection of 20 books! Many of the books I came across made sweeping generalizations with no nuance, leaving much to be desired. If youâre anything like me, you need all the details and in-depth visual examples before extracting any meaningful information. Astrologers of any level know that reading the same old thing about your sun sign is only entertaining for so long.
To take the work out of looking for quality books, I went through my library and found five books I highly recommend to beginner astrology enthusiasts.
1. Astrology for Dummies by Rae Orion
Any book in the For Dummies series is a wonderful way to build a foundation of basics. This was the first astrology book I ever purchased. My copy is fairly beat up due to being well-loved and frequently referenced. The author briefly covers the history of astrology, explains each signâs mythology and personality, guides you through basic chart interpretation, and adds talents you can spot in a birth chart! She also briefly touches on electional astrology, which tells you auspicious times to plan events. Grab this one if you are just interested in learning the basics.
2. The Only Astrology Book Youâll Ever Need by Joanna Martine Woolfolk
While I disagree that itâs the only astrology book youâll ever need, itâs a great start. With over 500 pages, this book is chock full of useful and easily digestible information. The author provides examples of celebrity charts, what each aspect signifies, briefly describes decanates, how to attract the signs, chart patterns and shapes, and much more. What I love most is the explanations of celebrity charts. The best way to learn astrology is by studying your chart and the charts of well-known people, as this allows you to see how these energies have manifested in reality.
3. Llewellynâs Complete Book of Astrology by Kris Brandt Riske
Of all the astrology books on this list, this one has to be my favorite. The author essentially dives into the same concepts that the previous two books do but also covers concepts such as derivative houses, signs over the house cusps, and aspect configurations (such as the grand square, yod, and grand cross). If you want to get serious with astrology, put this one on your shelf!
4. The Secrets of Astrology by DK
This book is great if you need a quick reference to the meaning of a particular sign, house, planet, or aspect. I love reaching for this one when I am having difficulty interpreting a chart and just need to jog my memory. The content of the book is fairly basic, but what I love are the eye-catching graphics and the easy-to-follow layout.
5. The Complete Guide to Astrology by Louise Edington
Again, this book just covers the basics, but the one thing that sets this book apart from the others on this list is the brief explanation of the asteroid goddesses: Vesta, Juno, Pallas Athene, and Ceres. Usually, these asteroids are omitted from books about the fundamentals. Interest in this topic is growing rapidly within the astrological community, so it may be worth checking it out for yourself!
Next time you’re considering learning more about astrology, consider snagging yourself a copy of one of these books!