Aquarius Season Reading Recommendations (January 19th-February 18th): The Eccentric Visionary & the Humanitarian/Social Justice Warrior

Keywords & Aquarius in a Nutshell (including a bit of technical stuff)

We are wrapping up this exhilarating year-long zodiacal book recommendation series with my all-time favorite sign: just to be 100% transparent. Buckle up for an exciting ride through my deeply Aquarian psyche from your enthusiastically Aquarian librarian. 🙂

Aquarius season itself isn’t always the most fun, unless you’re a big skier or ice skater, as it falls during the dead of winter. As the final fixed sign, Aquarius can represent wintry stagnation. The good news is that it’s very future-oriented, like our friend Doc from the Back to the Future trilogy. So, while not necessarily a very active sign, Aquarians are often eccentric visionaries dreaming of the future amidst wintry hibernation. 

Considering how delightfully “weird” Aquarians often are, many of them feel quite alienated by mainstream society. While not literal aliens, we Aquarius folks tend to feel a bit alien from time to time and often instinctively reject social norms and conventions that we find oppressive or simply nonsensical.

Considering that the opposing sign, Leo, is in the spotlight of the sun, Aquarius, which falls far outside of the sun’s beams, tends to be associated with the folks on the margins of society. If we adopt a theatrical lens, Leos are the divas who steal the scene and Aquarians are the vital but quite literally hidden team keeping things going backstage. That or the visionary director who may or may not pop up onstage during the curtain call.

Speaking of literal aliens 👽 or at the very least bizarre, mysterious paranormal or  PSI phenomena: some of the leading scholars and investigators of the UFO/UAP phenomenon, like journalist Linda Moulton Howe (see her birth chart here), are Aquarians or are drawn to this Aquarian theme. Ms. Howe has an intriguing birth chart: born with an Aquarius stellium in her 8th house (the murky realm of death and numerous other mysterious/occult phenomena: hence her interest in researching the aforementioned UAP phenomenon as well as NDEs or Near Death Experiences). She brings an outside-the box-but deeply cerebral (both very Aquarian qualities!) take on these 8th house themes. She’s rather controversial and falls into the Ancient Aliens camp (not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it is a controversial series). Regardless, she’s worth mentioning as an illustrative example of ultra-Aquarian energy in action. 

Aquarius, like Libra and Gemini, is an air sign. Folks with prominent Aquarius in their charts (like me!) tend to be very cerebral, which is quite a double edged sword (or a gift and a curse). They can get stuck in their heads and may suffer from anxiety or OCD – intrusive spiraling thoughts that run amok through their minds. (The blog post linked to above written by a creative with OCD takes a playfully irreverent tone to a very serious mental health challenge. Humor is a legit. coping mechanism). 

In any case, things like Mindfulness meditation, yin yoga, and working with adaptogen and/or nervine herbs (classes of botanicals that help regulate the nervous system) are all fantastic tools I myself employ to help calm my hypersensitive nervous system – a hallmark of neurodivergence (Autism Spectrum “Disorder” or ASD, Attention Deficit Hyperactive “Disorder” or ADHD, and Sensory Processing “Disorder” or SPD among numerous others). I’ve put “Disorder” in scare quotes because I personally ascribe to a neurodiversity-affirming worldview that acknowledges the many challenges of living in a neurotypical world with a hyper-sensitive nervous system and the need for accommodations, but also celebrates its numerous gifts.

For another take on individuals with hyper-sensitive nervous systems – a less medicalized perspective – consider exploring Dr. Elaine Aron’s concept of the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) and the similar New Age idea of the Empath. (Bringing us back to Autism: contrary to popular belief, many – if not most – autistic folks are extremely empathetic. Heightened empathy is quite common amongst this population, the exact opposite of what mainstream society believes courtesy of  harmful stereotypes that are still perpetuated against us to this very day).

20th Anniversary Edition of the OG HSP Book

Also, FYI: while I’ve recommended certain classes of herbs for their healing potential, I am NOT a medical doctor and this is NOT medical advice. Always consult a physician for any possible drug interactions with certain herbs and take extra care if you are pregnant or breastfeeding an infant! That said, most clinical herbalists and many reputable online herbal resources DO list any potential side effects or “contraindications” (reactions with certain medications). 

So, back to Aquarius: in traditional/Hellenistic astrology, this sign, like the immediately preceding one Capricorn, is ruled by Saturn: the planet of boundaries, limits, and the ruler of time. Remember in last month’s post I referenced the god of January, Janus, who has two faces? This is apt for the Capricorn-Aquarius shift: Janus first looks backwards into the past then turns toward the future…enter Aquarius season! 🙂

In modern astrology, Aquarius is ruled by Uranus: the radical and the rebel, the spark of innovation, and the great humanitarian committed to social justice for marginalized and disenfranchised communities across the globe. The lightning bolt effect of Uranus can help shake up Saturn-ruled, fixed, Aquarius, relieving some of the potential stagnation.

