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Libra Season Book Recommendations (September 22nd – October 22nd): The Artist & The Diplomat

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

Like fellow air sign Gemini, Libras tend to be social butterflies, but unlike Geminis, Libras usually aren’t into gossip but rather are dedicated to keeping the peace. They are at their best mediators of conflict, either on the large (i.e.: societal) or small (i.e.: familial) scale. At their worst, they are people pleasers who become bitter over time due to their inability to voice their own opinions and self advocate. (Ever heard of fawning?)

All that to say, Libras are all about balance, which can lead to the preservation of the status quo…so not ideal! However, when paired with Aquarius, the third and final air sign, Libras can shift from a focus on equality to a focus on equity and the pursuit of social justice. Either way, Libra is depicted as the scales of cosmic justice which harkens back to Ma’at’s feather (a primordial Egyptian goddess associated with justice and a sort of western version of karma). Shifting away from the realm of religion and mythology to everyday life, Libra folks would make excellent lawyers and/or judges. This is because they are fantastic at seeing both sides of controversial issues and remaining as impartial as is humanly possible. (Of course, no one is 100% impartial, unbiased, or objective). 

Libra is ruled by Venus, much like Taurus, so folks born under this sign tend to be very artistically inclined. The difference between the Libran and Taurean aesthetic is that the former tends to be much more cerebral and airy. Libras may be musicians, especially singers or musicians who play wind instruments. (Note my bias here. I am a classically trained opera singer and I am Libra rising, so naturally, this association with Libra makes a lot of sense to me). 🙂

Another planet that feels very comfortable in the domain of Libra is Saturn, the planet of boundaries and limits. If you were born with this placement, Saturn in this sign helps ground Libra and bring its airy head out of the clouds and back down to earth. So, while Saturn doesn’t rule Libra, it is happy in that stretch of the zodiac.

Finally, Libra is a cardinal sign opposite Aries: another sign that is all about initiation, about starting new things, and about innovating. One could argue that Aries is all about the self, the ego, or the individual. Libra is about the other, about navigating relationships, especially one-on-one relationships, romantic or otherwise. Libra folks would benefit from calling on more Aries energy. Aries can help Libra folks ensure that they have a healthy ego and do not overly identify with the other in order to keep the peace and ensure harmonious relationships. Achieving a healthy balance between tending the needs of the self and others is very tricky for folks with heavy Libra placements. This is something I personally have been grappling with my entire life and it makes sense as the Libra-Aries polarity is very prominent in my own birth chart: I was born with Libra rising and an Aries sun. Myself, and other Libras, are constantly striving to achieve that middle way (to invoke a Buddhist concept) or that healthy middle ground, a very Libran pursuit: balancing the cosmic scales. 

Were you born during Libra season (September 22nd – October  22nd)? If not, do you have other prominent Libra 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 (like me!), this sign falls under Venus’ domain. Perhaps Venus in your birth chart is in its other home sign of Taurus (unlike me). This entirely hypothetical scenario would be a VERY interesting placement, putting the chart ruler in the 8th house (associated with death, sex, and various dark and taboo topics – not to mention the rather mundane…taxes). This person could be an artist, the embodiment of Venus, but their art would likely have a rather macabre tone. See what I did there? 🙂 In any case, 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:

  • Considerate
  • Diplomatic
  • Sociable

Relatedly, Libras can be incredibly charming. Libras can be some of some of the most charismatic folks out there, for better or for worse. 🙂

Negative attributes (the shadow side of Libra…):

  • Frivolous (this relates to the shadow side of Gemini as well…frivolous and/or superficial)
  • Indecisive 
  • Insincere (if people pleasing is taken too far by Libras, they can come across as insincere, perhaps because they aren’t always genuine in expressing their own opinions) 

For more keywords, see here.

6 Renowned Libra Writers (Fiction) 

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

FUN FACT: If you wish to read some books in Spanish by a Libra author, check out the writing of Carlos Ruiz Zafón (born September 25, 1964, died in 2020). We have many of his books in English translation and are working on filling in the gaps in the original Spanish for our ever-expanding Foreign Language Fiction collection. Another Spanish-speaking writer born with her sun sign in Libra is Laura Esquivel (born September 30, 1950), most well known for her novel, Like Water for Chocolate, which we own in both the original Spanish and in English translation.

Finally, one of my personal favorite writers since I was a young teen devouring the His Dark Materials trilogy (now available as a TV series), dive into the writing of Philip Pullman (born October 19, 1946). These books get into some pretty intense stuff, so YA (Young Adult) books very much can be for adults too. 🙂

6 Fiction Recommendations

TITLE Why is this a Libra read?
By Any Other Name (2024)

Picoult, Jodi

Dive into this bestselling author’s latest masterpiece in which she explores the timeless question of who wrote Shakespeare’s plays. (Like folks before her, Picoult suggests the plays may have been written by a woman…namely Emilia Bassano!)

