In this episode I’m joined by writer Courtney Ann LaFaive to discuss the life and work of the famous 20th century astrologer Linda Goodman, who wrote the highest-selling astrology book of all time.
In 1968, Linda’s book Sun Signs became a runaway phenomenon, selling millions of copies and becoming the first astrology book to make the New York Times bestseller list. Goodman’s approachable writing style appealed to a wide variety of readers, and helped to catalyze a massive boom in astrology in the late 1960s and 70s, serving as the gateway for millions of people to discover their full birth chart.
She then followed this up in 1978 with another successful book titled Love Signs, which was on relationship compatibility between zodiac signs. This book set a record at the time for the highest advance ever paid to an author, which was 2.25 million dollars, and helped to make the question “What’s your sign?” a ubiquitous cultural catchphrase.
However in her later years Goodman struggled to cope with immense personal loss, most notably the tragic death of her daughter in 1973, and her inability to distinguish between reality and illusion.
Courtney is the author of a new book titled Follow the Signs: Searching for Linda Goodman, America’s Forgotten Astrology Queen. The book is a memoir about a period of her life spent researching Linda Goodman’s biography for her PhD thesis, and the difficulties she faced in the process of piecing together Linda’s nebulous story.
Together, we explore and attempt to document the incredible life, complex legacy, and lasting astrological impact of Linda Goodman.
This is episode 536 of The Astrology Podcast.
Courtney’s Book
Follow the Signs: Searching for Linda Goodman, America’s Forgotten Astrology Queen
Timestamps
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:42 Introducing Courtney Ann LaFaive
00:03:08 Introducing Linda Goodman
00:04:49 How Courtney & Chris First Found Linda
00:10:42 Astrology in the First Half of the 20th Century
00:18:47 Linda’s Early Life & Entry into Astrology
00:20:46 Linda’s Birth Chart
00:23:09 Early Career in Writing and Radio
00:25:34 First Marriage, Children, and Early Trauma
00:35:00 Getting into Astrology and Writing Sun Signs
00:48:28 The Release of Sun Signs in 1968
00:51:10 The 1968 Virgo Solar Eclipse
00:52:35 NYT Bestseller Status
00:55:40 Comparing the 1960s Astrology Boom to the 2020s Boom
00:58:49 Introducing the Full Birth Chart to the Public
01:05:25 Impact on the Astrology Publishing Industry
01:08:44 Key Features of the Sun Signs Book
01:15:00 Using Pop Culture & Celebrities to Teach Astrology
01:18:25 Popularizing Modern Planetary Rulerships
01:24:32 The Gap Decade & The Shift to Metaphysics
01:29:45 The Tragic Loss of Her Daughter
01:40:00 The Gemini Lunar Eclipse of 1973
01:50:54 Love Signs Book Released in 1978
01:58:48 Later Works: Star Signs (1987) and Gooberz (1989)
02:13:25 Becoming the Epitome of a Pop Astrologer
02:25:05 Linda Passes Away in 1995
02:27:10 Scorpio Eclipse When She Passes Away
02:32:39 Final Analysis of Linda’s Chart
02:42:50 Concluding Discussion on Courtney’s Book
02:49:41 Credits
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