WARNING: Long Discussion of the “Age of Aquarius” ♒

(Feel free to skip over if you’re not interested…I won’t be offended, I promise). 

Finally, many of you may be wondering how long it was going to take me to invoke the New Age pop culture concept of “The Age of Aquarius” made famous by a 1969 pop song by the group, The Fifth Dimension…Here goes:

Age of Aquarius Song (Youtube Video)

Speaking of Aquarian energy, 

check out this alien diva performing the epic mad scene

 from the 1835 tragic Italian opera, Lucia di Lammermoor, 

in the 1997 sci-fi film The Fifth Element 

Many astrologers explore this topic with caution and many caveats. They tend to argue that the idea is overhyped, but that it has at least a grain of truth to it. I won’t get into the (quite literally) astronomical details, but there’s a concept in astronomy called the precession of the equinoxes. Feel free to read about it during your own time. In addition to the precession of the equinoxes over the course of the so-called Great Year (26,000 years) is the idea of different astrological ages or epochs. The Age of Pisces supposedly began with the births of Christ and the Buddha respectively, an era of profound spiritual wisdom but also associated with martyrdom or the martyr complex.

We have either already entered the Age of Aquarius or it’s coming in the next 200 or so years, and this era will be associated with humanitarianism, social justice, as well as technological innovation. The latter has a dark side as you may have already gleaned from numerous debates about the ethics of AI. This recent (October 2025) Forbes article about AI refers to it as the “Aquarius Economy.” ♒ Whether or not the so-called Age of Aquarius has already begun, or is even a legitimate phenomenon, we are certainly living in an Aquarian era with a very Aquarian zeitgeist, for better or for worse. 

PRO TIP: For a truly deep dive into this concept from a rigorous astrological perspective, check out the following episodes from Chris Brennan’s The Astrology Podcast. This earlier (March 2017) podcast episode on The Age of Aquarius is not available in video format, but many more recent ones are up on the podcast’s Youtube channel. Chris, one of the foremost experts on ancient/traditional Hellenistic astrology, is himself a double Aquarius: born with an Aquarius Rising Sign or Ascendant and an Aquarius Moon (see his birth chart!)

Chris doesn’t come to the conclusion that the generational planet (still considered a planet in astrological circles, not demoted), Pluto, entering the sign of Aquarius in March 2023 (before dipping back into Capricorn a few times and entering Aquarius for real in November 2024 where it will stay until March 2043!) marked the beginning of the Age of Aquarius. However, it is still a very dramatic shift in the global zeitgeist.  See below!

EPIC Pluto in Aquarius in History 4-hour Lecture (from Jan. 2024)

Pluto in Aquarius Predictions episode (from Nov. 2024)

Short Video about Pluto in Aquarius & Finding Alien Life (from Nov. 2024)

Short Video about Pluto in Aquarius & the Fear of Technology (from Jan. 2023)

Aquarian librarian shameless plug: Remember, my fabulous coworker, Mike, and I offer weekly one-on-one tech. support sessions (how very Aquarius of us!) on Tuesday afternoons: Techspresso Tuesdays. If you need some help, don’t hesitate to sign up for a fifteen minute slot!

Were you born during Aquarius season (January 19th – February 18th)? If not, do you have other prominent Aquarius placements, besides the Sun, in your chart? Take a look at your Moon, Ascendant/Rising Sign, and Ascendant Ruler (the planet ruling your rising sign). For instance, if you were born with Libra rising, ruled by Venus in Aquarius (NOT a hypothetical scenario…this is ME!), Aquarius is super prominent in your chart and your life. See if this archetype really speaks to you! 

Don’t know which planets rule which signs? Check out this chart (also captured below) which enumerates planetary rulerships, both ancient and modern:

Positive attributes:

• Freedom-Loving
• Humanitarian (Since I’ve already mentioned this…Let’s say: Genius or deeply attuned to their guardian daimon or “genius”)
• Revolutionary

Negative attributes (the shadow side of Aquarius…): an anti-social and self-isolating eccentric, lost in their own universe (visionary but taken to dangerous, perhaps even sociopathic, extremes!) Think the quintessential mad scientist, but not in a charming or endearing way.

