A handsome, compact new edition of the singularly reliable translation of the writings of history's most famous seer-now published with a new afterword on Nostradamus and 2012. The prophecies of Nostradamus have ignited intense fascination throughout the West since they were first published in the sixteenth century. These enigmatic quatrains have gained special meaning for many during our current countdown to the year 2012. The relationship between Nostradamus's prophecies and the Mayan prophecy of 2012 is hotly debated over the Internet and is the focus of today's most popular television documentaries. Now "The Essential Nostradamus"-the definitive literal translation of his key verses-is redesigned, reset, and repackaged in an affordable and beautifully produced Tarcher Cornerstone Edition. This volume features a brand-new afterword from translator/commentator Richard Smoley, critiquing the Nostradamus legacy in light of the Mayan prophecies about 2012. Smoley is one of today's most respected writers on esotericism, and his new afterword fully (and realistically) assesses the question of Nostradamus's prophecies in relation to 2012, engaging readers who are hungry to learn more and want help sorting fact from fiction. Perfect for any who are curious, and for scholars and students who want to understand the real content of these haunting verses, "The Essential Nostradamus" is the key sourcebook of its kind.