Monday, August 1, 2011

The Power of Birthdays, Stars, & Numbers: The Complete Personology Reference Guide



“When is your birthday?” A favorite ice-breaker during bookcart service, this hefty volume has never yet failed to interest a prospective reader. Crawford, a numerologist, and Sullivan, an astrologist, have combined forces to co-author this paperback reference work. The book devotes two pages to each of the 366 days of the year. Each spread contains a three- or four- paragraph summary of the personalities of individuals born on that day, followed by sections labeled “Your Secret Self,” “Work and Vocation,” “Numerology,” and “Love and Relationships.” Sidebars address fixed stars, the date’s primary star’s influence, and a list of dates likely to be the birthdate of “your special someone.” Opening chapters introduce the novice to astrology, fixed stars, and numerology with a fair amount of detail, and an appendix of fixed stars is provided for those wanting to know more. Most readers, however, will dive right into locating their birthday, and after that, a loved one’s birthday, or a potential date’s birthday. An interesting starting point for inquiry projects on numerology, astrology, and human psychology and personalities, a tool for explaining the concept of a reference book, and a resource for birthday card writers, office parties, and individuals engaged in correspondence. In a place full of anonymity, The Power of Birthdays offers readers a chance to consider self-knowledge, or a text to take an authoritative stance against. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Crawford, Saffi and Geraldine Sullivan. The Power of Birthdays, Stars, & Numbers: The Complete Personology Reference Guide. New York: Ballantine Books, 1998.