• Extremist (marked by All or Nothing/Black and White thinking)
• Impersonal and/or Detached (in terms of emotions), or even Cold and Aloof
• Tactless (They tend to “tell it like it is” which can be an admirable trait, but can be considered offensive in certain situations)

For more keywords, see here.

6 Renowned Aquarius Writers (Fiction) 

• Judy Blume (born February 12, 1938)
• Richard Ford (born February 16, 1944)
• Toni Morrison (born February 18, 1931, died in 2019)
• Olga Tokarczuk (born January 29, 1962)
• Jules Verne (born February 8, 1828, died in 1905)
• Virginia Woolf (born January 25, 1882, died in 1941)

There are numerous other prominent Aquarius writers, including but not limited to the late-great Lewis Carroll (born January 27, 1832, died in 1898), renowned author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass: trippy, fantastical, ultra-Aquarian mindbenders of a tale.

Check out this annotated edition of these paired children’s novels (among other copies available at MML)

For more Aquarius writers, both fiction and nonfiction, check out this list.

6 Fiction Recommendations 

6 Renowned Aquarius Writers (Nonfiction & Poetry) 

• Elizabeth Bishop (born February 8, 1911, died in 1979)
• Langston Hughes (born February 1, 1901, died in 1967)
• Michael Pollan (born February 6, 1955)
• Art Spiegelman (born February 15, 1948)
• Gertrude Stein (born February 3, 1874, died in 1946)
• Eckhart Tolle (born February 16, 1948)

Fun Fact: Michael Pollan made an appearance back in the Taurus post in this astrology series from last April 2025. If you didn’t get around to reading his 2021 book, This is Your Mind on Plants last year during Taurus season, it would be a great fit for Aquarius season as well. Why? Because Pollan is a solar Taurus and also because the book is all about how plants and fungi alter human consciousness and can be profoundly healing and transformational. While Taurus and Aquarius are in a challenging relationship (in astro. lingo: a square – 90 degrees away from each other on the 360 degree zodiac circle), his book brings these two signs into a rich synergy.

For more Aquarius writers, both fiction and nonfiction, check out this list.

