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Flirting with the Zodiac - Kim Farnell
Wessex Astrologer
£14.50
Reviewed by Philip Graves in Astrology Quarterly Spring 2007
  This
new book by Kim Farnell is the first astrological history book dedicated
entirely to the history of the popular dimensions of astrology, by which
is particularly implied the description of character and forecasting of
life events from sun signs alone.
Yet this book promises to reach far beyond a lightweight discussion
of the development of sun-sign-focused astrology in the 20th century.
In her introduction, the author refutes the conventionally espoused
belief that sun sign astrology began with R. H. Naylor’s forecast
column in 1930, in a gripping argument that forcibly pulls the reader
backwards in time firstly to sun sign-based character delineations published
in the 19th century, and then to a reference by the first Raphael, writing
in ‘The Familiar Astrologer’ (1831), to the solar horoscope
as being an astrological technique employed by Junctinus (i.e. Francesco
Giuntini), Indagine and Agrippa, among other notables (v. pp xxiv-xxv
of 'Flirting with the Zodiac') from the sixteenth century and earlier.
The serious historical research credentials of the introduction might
appear to some astrologers to belie the fact that the foreword immediately
preceding this appetite-whetting introduction was commissioned to Shelley
von Strunckel, one of the foremost published sun sign columnists in the
UK press today. Yet the choice of an active current sun sign columnist
to introduce this book is an enlightened one, challenging serious astrologers
and astrological historians to revise their frequently expressed distaste
for the more commercial and popular wings of astrological practice in
the light of the realisation that sun sign forecasting may have a much
deeper-rooted technical history than is widely acknowledged, and that
therefore even sun sign forecasters deserve appreciation as proponents
of valid parts of the time-honoured and varied traditions of astrological
theory and observation. Thus this book could be viewed partly as an attempt
to bridge the gulf between astrologers of different persuasions and areas
of practice, through the establishment of greater mutual respect and understanding.
The twenty-five main chapters of the book are arranged in ascending chronological
order of the historical epochs upon which their discussion is focused,
with the first seven collectively covering the uses of sun sign-related
methods in astrology up to and including the seventeenth century, and
the remainder treating the early modern and modern times. The narrative
is contextualised by observations upon the broader astrological and sociological
backgrounds of the times, which assist greatly in understanding why different
astrological developments happened when they did.
There are also interludes discussing the history of the legal persecution
of astrologers, the modern astrological interpretation of the Great Ages,
the increasing scientific backlash against popular astrology in the late
20th century, and the history of a couple of popular myths that there
should be thirteen and not twelve signs.
Though this book covers a lot of historical ground that should already
be familiar to astrological historians, there is also plenty of fresh
detail to be found.
In the earlier chapters, the author demonstrates that sun-sign-based
observations and prognostications have been made since ancient Babylonian
times; and that it is highly likely from the available evidence in surviving
later medieval manuscripts that there has been an almost unbroken orally
transmitted tradition of popular concepts of the influence of the sun
in the twelve zodiacal signs since ancient times.
In Chapter Five, we are treated to a direct encounter with a 16th century
source vindicating Raphael’s report that solar horoscopes were used
by much earlier astrologers.
Kim Farnell has done a splendid job of extracting evidence of the earlier
history of sun-sign-based astrology from the literature that survives
from ages where it is most sparse. But she does not stop there, continuing
to approach the modern era, with its wealth of evidence for sun-sign-based
astrology, with great thoroughness, throughout the rest of the book. She
admirably shows just how the movement expanded and took off into full
flight, step by step, under the successive influences of a host of key
individuals and developments during the early 20th century. The narrative
advances through history with sufficient rapidity for the broad historical
trends to be very readily apparent to the reader, yet at the same time
every stop along that journey is filled with such a wealth of vital, vivid
detail that it completely absorbs one into the individual episodes concerned
and the personalities involved.
Among the protagonists responsible for the modern proliferation of sun-sign-based
astrology upon which substantial whole chapters are focused are to be
found the esoteric Hiram E. Butler, the astrologer and palmist Cheiro,
the successful media astrologer R. H. Naylor, and the best-selling writer
of natal and synastric sun-sign literature Linda Goodman.
The later chapters interestingly show how both the astrological establishment
and the scientific community responded and reacted to the increasing prevalence
of simplified media-friendly forms of astrology with strong social and
ideological opposition.
This is a most worthwhile book written in a highly readable, accessible
style although based upon research of a scholarly standard, and which
should appeal just as much to serious astrologers as to historians of
popular culture and casual readers who enjoy a good real-life story or
two.
If there is one abiding conclusion to be inferred from this history,
it would perhaps be that popular sun sign astrology is not necessarily
the enemy of serious astrology, but rather its simplified counterpart
having its own astrological validity as well as its own value in introducing
astrology to those who otherwise might never brave the more advanced reaches
of the subject.
A fuller review by Phillip can be found on Skyscript.co.uk
where space considerations are less pressing. Ed.
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