Books
The New Nonfiction Book To Read Next, Based On Your Zodiac Sign
It can be hard to know where to start with modern nonfiction. Are you in the mood for a humorous memoir that'll make you feel just a little less alone? A inspiring collection of political essays that'll light a fire in your belly? Just a really excellent instructional read on DIY hats? There's a lot out there. Picking just one new nonfiction book is a difficult choice. But lucky for you, the ineffable stars have already decided which memoir, essay, or history book you absolutely have to read next, so here's the nonfiction book to read next, based on your Zodiac sign. A note that in this case, "new" means "released within the last year."
And yes—I understand that for some people, pairing the word "nonfiction" with the words "Zodiac sign" may seem a little counter-productive. Astrology is not exactly a "nonfictional" science. But astrology is also extremely fun, and all of these books are worth a read, whether you believe that the heavens hold the key to your fate or not. (Also, pretty much everyone I've ever met who thinks that astrology is silly has been a Capricorn, so go figure.)
Check out these books that are just perfect for hot-headed Aries, tender-hearted Cancers, fun-loving Sagittarians, deep-thinking Aquarians, and just about everyone in between:
1Aries: 'Age of Anger: A History of the Present' by Pankaj Mishra
As an Aries, you're quite familiar with anger. You don't blow up over little things, but when your values are threatened (like, say, freedom and democracy and justice), you want to get angry and then take action. Age of Anger is a fascinating look at how anger has shaped our current state of political meltdown, and how misdirected feelings of rage and paranoia have ushered us into the infuriating age of Brexit and Trump.
2Taurus: 'You Don't Have to Say You Love Me: A Memoir' by Sherman Alexie
Taurus has a reputation for being the steady, maternal sign of the Zodiac. But that doesn't mean that Taurus can't have a complicated relationship to motherhood. Sherman Alexie's You Don't Have to Say You Love Me explores the author's tumultuous relationship to his own mother through poems, essays, family photos, and a heart-wrenching mixture of humor, anger, and love.
3Gemini: 'Priestdaddy: A Memoir' by Patricia Lockwood
Geminis are all about whip-smart writing, humor, and duality. Priestdaddy is all about the time that Patricia Lockwood had to move back home with her gun-loving, semi-naked, married Catholic priest of a father. He's full of contradictions, something any Gemini would surely understand (even if they've never been approved for priesthood). Lockwood expertly navigates the horrific and the hilarious as she comes to terms with an unusual childhood spent in the Catholic Church.
4Cancer: 'Hunger' by Roxane Gay
Cancers have feelings. I mean, yes, every sign of the Zodiac has feelings, but Cancers have feelings, hidden away beneath their tough, crab-shell exteriors. Hunger is a beautiful, devastating memoir of Roxane Gay's hunger, of the traumatizing abuse she suffered as a child, and of society's reaction to her human body. Cancers of any body-type will be able to identify with the complex emotions that exist at the intersection of fatness, food, and self-love.
5Leo: 'The Vanity Fair Diaries: 1983 - 1992' by Tina Brown
Look Leos, I know you care about global politics just as much as the next Zodiac sign. But sometimes you need to unwind with a breezy, glamorous memoir about how one woman saved Vanity Fair. Filled with '80s excess and corporate intrigue, this is a fun, ridiculous read about living large and crushing it as a working woman.
6Virgo: 'The Rules Do Not Apply: A Memoir' by Ariel Levy
For a lot of Virgos, this book is going to read like a horror story. Virgos like rules. They like to control things. The story of one woman's life coming apart at the seams may seem like an entirely anti-Virgo book, but The Rules Do Not Apply is an excellent memoir for anyone who needs a reminder that life is never going to go the way you think it will — and that's OK.
7Libra: 'This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America' by Morgan Jerkins
Libra is represented by the scales, because Libras are constantly seeking balance, both externally and internally. They want justice for the world and peace for themselves. This Will Be My Undoing is entirely about living at an intersection, trying to reconcile multiple identities in a deeply unbalanced world. Morgan Jenkins is insightful and brutally honest in her discussion about inequality on both a personal and a national level.
8Scorpio: 'When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir' by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele
Scorpios are often misunderstood. They're considered too intense or too quiet, ruthless or overzealous. But Scorpios have their priorities straight, and they will fight for their values with unmatched ferocity. Every Scorpio (and all of the other signs, to be honest) needs to read When They Call You a Terrorist, a memoir from one of the co-founders of the Black Lives Matter movement. This is a story of protest and strength, and of standing up for truth when the world tries to call you a terrorist.
9Sagittarius: 'One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter' by Scaachi Koul
There's just something so cheerfully Sagittarian about that title. Sagittarians are fun-loving and flippant, philosophical and just a tad afraid of feelings. Scaachi Koul's hysterical, heartfelt collection of essays on growing up in "a land of ice and casual racism" is the perfect blend of funny, irreverent, and thoughtful enough to make any Sagittarius slow down for a minute and actually read it.
10Capricorn: 'Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI' by David Grann
Capricorns are a little less interested in reading life-affirming memoirs, and a little more interested in reading about murder. Capricorns like facts and historical accuracy, and every Capricorn is going to be immediately sucked in by Killers of the Flower Moon. It's a true, shocking story from one of the grisliest chapters in American history: the serial murders of more than twenty-four members of the Osage Indian Nation, who just so happened to be the richest people in the world.
11Aquarius: 'Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow' by Yuval Noah Harari
Aquarians are always thinking ahead. They usually have one foot in the future already, so Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow is the only natural choice for a curious Aquarius. If our current cultural trends continue, are we really looking at a future without famine, disease, or war? This "future history" explores the impact of technology on our political future, and what the world might look like in several hundred years (assuming we can make it through the 21st century).
12Pisces: 'DIY Rules for a WTF World' by Krista Suh
Your average Pisces constantly vacillates between wanting to cry over our modern political nightmare and wanting to knit scarves for all of their friends. DIY Rules for a WTF World is a lovely compromise between those two impulses, combining craft projects and art with strategies for resistance and finding joy. Regardless of your feelings about the Pussyhat Project itself, Krista Suh's book is worth a read for artistic folks who want to make an impact.
