Keywords & Aries in a Nutshell (including a bit of technical stuff)
Aries, the baby of the zodiac, emerges from the oceanic womb of Pisces without a backward glance. Fiery, aggressive, impulsive, bold, courageous, brash…These are just a few of the qualities, both positive and negative, of the zodiac’s warrior. Like Sagittarius, a fellow fire sign, Aries folks tend to be adventurous, although the Sagittarian approach tends to have a more philosophical bent. When I think of the Aries adventurous streak I picture the American Wild West vs. the Sagittarian adventurer as the nomadic expat living overseas or traveling around the world, experiencing different cultures and ways of being.
In both traditional and modern psychological astrology, Aries is a fire sign (inspired and passionate), a cardinal sign (associated with beginnings), and it is ruled by Mars (or Ares), the Greco-Roman god of war. Remember, not all warriors are male or masculine-identifying. Many are queer and many are women…Think of the lore about the Amazons, fierce women warriors who rejected the brutal patriarchy of ancient Greek society. (In honor of the Amazons, I’ve chosen to capture the essence of the Aries archetype with two contemporary pop culture references, Xena, Warrior Princess and Wonder Woman).
Fun fact: The actress who played Xena, Lucy Lawless, is herself a triple Aries meaning she was born with an Aries Sun, an Aries Moon, and Aries rising. Talk about a triple threat! I am generally not a fan of type casting, but in this case it’s almost too perfect to be true.
While quick or hot-tempered, Aries doesn’t get into fights over nothing. At its best, the Aries archetype is embodied by the impassioned social justice warrior. That said, Aries folks can be dangerously reckless and impulsive. They may shoot first and think later. When it comes to warfare, the Aries type will be found on the battlefield. They usually aren’t long-term strategists and while they may win the battle, they also may lose the war. Let this be a cautionary tale. 🙂
Were you born during Aries season (March 20th – April 19th)?
If not, do you have other prominent Aries 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 Scorpio rising, this sign falls under Mars’ domain. Perhaps Mars in your birth chart is in Aries. See if this archetype really speaks to you! I was born early in the Aries season towards the end of March, so I have an Aries sun. In my case, this Aries energy is tempered/softened by my rising sign in Libra, and I am also a tad quirky/eccentric with an unwavering commitment to social justice due to my Aquarius moon. (Stay tuned later in the year to learn more about Libra and Aquarius, and this confession from your friendly librarian may make more sense!) 🙂
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:
- Confident
- Daring
- Independent
Negative attributes (the shadow side of Aries…self-centered, egotistical, in need of anger management):
- Foolhardy
- Impatient
- Selfish
For more keywords, see here.
6 Renowned Aries Writers (Fiction)
- Leigh Bardugo (born April 6, 1957)
- Leonora Carrington (born April 6, 1917, died in 2011)
- Elena Ferrante (born April 5, 1943)
- Anthony Horowitz (born April 5, 1955)
- Barbara Kingsolver (born April 8, 1955)
- Brad Meltzer (born April 1, 1970)
For more Aries writers, both fiction and nonfiction, check out this list.
6 Fiction Recommendations
| TITLE | AUTHOR | Call No./# of Minerva copies | Why is this an Aries read? |
| The Escape Artist (Bk. 1) (2018)
|
Meltzer, Brad
(an Aries author, born on April 1, 1970) |
MEL | A fast-paced detective thriller novel involving the U.S. army, government conspiracies, and a missing woman. This book captures many Aries themes:
|
| The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Bk. 1) (2008)
|
Larsson, Stieg (in translation) | LAR | A bleak, disturbing and gritty novel involving a journalist and a hacker teaming up to solve a missing person case. Perfect for Aries season for its depiction of an assertive, warrior-like female protagonist, Lisbeth Salander. She is fiercely independent, tough, and a loner (a very Aries-type of person). |
| The Martian (2014)
|
Weir, Andy | WEI | This novel is perfect for Aries season because it’s an adventure story…All about survival when the odds are stacked against you.
The main character is trapped alone on Mars with no means of communicating with anyone on earth, but he will NOT give up! |
| The President is Missing (2018)
|
Clinton, Bill & James Patterson
(the latter another Aries writer, born on March 22, 1947) |
CLI | This thriller is perfect for Aries season because it’s about a leader (the U.S. president) – an Aries archetype if there ever was one. Well, Leo would also be a good fit. Speaking of Leos, Bill Clinton is a Leo. The Sun in astrology is very well placed in Aries and Leo, both of which are associated with strong and powerful leaders. James Patterson also co-wrote it (or was Bill Clinton’s ghostwriter) and he himself is an Aries! |
| The Song of Achilles (2012)
|
Miller, Madeline | MIL | A fantastic author’s queer mythology retelling that is perfect for Aries season. All about the Trojan war (another Aries theme, shared with many books on this list). 🙂
This was Miller’s debut novel (which launched her career) – another Aries quality, and it captures a well-known story from a radically unique, new and different, perspective (another Aries quality). |
| When Women Were Dragons (2022)
|
Barnhill, Kelly Regan | BAR | A fantastical coming-of-age story set in an alternate version of the 1950s in which mothers and housewives spontaneously sprout wings and become fierce dragons. It can’t really get more Aries than that, now, can it? 🙂
Pair it with a popular Disney-Pixar film, Turning Red. It’s not the same story, but it’s similar and perfect for Aries season.
