horoscopes

ARIES Look for any emotional outlet you can find as the week begins. You need to clear the air on Monday, and friends and family (especially women) will gladly oblige. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, you'll have a thirst for adventure. Use a burst of bravado to seek out an appropriate challenge and aim high! You've got the stamina and energy to take on almost anything. Lucky Numbers: 1, 6, 30

TAURUS If you're expecting boredom as the week begins, prepare to be (pleasantly) disappointed. Your routine gets some spark on Monday and Tuesday, and you should follow up on any chance for fun even if it means your work has to wait. On Wednesday and Thursday, your passions will push you into action. Just make sure they don't push you into trouble too. Lucky Numbers: 8, 15, 35

GEMINI Every week should begin this way! You're full of energy and enthusiasm on Monday and Tuesday, and you've got ample charm to inspire others at home, at work, or anywhere. Expect to slow down on Wednesday and Thursday, though. You'll be more intent on analysis than action. Lucky Numbers: 30, 31, 46

Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer

You are never alone in this world. Reach out, and you can always get help. Look around, and you'll find company. Pick up one of these great books, and you'll read about someone whose life was fascinating, and who you can admire and aspire to be like …

For anyone who likes to watch the ponies, or who thrills to the Triple Crown each year, "Isaac Murphy: The Rise and Fall of a Black Jockey" by Katherine C. Mooney (Yale University Press, $25) is a book filled with action and history. Isaac Murphy was born a slave in 1861 and became a horse jockey, as many Black men did then. Horse racing was one of America's most popular sports in the mid-19th century and Murphy was one of America's most well-known athletes, Black and white — but while his work, the races he won, and the prizes he captured made him famous then, Murphy is often forgotten today. This is an excellent look at a quietly hidden part of Black history, and it can't be missed.

In "Samuel Ringgold Ward: A Life of Struggle" by R.J.M. Blackett (Yale University Press, $25), you''ll read about another person you've likely never heard about. Though he was born early in the 1800s, Ward was not ever enslaved, but he knew the pain of inequality and so he dedicated his life to being an abolitionist. A contemporary of Frederick Douglass, Ward was also a minister, a highly regarded newspaper editor, a speaker, and he firmly believed that alcohol needed to be banned. Why his name fell into obscurity and why you should know about his life and his work makes an excellent read for anyone of any age.

Fans of MTV back in the day, and fans of music over the past 40 years will love reading "Top Billin'" by Bill Bellamy (Amistad, $29.99). In the 1990s, when MTV was still mostly a music channel on cable television, Bellamy was one of its biggest stars. This book remembers those years, and Bellamy's interviews and friendships with people like Biggie and Tupac, Janet Jackson, the late Kurt Cobain, Snoop Dogg, Eddie Murphy and many big names. You'll also read about Bellamy's early life, his family, and his other work in music videos. Oh, and you'll laugh, because Bellamy's a funny guy. If you remember the '90s, you'll want this book. And finally, if ancient lives are your thing, find "The West: A New History in Fourteen Lives" by Naoise Mac Sweeney.(Dutton, $32). Read about Phillis Wheatley, scholar Al-Kindi of Arabia, Herodotus (who was of mixed race), and 12 other influential lives that left their mark on Western civilization. History scholars: head's up on this one. This book is meant for readers like you.

And if these great life stories aren't enough, go find your favorite librarian or bookseller and ask for help. They know books, they have access to millions of biographies, they'll know exactly what you want to read next.

And with a great book by your side, you're never alone. WI

CANCER Watch for troubles on the home front as the week begins. Monday and Tuesday could both bring domestic conflicts, but a little empathy on your part could go a long way. By Wednesday and Thursday, emotions are running high. That can lead to excitement in romance and relationships, but amped-up emotions spell nothing but trouble for any financial or legal issues. Play it safe. Lucky Numbers: 19, 22, 28

LEO Everybody is on your side as the week begins. And how could they not be? You've got all the answers (and you're having all the fun!) on Monday and Tuesday. Enjoy the popularity. On Wednesday and Thursday, you'll quiet down ever so slightly. Now is an excellent time for chin-rubbing introspection and quiet analysis. Lucky Numbers: 14, 36, 39

VIRGO Show some prudence on financial matters as the week begins. Monday and Tuesday are both bad days for impulse purchases, but they're great days for other kinds of exuberance, like spontaneous opinions and wide-eyed ideas. On Wednesday and Thursday, indulge your intellect by striking up conversations and following your curiosity. Lucky Numbers: 5, 20, 31

LIBRA Who can resist your flirtatious smile and easygoing outlook? Nobody, at least not as the week begins. You'll be charming socks off by the score on Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday and Thursday, you might still be generous with your attention, but you'll be stingy with your cash. Put that fiscal fussiness to use by plotting out a smart financial plan. Lucky Numbers: 20, 36, 40

SCORPIO The week could start on a difficult note. Your heart and your head can't seem to agree on Monday and Tuesday, and this might be a better time to think than act (especially if you can count on some back-andforth banter with friends). Your outlook on Wednesday and Thursday should clear up dramatically, finding you exceptionally charismatic and confident. You'll know what you want and you'll know how to get it. Lucky Numbers: 44, 48, 55

SAGITTARIUS Who loves you, baby? Everybody, apparently, or at least it'll seem that way as this week begins. Friends and admirers will rally to your banner on Monday and Tuesday, and it's a good time to make your wishes known. You can expect an attentive audience. On Wednesday and Thursday, that outgoing mood could shift to shyness. Maybe it's time for some peace and quiet to recharge? Lucky Numbers: 9, 12, 50

CAPRICORN Your ambitiousness will pay off as the week begins. Monday and Tuesday are both great days to start projects and make things happen. Everyone might not be on the same overachieving wavelength right now, but they'll at least have the good sense to get out of your way. Wednesday and Thursday should give you time and perspective to step back and reassess where you are, and you can count on friends to help you take account. Lucky Numbers: 10, 19, 21

AQUARIUS Expect to make close connections as the week begins. Monday and Tuesday are both perfect days for getting your point across and winning over friends (and maybe even making new ones). Wednesday and Thursday see you slowing back down and turning inward as thoughts shift to the big picture. Are you making enough progress in your chosen work? Lucky Numbers: 4, 16, 37

PISCES Watch out for conflict as the week begins. Others might not be on your side on Monday and Tuesday and even former partners could have ambitions at odds with your plans. Don't be afraid to toss out the old in favor of the new, and on Wednesday and Thursday be extra careful of anyone trying to take advantage. Stand up for yourself and don't back down! Lucky Numbers: 1, 25, 52