6 Non Fiction Recommendations

TITLE & AUTHOR	Call No./# of Minerva copies	Why is this an Aquarius read?
The Aviators: Eddie Rickenbacker, Jimmy Doolittle, Charles Lindbergh, and the Epic Age of Flight (2013)   Groom, Winston	10+ Minerva copies	Take to the skies (flight) with this collective biography of several groundbreaking aviators including Aquarius, Charles Lindbergh. See his birth chart here.  Not only was Lindbergh’s Sun in Aquarius, but the traditional ruler of his chart (of his Scorpio Ascendant) was Mars in Aquarius in his 4th house (home, family, roots – the 4th house is often seen as the invisible/underground roots of the chart). Unfortunately, in his case, his deeply rooted value system was rooted (pun intended) in antisemitism and sympathy for the Nazis and the Third Reich. Read more about this here. In fact, Philip Roth’s well-known 2004 novel, The Plot Against America, was inspired by Lindbergh’s isolationist “America first” values. Finally, since Aquarius is an air sign associated with futuristic innovation, the birth of aviation during the 20th century is a delightfully literal illustration of this Aquarian quality. ✈️ Looking for more books about groundbreaking aviators? Read this collective biography of lesser-known women aviators including but not limited to the late great Amelia Earhart, admittedly NOT an Aquarius. Regardless, it’s worth a read!
Everything is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection (2025) Green, John	616.995 GRE	Have you ever wanted to know about the deadly airborne pathogen that has killed massive swaths of the human population for centuries and has yet to be completely eradicated?  Are you curious about the disease depicted so frequently on the 19th-century operatic stage? (For instance, the operatic heroine, Violetta, of Verdi’s 1853 opera,  La Traviata, who dies tragically of tuberculosis (TB), known at the time as “consumption.” At least she goes out singing, which clearly strains credulity but is truly awe-inspiring. Opera isn’t meant to make sense…As an amateur opera singer and former opera scholar, just trust me on this! 🙂) In any case, airborne pathogens are an apt topic for Aquarius season, given that Aquarius is an air sign and it speaks to issues that concern the collective/humanity at large. I’d recommend books about the COVID-19 pandemic (and ongoing for folks suffering from long COVID), but that may be too triggering for folks, hence…tuberculosis instead! That said, if you are up  for a book about COVID, here’s one recommendation that pairs well with Green’s TB tome (say that 10 times fast!!!): immunologist and former Chief Medical Advisor (during Biden’s administration), Dr. Anthony Fauci’s, 2024 memoir, On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service. If you’re up for a COVID-themed book, this one also captures numerous Aquarian themes.
Everyday Utopia: What 2000 Years of Wild Experiments Can Teach Us About the Good Life (2023) Ghodsee, Kristen R., Ph.D.	335.02 GHO	Shifting away from very literal manifestations of airy Aquarius, let’s dive into a more cerebral expression thereof: visionary utopian societies. What’s a utopia, you may ask? It’s an imaginary vision of an idealized or even perfect society, a world with no problems: no violence, no systemic injustices, etc. The term itself was coined in the 1516 satirical book, Utopia, by Sir Thomas More, who played on two different Greek words: meaning both “good place” (eutopia) and “no place” (outopia). More was himself born under an Aquarius Sun, on February 7, 1478 (February 16th according to the modern Gregorian calendar). See his birth chart! In other words, “the grass is always greener on the other side” and you’ll never get there. Not to be a buzzkill. The popular 2016-2020 TV series, The Good Place, a hilarious satire about the afterlife, is a fantastic contemporary illustration of the concept of utopia, hence the title of the show. (Warning: there are SPOILERS in this article!) That long preamble aside, this thought-provoking book, written by a professor and self-proclaimed Socialist, chronicles the history of numerous American attempts at building such idealized communities, through the lens of both Socialism and the concept of utopia.  Socialism and its more extreme sibling movement, Communism, while far from perfect (I am not here to promote them) are both inherently Aquarian phenomena: centered on visions of community, social cohesion, and ideally egalitarianism. These movements exist in stark contrast to the dominant Western model of Capitalism which tends to privilege the individual and the corporation (Leo energies) above and beyond the collective (Aquarius energies). Important Disclaimer: Regardless of what your personal opinions about Socialism and/or Communism may be, which are valid – no one is trying to sway you one way or the other – this book could provide a fantastic window into this alternative worldview which very much exists on the margins in the U.S. and has been actively suppressed since the Cold War era. There isn’t a better time of year than Aquarius season to learn all about this highly contested hot topic.
Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities (2016) Solnit, Rebecca	303.4 SOL	This Aquarius season read ANYTHING by this activist and bestselling author of numerous feminist and books, most notably: Men Explain Things to Me (2014) on the #mansplaining phenomenon women and femme individuals of all ages often experience. Remember earlier how I said that “the grass is greener on the other side” but you’ll never get there? Whenever you’re feeling hopeless, trapped in a dystopian nightmare and struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel, Solnit wants you to know it’s not completely hopeless. She channels the energy of luminescent healing of The Star card which follows the (necessary) death, decay, and destruction of The Tower in the major arcana of the tarot.  Speaking of tarot, stay tuned for more info. about MML’s upcoming Tarot 101 program in mid-March!  Finally, if you’re a Solnit fan, her forthcoming, March 2026, title may be worth placing a hold/request on: The Beginning Comes After the End: Notes on a World of Change.
Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life (2018) Klinenberg, Eric, Ph.D.	307.76 KLI	For yet another Aquarius season read, dive into this book that addresses the vital importance of community, public spaces and resources for a functioning and healthy/vibrant society: libraries are a fantastic example of one of the few remaining Third Places available to folks from all walks of life.  For yet another take on this profoundly Aquarian theme: the deeply humanitarian need for community is the former Attorney General, Vivek Murthy MD’s,  COVID/pandemic era take on the crisis/epidemic of loneliness in the U.S. and the modern Western world more broadly. For more on this check out this 2020 book he wrote.
Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT, and the Race That Will Rule the World (2024) Olson, Parmy	006.3 OLS	As I mentioned above, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an ultra-Aquarian hot topic and an extremely controversial one at that. How do we develop this technology and utilize it in ethically sound ways without further degrading our already deeply wounded planet? This remains the question, and folks have a range of (often contradictory opinions) on AI. In this book, a Bloomberg columnist covering AI from the perspective of technology regulation, raises the concern of mega-billionaire CEOs adopting an almost religious approach to AI and striving to build god-like machines (which brings a frighteningly literal perspective to the early modern operatic concept of the Deus ex Machina or “God in the Machine” who arrives in the final scenes to save humanity from itself). Parmy is concerned that these profit-driven CEOs are committed to designing a technology that will pose countless threats to the human race. For an alternate perspective, a positive one, on AI (i.e.: ChatGPT), check out this book. Ethan Mollick, professor and scholar of AI, is a huge fan and touts its benefits: its potential role as brainstorming buddy, editor, tutor, and coach (albeit not therapist, NEVER therapist!)  Perhaps the answer lies somewhere in the middle. AI is not a panacea that will solve all of humanity’s problems in one grand swoop, nor is it the technological devil incarnate that will destroy human civilization and our planet alongside us.  If you are curious to learn more about AI and the wide range of opinions about it, Aquarius season is a great time to dive in headfirst. 🙂

Genre-Specific 

During Aquarius season which is all about community, consider joining a local (or even online/remote) book club! Read and discuss with likeminded folks or even folks with a radically different perspective on the world and approach it with an open mind. A healthy Aquarius is open-minded and intellectually curious with a tendency to think outside the box. An unhealthy Aquarius becomes too fixed in a rigid worldview and may become borderline militant about it.

