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Gemini Season Book Recommendations (May 20th – June 20th): The (Quick) Thinker & The Trickster

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

Gemini, the cosmic twins, one human and one divine, of the zodiac is a sign associated with quick thinking, sardonic wit, and the questioning mind: Who am I? Why am I here? What shall I do with my life? Gemini folks tend to be highly intellectual, as the sign is ruled by the planet Mercury, associated with the mind and communication. However, they tend to be generalists rather than specialists. We need a bit of both in the world, don’t you think? 

This sign is an air sign, which like Mercury connects it to mental and intellectual pursuits. “I think, therefore I am”, the old aphorism attributed to the Enlightenment-era French philosopher, Descartes, perfectly encapsulates the nature of Gemini. The fact that this sign, like Pisces, is mutable contributes to the jack of all trades quality of Geminis, who move from one idea to the next like pollinators moving between flowers (an apt metaphor for late spring into early summer…a.k.a. Gemini season). In a more positive light, these folks can be thought of as polymaths and/or Renaissance men/women/people (to be gender inclusive but acknowledging that historically, due to the reality of our extremely patriarchal past in the Western world, these folks were almost always white men).

Like all signs, Gemini has a dual nature and a bit of a dark side. (This is somewhat heightened in this sign as it is ruled by Mercury which is a planet that embodies the binary/opposites, sometimes blending or queering them but at times reinforcing the rigid boundaries). So, the shadow expression of Gemini often involves lying and deceit, playing both sides of the fence, especially in politics. Unlike the opposite sign, Sagittarius, which is sometimes overly dogmatic about its beliefs and ideals, Gemini can be a bit of an opportunist, superficial, and not truly committed to a philosophy or value system. 

In an ideal world, these opposing energies balance each other out. It doesn’t always reach this extreme. Sometimes Gemini is just a Trickster which isn’t inherently negative. Think the court joker or the fool…the only medieval courtier permitted to make jokes at the king’s expense and live to tell the tale (at least most of the time). Sometimes Gemini’s Trickster energy is necessary to shatter our illusions and bring about change for the better or a shift in cultural paradigms. (For more on paradigm shifts, culturally and intellectually, especially how they shape scientific revolutions — (via the Kuhn cycle) — check out the work of the late American historian and philosopher, Thomas Kuhn. He was born in mid July, Cancer season, but passed away in mid June. So while not a Gemini by birth, he became a Gemini, in a manner of speaking, in death!)

There’s even a scholar, a parapsychologist, who studied paranormal and PSI phenomena who claims that all of this bizarre stuff that we humans can’t seem to make sense of (whether or not it’s even real) is inherently tricksterish (see his book, The Trickster as the Paranormal). Note that this book is fairly obscure and it’s a bit dated (©2001), as such it’s not available in any Maine library. It could, however, be requested from out of state! In any case, it’s as if the cosmos has a sense of humor and tries to wake up humanity by flipping our universe upside down until the outdated model of the world we’ve constructed collapses. This is the value of Gemini as Trickster. It ensures we don’t get too rigid and stuck in our ways and that humanity evolves! 

Were you born during Gemini season (May 20th – June 20th)? If not, do you have other prominent Taurus 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 Virgo rising, this sign falls under Mercury’s domain. Perhaps Mercury in your birth chart is in its home sign of Gemini. 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:

  • Curious
  • Intelligent
  • Witty

Negative attributes (the shadow side of Gemini…deceitful, manipulative, and opportunistic…also a tendency to gossip!):

  • Duplicitous 
  • Restless
  • Superficial

For more keywords, see here.

6 Renowned Gemini Writers (Fiction) 

As expected, since Gemini is a sign of the creative mind, there are MANY Gemini writers out there. It was tricky to merely select six of each (fiction and nonfiction). Check out the following two lists for more: Celebrating Gemini Writers & Famous Gemini Writers.

6 Fiction Recommendations

TITLE AUTHOR Call No./# of Minerva copies Why is this a Gemini read?
Anxious People (2020)

 Backman, Fredrik (translated by Neil Smith)

(Another Gemini author! – Backman was born on June 2, 1981)

 BAC A darkly humorous book about a Swedish apartment complex full of a range of people held hostage by a bank robber. Note also that the deity associated with Mercury – Hermes/Mercury – from the Greco-Roman pantheon(s) was a thief as a very small child god. He stole his half-brother, Apollo‘s (solar god of music), lyre. The audacity! Another Gemini theme of this book by a Gemini author.

It is incisive and witty, perfect for Gemini season. (One of the downsides of Gemini’s quick mental energy is the tendency to struggle with anxiety). This book, by a Gemini, captures this very real mental health challenge through the lens of fiction.
Either/Or (2022)

 Batuman, Elif

(another Gemini writer, born June 7, 1977!)

 BAT The title alone is very Gemini (all about navigating binary thinking/dualities). 🙂

This is a literary coming-of-age story about a Turkish-American student navigating her sophomore year at Harvard. 

What’s more Gemini than being on a quest for self-knowledge (even if this derails into excess drinking and partying?)
Luka and the Fire of Life (2010)

 Rushdie, Salman

(Yet another Gemini author, born June 19, 1947)

 RUS A fantastic literary fantasy tale (an adult book that’s perfect for teens or younger adults) full of witty wordplay as well as allegories and parables, by a world-renowned Gemini writer.