|
6 Renowned Aries Writers (Nonfiction & Poetry)
- Maya Angelou (born April 4, 1928, died in 2014)
- Joseph Campbell (born March 26, 1904, died in 1987)
- Robert Frost (born March 26, 1874, died in 1963)
- Jane Goodall (born April 3, 1934)
- Jon Krakauer (born April 12, 1954)
- Tennessee Williams (born March 26, 1911, died in 1983)
For more Aries writers, both fiction and nonfiction, check out this list.
6 Nonfiction Recommendations (including Poetry)
| TITLE | AUTHOR | Call No./# of Minerva copies | Why is this an Aries read? |
| David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants (2013)
|
Gladwell, Malcolm | 155.24 GLA | An intriguing read by New Yorker staff writer, Malcolm Gladwell, unpacking the timeless struggle between those with power and those without. A timely meditation on these issues… It is perfect for Aries season!
Gladwell explores how marginalized folks or the “underdogs” develop strategies to succeed with all the odds stacked against them. |
| Into the Wild (2007)
|
Krakeur, Jon
(another Aries writer, born on April 12, 1954) |
92 KRA | An Aries writer’s biography of Christopher Johnson McCandless (himself an Aquarius). A true adventure story set in Alaska. For that matter, this would be a good read for Aquarius season, too, as Aquarians tend to live off the beaten path and think outside the box. In other words, they are usually rather unconventional.
McCandless doesn’t live to tell the tale of his impulsive decision (a very Aries move) to sell all his belongings and hitchhike to the Alaskan wilderness. |
| Leonardo da Vinci (2017)
|
Isaacson, Walter
(while the author isn’t an Aries, his subject, Leonardo da Vinci, was: born on April 15, 1452, died in 1519) |
30 + Minerva copies | A biography of genius and iconic Renaissance man, Leonardo da Vinci, who just happens to have been an Aries. 🙂
Dive into the legendary mind of Da Vinci through his biographer’s account of his notebooks. Note: While we don’t have a print copy, we do have it on audiobook (CD). |
| Me (2019)
|
John, Elton
(another Aries writer, one with whom I share a birthday, born on March 25, 1947) |
30 + Minerva copies | Talk about an Aries…Read this book to learn more about the life of bold, daring, and charismatic rock musician, Elton John. The title alone screams Aries…: “Me!” Aries, like fellow fire sign Leo, is all about shining a spotlight on the individual. 🙂
Note: While we don’t have the print copy of this book, we do have it on CD (as an audiobook). We also have his more recent book, more of a coffee table book than an autobiography.
|
| My Life on the Road (2015)
|
Steinem, Gloria
(yet another Aries writer…and another one who shares my birthday, born on March 25, 1934) |
92 STE | Check out this book for Aries superstar, feminist activist Gloria Steinem who popularized the women’s rights movement in the 60’s and 70’s and is known for having launched Ms. magazine in 1971.
This biography captures the essence of Aries as the social justice warrior and trailblazing figurehead of an activist movement. |
| Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail (2012)
|
Strayed, Cheryl | 92 STR | This memoir bridges the gap between Pisces and Aries, exploring grief and loss through the lens of one woman’s impulsive decision to hike the entire Pacific Crest Trail (over 2.5k miles) in the wake of her mother’s death.
Note: If you’ve already read this, check out her collection of inspirational quotes, Brave Enough (2016).
|
Genre-Specific
If none of the books recommended above appeal to you, or you want to pick your own but need some suggestions of genres to explore, consider the following: adventure & survival stories, books about leadership (mavericks and trailblazers, especially trailblazing women), books about warfare and/or assassins. Of course, books like this one by acclaimed Stanford University classicist, Dr. Adrienne Mayor, about the real-life civilization that inspired the Amazon myth would fit into the subcategory of warrior women. Unfortunately no library in the state of Maine owns a copy, so you’d either have to buy it or request a copy from out of state.
There’s a lot of ground to cover in Aries season. It’s not as contemplative and inward-looking as Pisces season, but much more extroverted which informs the appropriate genres. Anything fast-paced would be good for Aries season, especially visceral and intense suspense/thriller novels. Perhaps this is the reason that at least two of the big name thriller writers, James Patterson (born March 22, 1947) and the late Tom Clancy (born April 12, 1947, died in 2013), are Aries! 🙂