During this time of year, consider reading books in the following genres or that speak to the following themes:

• Books about Humanitarian Concerns and Social Justice (this can include memoirs, journalistic accounts, historical accounts, and even fictional accounts, especially speculative fiction like scifi)

Much to our dismay, due to an unexpected water main line burst a couple days ago just across the street from the library we had to cancel our final Readers’ Circle gathering of the “Fall 2025 Semester.” We were eager to discuss this timely novel by Palestinian-British author Isabella Hammad, Enter Ghost, in which the protagonist ends up performing in a West Bank production of Hamlet. This acclaimed novel explores the ongoing crisis in the Middle East between Palestine and Israel through the lens of colonialism and the oppression faced daily by Palestinians. 

Of course, there are numerous conflicting angles on this ongoing crisis and here at MML we have books that cover all perspectives from those that are somewhat in the middle to those that are staunchly pro-Palestine and others that are staunchly pro-Israel/Zionist. 

In any case, this title was carefully selected to be our final book for the “Haunting Tales & Ghost Stories” RC theme and it was co-sponsored by the annual Camden Conference. This year’s theme is Today’s Middle East: Power, Politics, and Players. Stay tuned. It’s coming up fast in just about three weeks: February 20th-22nd.

• • Books about the Importance of Community and Friendship (Found Family tales that I promoted back in Cancer season would be apt reading choices this time of year as well) 🙂
  • Books about Technological Innovations (the pros and cons thereof: for instance, AI and recent developments like ChatGPT) & Fiction featuring AI (scifi especially)
  • Books about Historical Rebellions or Revolutions (think: The French and American Revolutionary Wars, the Civil Rights era in the U.S., etc.) *This captures the Uranian influence on Aquarius*
  • Memoirs of Marginalized Peoples (BIPOC, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent & disabled, etc.)  &  Fiction by and about Marginalized Peoples 
  • From a Fiction Standpoint Dive into SciFi and Speculative Fiction: Especially Technologically-induced Climate Dystopias as well as Space Operas 

• Books (Fiction and Memoirs/Biographies) about Eccentric Geniuses, Futuristic Innovators & Social Justice Warriors (whether or not they were born with prominent Aquarius placements)
• A few suggestions (of all genders and across a wide span of time, starred*** if born under an Aquarius Sun – just a couple of them in this list):

• Marie Curie
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg/RBG
• Leonardo Da Vinci
• Albert Einstein
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart*** 
• Nikola Tesla
• Alan Turing
• Ida B. Wells
• “Oprah” (Oprah Winfrey)*** & Oprah’s Book Club Recommendations
• Malala Yousafzai & Malala’s Book Recommendations

• An additional list: 15 Eccentric Geniuses Who Teetered on Madness

And, last but not least, what did Courtney, your “Aquarian Librarian”, read over the holidays that would be a perfect book for Aquarius season? Drumroll please…

This heartbreakingly poignant 2021 novel by acclaimed novelist, Richard Powers, captures numerous Aquarian themes: an autistic coded child (not explicitly described as autistic, but clearly neurodivergent), experimental science and connection with the dead (in a manner of speaking), the study of exoplanets/the quest for extraterrestrial life, ecological/environmental activism in the age of mass extinctions and other climate crisis-related catastrophes.

Trigger warnings: death, grief, mourning, loss…If you recently lost someone important to you, especially if they died, I would not recommend reading this book. It has been on my TBR list for a long time, but it took me over a decade since the passing of my mom to be ready for it. It was well worth the wait, but if you take anything from my personal experience, there’s NO rush! Be gentle and compassionate with yourself. This can be challenging for ultra-Aquarian folks who may feel things very intensely (are very sensitive), but tend to intellectualize their emotions. Heavy stuff!

THANK YOU!

Thanks so much to those of you who have stuck with me for the longhaul through this yearlong zodiac/astrology-based reading recommendation extravaganza. It was truly a labor of love for me as a nerdy librarian and VERY amateur astrologer. If you ever want more astro.-informed book recs., please don’t hesitate to email me at ckleftis@yarmouthlibrary.org.