What do you think?
Principles of Astrology, The
The Principles of Charles E.O. The Principles of The Theosophical Publishing FIRST Fifth Edition, Second Printing (1969). Not price-clipped. Published by The Theosophical Publishing House, 1963. Octavo. Hardcover. Book is very good with store label on flyleaf. Dust jacket is very good with shelf wear. Seller 312613 Astrology
- GenresAstrology
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1963
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 18, 2026
As a professional astrologer, I very much enjoyed this book. It was one of the best astrology books I have read in a long time, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I give it 4 stars instead of 5 because of its density. Unless you already have a thorough understanding of astrology, it can be a difficult read. I would not recommend it as a beginner's first astrology book.
When I say this is a dense book, I mean that Carter will discuss a subject in a single paragraph—or even a single sentence—that modern astrologers might devote an entire lecture to. For example, this is his complete discussion of parallels, found in the section on aspects:
"The Parallel of Declination occurs when two bodies have the same declination or distance from the celestial equator. Whether both of them are north, both south, or one north and one south, appears immaterial. It is abbreviated as par. dec., par., or simply P."
This is the only paragraph devoted to parallels, and Carter never mentions them again.
A seasoned astrologer can recognize that he is folding parallels into the broader discussion of aspects and giving them treatment equal to the other aspects he discusses—conjunctions, oppositions, trines, squares, sextiles, semi-squares, sesquiquadrates, semi-sextiles, and quincunxes. A beginner, however, may find it intimidating to encounter so many concepts with very little explanation, no examples, and almost no interpretation beyond a brief sketch.
The edition I read was the 5th edition, published in 1973. Carter does not discuss Pluto extensively, which is understandable given that the book was originally written in 1925 and Pluto was not discovered until 1930. Likewise, some topics emphasized by contemporary astrologers receive little attention or are absent altogether.
If you are looking for a bridge between classical and modern astrology, this is an excellent book. I would recommend approaching it with a solid astrology background and plenty of time to test and experiment with Carter's methods, many of which differ significantly from modern approaches.
The book also includes instructions for calculating charts by hand, something most contemporary astrology texts skip in favor of software. While the overall approach is more deterministic than much of today's astrology, Carter readily acknowledges the role of free will and offers guidance on how a person might use knowledge of the natal chart to steer their fate toward the possibilities the chart promises.
I give it 4 stars instead of 5 because of its density. Unless you already have a thorough understanding of astrology, it can be a difficult read. I would not recommend it as a beginner's first astrology book.
When I say this is a dense book, I mean that Carter will discuss a subject in a single paragraph—or even a single sentence—that modern astrologers might devote an entire lecture to. For example, this is his complete discussion of parallels, found in the section on aspects:
"The Parallel of Declination occurs when two bodies have the same declination or distance from the celestial equator. Whether both of them are north, both south, or one north and one south, appears immaterial. It is abbreviated as par. dec., par., or simply P."
This is the only paragraph devoted to parallels, and Carter never mentions them again.
A seasoned astrologer can recognize that he is folding parallels into the broader discussion of aspects and giving them treatment equal to the other aspects he discusses—conjunctions, oppositions, trines, squares, sextiles, semi-squares, sesquiquadrates, semi-sextiles, and quincunxes. A beginner, however, may find it intimidating to encounter so many concepts with very little explanation, no examples, and almost no interpretation beyond a brief sketch.
The edition I read was the 5th edition, published in 1973. Carter does not discuss Pluto extensively, which is understandable given that the book was originally written in 1925 and Pluto was not discovered until 1930. Likewise, some topics emphasized by contemporary astrologers receive little attention or are absent altogether.
If you are looking for a bridge between classical and modern astrology, this is an excellent book. I would recommend approaching it with a solid astrology background and plenty of time to test and experiment with Carter's methods, many of which differ significantly from modern approaches.
The book also includes instructions for calculating charts by hand, something most contemporary astrology texts skip in favor of software. While the overall approach is more deterministic than much of today's astrology, Carter readily acknowledges the role of free will and offers guidance on how a person might use knowledge of the natal chart to steer their fate toward the possibilities the chart promises.
April 11, 2020
very interesting book
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews