Linda Goodman Life and Legacy of the Sun Signs Astrologer

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.