It’s a short book and a relatively quick read, but it will definitely get you thinking!
Ms. Demeanor (2023)

 Lipman, Elinor LIP A witty and humorous tale about a young lawyer placed on house arrest (because her neighbor saw her having public sex on their apartment rooftop), and her relationship with her twin sister.

Scandal, gossip, and twins, oh my! What’s more Gemini than that?
Table for Two: Fictions (2024)

 

 Towles, Amor TWO A compilation of short stories, and a novella, all set around the turn of the millennium (2000), full of Gemini’s iconic wit and sharp intellect – a recurring theme on this list.

This is perfect for Gemini due to the writing style (described above). The fact that it’s short stories is also ideal as Gemini readers tend to have a short attention span. (No judgment at all…So do I, even though I am not a Gemini). 🙂
Where You End (2024)

 Kahler, Abbott KAH A psychological thriller about a young woman’s twin sister helping her recover her memory after awakening from a coma. She comes to learn that she’s been living a lie. Yikes! (Read on to find out more about this darkly disturbing tale about deception and doubles – well…twins).

 

6 Renowned Gemini Writers (Nonfiction & Poetry) 

As expected, since Gemini is a sign of the creative mind, there are MANY Gemini writers out there. It was tricky to merely select six of each (fiction and nonfiction). Check out the following two lists for more: Celebrating Gemini Writers & Famous Gemini Writers.

6 Nonfiction Recommendations (including Poetry)

 

TITLE AUTHOR Call No./# of Minerva copies Why is this a Gemini read?
Agent Josephine: American Beauty, French Hero, British Spy (2022)

 Lewis, Damien

NOTE: While her biographer is not a Gemini, Josephine Baker was (born on June 3, 1906 and died in 1975)

 92 BAK A fascinating recent biography of a woman who wore many hats during her life (a very Gemini trait). 

Josephine Baker (1906-1975) was a renowned BIPOC vaudeville actress and singer who was banned from the French stage by the Nazis and became a resistance spy during WWII. What an intriguing woman!

Not only was she born during Gemini season, but she has what astrologers refer to as a stellium in Gemini (3 or more planets in Gemini!) Here’s Baker’s birth chart. In sum:

 
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art (2020)

 Nestor, James 613.192 NES Since Gemini is an air sign and air represents the mind and intellectual pursuits, what a perfect book for this season. 🙂 

This book is literally about the air we breathe and how we breathe – and not just in mindful meditation practices. It’s almost too good to be true.

For another book by Nestor that also addresses breathing (or rather, holding one’s breath for an almost impossibly long time), check out his older book (from 2014) all about the world of competitive freediving, an extreme (and therefore potentially dangerous) sport.
Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World (2023)

 Klein, Naomi 25+ Minerva copies A thought-provoking memoir by a Canadian author and activist who writes about ecofeminism and is well known for her critiques of late-stage capitalism, globalization, and fascism. 

In this book she discusses the experience of being mistaken for a different Naomi, Naomi Wolf, who holds opposing political viewpoints and has been criticized for promoting conspiracy theories. This case of mistaken identity led to a lot of angst and consternation, as I am sure you can imagine.

Doubles/doppelgangers are a very Gemini theme and this memoir dives right into it!
My Friend Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress (2019)

 Williams, Rachel DeLoache

NOTE: While not a Gemini, the author does self-identify as a “multi-disciplinary creative” (a very Gemini trait). 🙂

 5 Minerva copies This book is a photo editor at Vanity Fair’s biography of Anna Sorokin (born 1991), a woman posing as a German heiress. This is an example of true crime and captures the dark side of Gemini: manipulation, deception, etc.
Quietly Hostile: Essays (2023)

 Irby, Samantha STUDY 814.6 IRB A delightfully humorous essay collection by a popular BIPOC comedian.

Geminis love a good laugh, especially sardonic humor infused with witty wordplay. 🙂

Also, remember how Gemini folks tend to have shorter attention spans? A collection of essays would be perfect for this type of reader. 
Sure I’ll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere (2023)

 Bamford, Maria 92 BAM A darkly humorous memoir by a comedian all about navigating mental health crises, addiction, etc.

She also discusses the very real dangers that cults pose to vulnerable people on a quest for meaning in life. (The latter theme is associated with Sagittarius, the sign opposite Gemini on the zodiac wheel).

This is a VERY Gemini read. While the author is not herself a Gemini, I wouldn’t be surprised if she had prominent Gemini placements in her birth chart (perhaps her Moon, Mercury or Rising Sign)…

 

Genre-Specific

For Gemini, the social butterflies of the zodiac (alongside Libra), and intellectual magpies, it’s tricky to narrow it down to a handful of reading genres. Geminis love to read widely and keep themselves informed on a wide range of topics. That said, see below a few Gemini-specific suggestions for genres that may be of special interest to the Gemini folks out there:

Once again, Gemini folks tend to be insatiably curious and are often generalists in a number of fields. So, introductory books on almost ANY topic would likely appeal to them as well as books of trivia/random facts. 🙂

 

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