Finally, for a more scholarly take on this perennial question, check out this recent book (© 2023) by journalist, Elizabeth Winkler:
Dune (Bk. 1) (2010, © 1965)

Herbert, Frank

(another Libra writer, born on October 8, 1920, died in 1986)

Check out this classic science fiction series by the late author, Frank Herbert, who was a Libra!

If you really get bit by the Dune bug you may enjoy the recent film (© 2022) starring Timothée Chamalet.
Let’s Call Her Barbie (2025)

Rosen, Renée

What’s more Venusian, and therefore Libran, than Barbie? Whatever you may think about this American icon, it was born as an attempt to stop infantilizing women by moving away from baby dolls to adult women who can do anything/be anything they want! 

This historical novel about the creator of the Barbie phenomenon, Ruth Handler (not a Libra, but born with Venus in its home sign of Libra), would pair well with the recent (2023) film, Barbie! The movie is the brainchild of Greta Gerwig and stars Margot Robbie as the main Barbie protagonist. 🙂 
The Shadow of the Wind (Bk. 1) (2004)

Zafón, Carlos Ruiz (in translation)

(another Libra writer, born on September 25, 1964, died in 2020)

While we do NOT own this title in English translation we do have later books in the trilogy. What we do have is this first book by Libra author and Spaniard, Zafón, in the original Spanish as part of our New Mainer Fiction Collection in Global Languages:

This book and the subsequent titles in the series demonstrate that Libras aren’t just about love and light. This novel is deeply suspenseful, intricately plotted, and very meta (a book about antiquarian books). The darker elements of the story, and the many secrets uncovered throughout the labyrinthine tale, make it ideal for late Libra season as we move towards the haunting more ghostly Scorpio season. 
Still Lives (2018)

Hummel, Maria, M.F.A.

Dive into the avant-garde art scene in L.A. (Los Angeles, not to be confused with Maine’s L.A. – Lewiston./Auburn). 🙂

This feminist thriller by a professor of creative writing in Vermont (with a background in art journalism) involves an avant-garde painting exhibition of the artist depicting herself in self portraits as a series of murdered women. The night of the opening exhibition a prominent figure in the museum disappears!

This gritty novel is perfect for Libra season, especially during the latter half as it approaches Scorpio given the dark and disturbing elements of this artistic tale.
While Justice Sleeps (Bk. 1) (2021)

Abrams, Stacey

During Libra season dive into the recent ongoing political thriller series by renowned Georgia writer, lawyer, and politician, as well as voting rights activist, Stacey Abrams. She is especially notable as the first BIPOC gubernatorial nominee for a major party in the U.S.

In this suspenseful book a Supreme Court justice falls into a coma and an ambitious legal clerk gets ensnared in a turbulent life or death situation. This series clearly draws upon ALL areas of Stacey Abrams’ expertise and lived experience fighting for justice.

If you love book 1, dig into book 2 which is also available here at MML:

6 Renowned Libra Writers (Nonfiction & Poetry) 

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

For one more Libra poet, known for his writing for children, especially The Giving Tree, check out the life and work of Shel Silverstein (born September 25, 1930, died in 1999).

6 Nonfiction Recommendations (including Poetry)

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness (2024)

Haidt, Jonathan (Ph.D)

This extremely popular recent book explores the influence of social media on America’s youth, namely its negative impact on kids’ mental health. 

While written by a Libra, a social psychologist which I would argue is a very Libran profession, it digs into a phenomenon more closely associated with fellow air sign, Gemini: anxiety. (That said, not all Geminis suffer from anxiety and many folks who do lack prominent Gemini energies in their birth charts. So, there are no hard and fast rules here…merely an observation that Gemini’s quick wit can be a bit of a double-edged sword). 

If you are curious to learn more about this issue, dive into it from the perspective of a neuroscience-informed psychologist of addiction, Dr. Nicholas Kardaras in his 2022 book:
The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession (2023)

Finkel, Michael

Are you intrigued by true crime stories? Dive into this thrilling account of the life of the notorious French art thief, Stéphane Breitwieser (a Libra – born on October 1, 1971).

Not only was he born with his Sun in Libra, but he has a Libra stellium: the Sun, Mercury, Venus, and Uranus all in Libra in the 6th house. His chart is ruled by Venus in Libra as he was born with Taurus rising. The 6th house is generally not considered a happy place but rather is traditionally associated with the malefic planet Mars, known as the “place of bad fortune”, and associated with disease and backbreaking labor. 

As a VERY amateur astrologer/astrology enthusiast, here is my quick attempt at an interpretation of his chart: It seems like our art thief may have had to work really hard to go about his “work”… He was probably very disciplined and driven in his approach, as well as a smooth talker (remember, Libras are known for their charm).

