I wholeheartedly recommend this book for both amateur and professsional astrologers. It is very well written and the insights are bountiful. Before the influence of a planet is described in the houses, there is a preface containing an excellent (and sometimes poetic) description of the function and meaning of that particular planet. The action of Venus, for instance, is brought to life by the image of the handmaiden "arranging, soothing, tidying, perfecting, and making the environment comfortable and beautiful." Once into the houses, the descriptions are vivid and insightful, and the author will occasionally use a well-chosen archetype to illuminate the mentality of a certain position, e.g. Peter Pan for Neptune in the Third House. The spectrum of concerns is broad, from the practical to the spiritual, but the emphasis - thankfully - is on character traits rather than psychological complexes. Hence there is a surefootedness to the text which is lacking in other books on the same theme. Finally, there are two very useful sections at the end on Rectification and Basic Principles for Beginners. This book is a must for everyone interested in astrology. Congratulations to the author!