How to Read Your Astrological Chart: Aspects of the Cosmic Puzzle

This book is past the beginner stage, but defnitely appropriate for those that have the basic understanding of the planets, their energy in signs and in houses. What distinguishes Donna Cunningham's work is her ability to accurately measure a chart. By that, I mean.... so many books treat each thing weighted the same. That is kind of like baking a cake with a cup of all ingredients - it would be the world's saltiest cake if you did. Not all things inside the chart are weighted equal and it is the complex blend of aspects and their degree of orb, and the patterns created within the chart that define more fully the bigger picture. Donna Cunningham teaches you to respect that and to utilize a multi-textured process to refine your understanding of the chart. A must have on your shelf.

Donna Cunningham has written a brief and thoughful book about how astrologers think. She set out to avoid the typical "cookbook" approach and instead focuses on how astrologers combine key factors to interpret a chart. She has succeeded at her task. Donna gives step by step examples of how she arrives at a delineation so that the reader can follow her example when confronting a new chart. This text reminds me of a book I once read about how to learn a new language. It does not teach the language but rather gives helpful advice on how to structure your studies for maximal effect. My only regret is that Donna did not include more examples so that we could see more of her method in action. I would highly recommend this book to astrologers at any level of expertise.

I've been reading charts since the 1960s and still found much to savor in this book. Cunningham is a master of sorting out the important from the background noise.The more we learn and the more astrological factors we know about, the more complex it can become to read a chart. Cunningham takes us back to the basics in a way that brings new richness to every chart you will read.Thanks Donna!

I was reluctant to buy Donna's book. My bookshelves are already overflowing with astrology books - many of them unread. But I was captured by her premise. "If you have been practicing for a year and don't feel comfortable reading an actual horoscope, then this is the book you need!" I still get the stunned deer look when confronting a chart for the first time. I start trying to dig through remembrances of past cookbooks I have read. Donna's anti-cookbook approach teaches you how to reason astrologically so you can deduce the delineations yourself. It is not a primer. You need to have the basics firmly in hand that you learned in the cookbooks. What she does is show you how to cut through the clutter, find and read the essential themes in the chart. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who has studied astrology for a while and is ready to consolidate their book learning into more easy, flowing interpretations.