Jonathan Cainer
| Jonathan Cainer | |
|---|---|
 Cainer on stage at the 2013 Latitude Festival | |
| Born |
Jonathan Cainer 18 December 1957 Surbiton,[1] England |
| Died | 2 May 2016 (aged 58) |
| Occupation | Astrologer, journalist, author |
| Nationality | British |
| Citizenship | UK |
| Genre | Astrology |
| Notable works |
Jonathan Cainer's Guide to the Zodiac Cosmic Ordering Complete Book of the Zodiac Jonathan Cainer's Guide to the Zodiac The Psychic Explorer The Junk Food Vegetarian |
| Website | |
|
www | |
Jonathan Cainer (18 December 1957 – 2 May 2016) was a British astrologer. He wrote astrological predictions six days a week for the Daily Mail, and forecasts for three Australian newspapers: the Sydney Daily Telegraph, the Melbourne Herald Sun, and the Perth Sunday Times. Cainer's predictions were also published in Hello, the Auckland Sunday News, the Botswana Echo, and Misty Magazine (Japan). It has been estimated that over twelve million people read his predictions.[2]
Early life
Cainer was born and grew up in Surbiton[1][3] (then in Surrey), one of seven children of David who worked at Barclays Bank and Ruth who was a medical secretary and spiritual healer. Aged 13, he followed his mother to Leeds where he attended Allerton Grange School which he left at 15 without qualifications. He then worked as a petrol pump attendant, school nursery assistant and factory worker. He also played bass guitar in a band called Strange Cloud, attended rock festivals and helped to relaunch the 1960s underground newspaper International Times. He then managed a nightclub on the outskirts of Los Angeles.[3][1]
Career
He was working as a session musician when an acquaintance read his birth chart to him. Amazed by how accurately it summed him up, Cainer went on to study with the Faculty of Astrological Studies. He was interested only in drawing up full horoscopes, based on people’s exact date, time and place of birth. Indeed, when first approached, back in 1984 to write a Sun sign forecast column, he turned down the offer, opting instead to write books designed to help students learn the language of planetary symbolism. Cainer also co-designed one of the first astrological computer programs. He also wrote a cookbook in 1985, The Junk Food Vegetarian.
In 1986, when Eddie Shah launched Today, Cainer was approached once more to write a daily Sun sign column. Assured that he would also have the chance to introduce his readers to the deeper side of his subject, Cainer took the post, and his column proved a great success. He left Today in January 1992 and joined the Daily Mail in December of the same year. In January 2000 Cainer's supposed powers of precognition inspired him to take his column from the Daily Mail to the Daily Express, and then in March 2001 to the Daily Mirror, returning to the Daily Mail in June 2004.[4] Cainer's book, Cosmic Ordering, was published in 2006.[5] He made frequent appearances as a pundit on British TV and radio stations, whenever astrology was in the news.
Cainer had six children. He was found dead at home, in his office, of a suspected heart attack, by his wife Sue on 2 May 2016.[6] An inquest found that he had taken cocaine shortly before his death, the cardiotoxic effects of which may have contributed to his heart attack. An open verdict was returned.[7]
Notes
References
- 1 2 3 Guardian Comment June 2004 Retrieved 3 May 2016
- ↑ The Observer Profile
- 1 2 Lucky Stars I Didn't Foresee a Career in Astrology The Yorkshire Post Retrieved 3 May 2016
- ↑ The Guardian, Monday 19 January 2004
- ↑ Daily Telegraph 8 April 2006
- ↑ Jonathan Cainer dead aged 58
- ↑ Criddle, Cristina (31 August 2016). "Astrologer Jonathan Cainer took cocaine before he died from a heart attack, coroner told". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2016-09-01.
Other sources
- "You ask the questions" at The Independent
- Biography at "exploreastrology.co.uk"
- "The Observer Profile: Jonathan Cainer"
- "Star of the stargazers"
- "Jonathan Cainer: The big business of astrology"