Astrology for Life

Rating:
Summary: Not user friendly
Review: I have to disagree with the reviewer who said that this book is user friendly. I found it too short and badly written. Many sentences are clumsily phrased and incomprehensible. Basic concepts are explained so perfunctorily (i.e. in one or two short sentences) that it's often impossible for a novice to understand what's being said. I appreciate the authors' efforts to present a streamlined and logical version of Vedic Astrology, but I wish they had presented it in a more digestible form.

I think this book may be adequate for someone already familiar with Vedic concepts, but otherwise the authors' inscrutable prose will, I fear, defeat many beginners (like me).

Rating:
Summary: A Hindu Astrology classic in the making!
Review: If you are interested in learning to read horoscopes, buy this book, study it, and practice the Systems Approach - then move on to the classics. I've been teaching, studying and practicing Indian Astrology for quite a while and believe me, there is an overwhelming number of methods, opinions, and technical details that comprise its canon. I have seen many students of Astrology getting mired in the details of the many techniques and arguing about origins, translations etc. - all of which is interesting, but does not teach how to read charts. The Systems Approach systhesizes and consequently simplifies the Indian systems by working with a handful of tried and true techniques that can give even beginners a grasp on what the horoscope is trying to say. Mind you, if you want an explanation for everything that the Parasara, Jaimini and Tajika systems have to offer, be prepared to buy several hundred dollars worth of books and pray for a guide to help you through the maze of techniques (some knowledge of Sanskrit would be helpful as well). This book, however, contains a modern, clear, thorough, and more importantly, useful approach to the art of reading horoscopes. I wish that I had this book years ago, my students in those days would have loved it. I'm sure my future students will, thanks to David and Mr. Choudhry.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Synthesis of Vedic Astrology
Review: The Systems Approach to Vedic astrology is, simply put, the most concise and accurate approach to the subject. This book is a summary explanation of the salient features of Vedic astrology and is very "user friendly."

When I started to study Vedic, I was getting confused by all of the intricacies of various writers, conflicting information on gems and other remedies, which planets are malefics/benefics for which rising sign, which houses are detrimental, etc. David Hawthorne's book cleared all the confusion for me.

If you've been getting mired in the muck of Vedic astrology, give yourself a break and get this book. You will quickly learn how to assess a chart, how to spot weaknesses (and what to do about them), and how to generally predict trends for the future. The example charts at the end of the book are excellent and illustrative of the principles of Systems Approach.