'What Do We Believe?', a new series from Granta Books, introduces different beliefs from across the world in lively, accessible and intelligent short books.

Astrology, the notion that the stars and planets hold significance for human life, exists in most cultures. It is evident in Stone Age lunar calendars dating back to 30,000 BCE. Today, ninety percent of Indians consult astrologers about their forthcoming marriages while over fifty percent of people in the West read their horoscopes in newspapers or magazines. How has this pre-Christian, pre-scientific view of the cosmos survived to the present day and what is its enduring appeal? Astrology's techniques and philosophical foundations are complex and there is no single tradition. Astrology may be seen as science, art, religion, craft or superstition. Nicholas Campion explores astrology's past and present, its claims and appeal and explains what astrologers really believe.