Julia Parker's Astrologer's Handbook

Key Characteristics of all sun signs are covered including the zodiac signs' attitudes to friendship, love, money, travel, work and play.

This Book Review looks at what Julia Parker's Astrologer's Handbook can offer the beginner to astrology.

In her introduction, Julia Parker introduces this as a "book which will get you started on a trail which is more fascinating the further you travel" and for the beginner to astrology it is likely to prove inspiring.

For anyone just taking up astrology, this book offers an excellent general introduction to the subject of personal horoscopes. It offers more than just a glimpse into the sun signs but also into the nature of the planets and how these planets have an influence on personality depending on their placement in a chart.

The handy size of this book, intended as a 'handbook' makes for an easy reference guide for students and beginners and offers more astrological information and detail than many

The book includes Basic Factors which include the sun sign, rising sign and moon signs, Mercury and Venus factors which offer a reasonably lengthy description of these planets in all the signs and then a similar discussion of the outer planets in the signs. Next, under the heading of "Self Expression", the general characteristics of the sun signs are given along with their attitude to friendship, love and marriage, careers and money. Within this section, is included a further depiction of the planets Mercury and Venus in the signs, interpreted depending on sun sign. However, not all combinations are given for each sun sign.

This book gives helpful examples of the more advanced skills of combining independent astrological features of a birth chart as well as including information about the planets in the signs between the years 1916 and 1980. There is also a description of how to calculate Moon sign and rising sign.

The Astrologer's Handbook: Your Planetary Guide to Life should not be confused with a book by a similar name by Francis Sakoian and Louis S. Acker for which a separate review is available on Suite-101.

The Author

Julia Parker has written many books on astrology, both independently and with her husband Derek. Julia started out as a consultant astrologer and is now well known as being the author of many best selling astrological titles. Julia specialises in Personal Relationship Chart Intpretations, Electional Astrology, Children's Charts, Forecasting and Vocational Astrology. She is a member of the Astrological Association of Great Britain and of the New South Wales Astrological Group.
Sources

Parker, Julia The Astrologer's Handbook: Your Planetary Guide to Life (CRCS Publications (1995))