This smallish book from the talented Amy Zerner and Monte Farber promises big things, and delivers. Written in a friendly, accessible style, Zerner and Farber have managed to distill the essence of each of the twelve sun signs into precise and concise language. It's all here: keywords, symbolism, typical traits, positive personality manifestations, and negative as well.

Each chapter focuses on one of the twelve sun signs, the zodiac signs the sun appears to be traveling through throughout the year. (Your astrological chart is actually a map of the stars at the time of your birth, and astrology the study of how the energy of the luminaries in our solar system affect our core personality and traits.) The largest part of the writing after the core personality focuses on one's love life, from preferred first dates to overall companionship between the signs. But there is also a fairly large section on how your sun sign operates at work, including preferred fields on endeavor, and how we manifest as both employees and leaders.

One quibble I have, and it is just a quibble rather than a complaint: the subtitle says you'll learn about your future, but that's really just folded into knowing more about your love life.

I must also note that the sun sign is only one of at least 12 luminaries exerting their energy upon you, so while it is usually the one with the strongest influence, it is not the totality of your astrological chart.

In the end, this is an excellent resource for a newcomer to astrology. There are many astrology books published each year in the field of astrology, many of which overlap in perspective and information -- this one stands out for its brevity and accuracy. You don't need to buy 12 books (one for each sign), this one is an excellent summary of all of the information most people need to know. Absolutely recommended.

~review by Lisa Mc Sherry

Authors: Amy Zerner & Monte Farber
Weiser Books, 2014
pp.260, $16.95