The Fated Sky - Annotated by Benson Bobrick (Paperback)

About the Book

"Perhaps the most interesting historian writing in America today" ("The New York Times Book Review") explores how astrology has shaped and influenced history from earliest times to the present day. Black-and-white photos throughout.

Book Synopsis

From ancient times to the present day, astrology has captured the imagination -- is it possible that human fate is influenced by the stars? Astrologers throughout the ages have advised the powerful, from popes to presidents to royalty, and their influence can be seen as a hidden history behind the great events of the past. In The Fated Sky, historian Benson Bobrick writes the first serious history of astrology and takes a fascinating look at its origins and impact on human events.

Astrology is the origin of science itself, as astronomy, mathematics, and other disciplines arose in part to make possible the calculations necessary in casting horoscopes. In earlier times, it was a science that won the respect and allegiance of the greatest thinkers and rulers of the ancient world, and eventually claimed adherents among the great astronomers of the scientific revolution -- Copernicus, Kepler, and Newton among them. Statesmen such as Churchill and de Gaulle consulted astrologers, and St. Thomas Aquinas thought astrology not incompatible with Christian doctrine. It is even said the Incas submitted to the Spanish conquistadors without a fight because their arrival coincided with an astrological prophecy. And astrology permeates our cultural consciousness, from references in the Bible and Shakespeare to expressions such as "ill-starred" or "lucky stars."

Rich in historical anecdote and astrological lore, The Fated Sky shows us that while the true power of astrology may be open to debate, the belief in its power has been -- and continues to be -- an enduring and intriguing influence on history and the history of ideas.

Review Quotes

"[A] robust, fact-filled account of [astrology]....a rich feast of astrological lore."

-- Carlin Romano, The Philadelphia Inquirer

"A cosmopolitan and amusing first look at a big subject."

-- Anthony Grafton, The Washington Post

"Entertaining....Bobrick is a playful and innovative historian who demonstrates that [astrology] has a rich and colorful past to draw upon."

-- Dick Teresi, The New York Times Book Review