No wonder he was so successful at it! (He mastered the art of theft alongside his girlfriend, which indicates that for him it was Venusian in two senses: in the sense of it being art masterpieces that he was stealing and that his romantic relationship was all tangled up in his thievery).

For a movie pairing about an entirely fictional art thief, enjoy the 1999 film The Thomas Crown Affair, starring Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo:
Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years (2019)

Andrews, Julie

During Libra season enjoy reading the memoir of the inimitable singer and actress, herself a Libra, Dame Julie Andrews. 

Consider pairing Dame Andrews’ memoir with this recent fictionalized retelling (by Michelle Moran) of one of her greatest roles, Maria von Trapp of the timeless American musical, The Sound of Music:

It’s worth noting that Maria von Trapp, while born in January with her Sun in Aquarius, had her Moon in Libra. Also, if her birth time is accurate (see her natal chart) she was also born as a Libra rising (like me, your nerdy librarian). 🙂

Regardless, she was a very Venusian and Libran figure. How perfect for Julie Andrews to portray her on the silver screen.
The Lies that Bind: Rethinking Identity, Creed, Country, Color, Class, Culture (2018)

Appiah, Anthony

Have you ever wanted to unpack the question of group identity and how we (re)define our individual selves in relation to social groups and the collective? 

This is a very Libran, and by extension, Aquarian, quest. Libras are all about balancing their own egoic needs with those of intimate others and Aquarius extends this to humanity at large.

For another take on identity, especially marginalized identities, and how they intersect and inform one another, dig into the work of renowned Civil Rights advocate and scholar, Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw. She coined the term intersectionality (a current buzzword in higher ed.) in 1989.

For a recent exploration of this concept, check out this book (© 2022) by Leah Thomas which explores intersectionality through the lens of environmentalism (combining both Venus-ruled signs’ interests: Libra and Taurus):
The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center (2024)

Cohen, Rhaina

Are you trying to rekindle old friendships or make new ones and avoid falling into the trap of codependent partnerships/marriages (or just straight up loneliness)? (As the physician and former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, M.D. claims, we in the modern western world are suffering from a loneliness epidemic). To learn more about that, read his book (© 2020):

 Cohen’s book is simply PERFECT for Libra season as it is all about the importance of cultivating close friendships and relationships outside of one’s “significant other.” The author (and journalist), Rhaina Cohen, claims that platonic friendships can be just as intimate and profound as romantic relationships…don’t neglect them.

For a fantastic recent film that is all about one such friendship (and is simply hilarious) enjoy the 2019 movie, Booksmart co-starring Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein and directed by Olivia Wilde:
Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up (2016)

Kondo, Marie

Forget about Spring cleaning…How about Fall cleaning? 🙂

This book, by yet another Libra author, is perfect for the transition from Virgo (all about organization) to Libra (all about harmonious order/balance) season. 

Kondo’s aesthetic tends to be minimalist and sparse. She encourages folks to hold onto only objects that “spark joy” as indicated by the title of her book. One way things can spark joy is if they are aesthetically pleasing and create a harmonious environment in the home. How very Libra of her!

Genre-Specific

*** Three topics that are also very much in alignment with Aquarian values. They may be worth revisiting during Aquarius season (January 20th – February 18th).

Historically I haven’t been much of a romance reader, with a handful of exceptions, but while shelving here at the library I recently stumbled across this 2022 novel by Dark Academia favorite, Olivie Blake (herself an Aquarius, born January 31, 1988):

It’s a fantastic read for Libra season (and/or Aquarius season). It’s an unconventional romance between two delightfully unconventional and neurodivergent characters. One, Aldo, is coded as autistic – he’s obsessed with hexagons and bees…yes, read on if you’re curious. The other, Charlotte (who goes by Regan), is bipolar, like the author herself. What I loved so much about it, aside from the rather unusual narrative style, was how the characters were embraced as whole and healthy rather than pathologized for their neurodivergence. At one point Aldo tells Regan that he loves her and sees “nothing (about her) to fix.” Please note, I am paraphrasing as I do not have the book right in front of me. ♥️

Alone With You in the Ether is also perfect for Libra season because the woman, Regan, is an artist as well as a docent at an art museum in Chicago. Her love interest, Aldo, is a mathematician and doctoral candidate at U. Chicago who is dedicated to exploring “impossible problems” like time travel and the multiverse (the latter being more Aquarian than Libran themes).

I confess I loved it so much that after having first read it in print, I listened to the audiobook (with an extensive cast) during my longish commute. In my defense, it’s rather dense at times and fairly cerebral. Perfect for an air sign like Libra (like me…My rising sign is in late Libra bordering on Scorpio…)

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