As a professional astrologer, I was amazing to see a book that focuses on just one sun sign. How to Believe in a Sagittarius is the fourth in a series that began with English’s sign, How to Survive a Pisces. She states that she didn’t intend to write 12 books, but that once she finished Pisces, her friends started asking when she was going to write books about their signs.
I tell my own astrology students that the best way to learn astrology is to study, but then go out into the world and observe. English supplements her astrological knowledge with quotes from many different Archers with different moon and rising sign positions, as well as in different houses, which gives the book a “real” feeling that I truly enjoyed.
While the first series of chapters gives the standard information on the general terms of this 9th sign of the Zodiac, as well as the different astrological permutations listed above, English’s writing style is very straightforward and cites many different well-known astrology texts, like Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs. You will find yourself chuckling as she describes your Sag spouse, friend, or co-worker. I especially liked Sag Walt Disney’s quote when English discussed the 3rd house, which rules communication: “Animation can explain whatever the mind of man can conceive. This facility makes it the most versatile and explicit means of communication yet devised for quick mass appreciation.”
Chapter Six is entitled simply “The Problems”. Given the title of her first book, perhaps it was complaints about Pisces people that inspired her to write the first book in the series. English explains that for the most part in her astrology practice, she doesn’t have many clients complaining about Sag folks in their lives; rather, it’s the Archers themselves that cause her difficulty. Some standard Sag challenges are laid bare here, but Sag is a sign that wouldn’t have it any other way, anyway. So no worries there.
Thankfully, Chapter Seven follows up with “The Solutions”, and armed with the information in this small but useful book, hopefully you’ll have a much greater chance of success with your chosen Sag person.
Any book written about one sun sign is fraught with danger, in my opinion. It’s a very fine line to walk because you want to give the truth—and especially in Sag’s case this extremely important!—but you want to be careful of painting picture that makes them seem like either the greatest sun sign or the worst. I think English did an excellent job of cataloging the Archer’s strong and weak points and presenting it in a very positive way. You won’t walk away from this book without it changing your perspective on the Sag person or people in your life.
Now that I’m finished reading How to Believe in a Sagittarius, I have a question for Ms. English: When is the Scorpio book coming out? Many, many inquiring Scorpios like myself would like to know.
~review by John Marani
O Books, 2012
$14.95
