With the exception of the first two books, this list is not for beginners.
Astrology: A Cosmic Science
By Isabel Hickey
This is probably the best general book for interpreting your birth chart. It’s the standard cookbook format, but deeply and wisely written. It’s a classic and treasured by beginners as well as advanced astrologers. The new edition includes excellent chapters on Pluto aspects and transits.
Parker's Astrology
By Julia & Derek Parker
This is the most beautiful astrology book out there. It’s got an enormous amount of info (about 500 pages) that you won’t find anywhere else. It features a very thorough coverage of birth chart interpretations, transits and progressions. Together with Hickey’s book it is a valued resource for both beginners as well as advanced astrologers.
Planets in Transit
By Robert Hand
If you only buy one book on interpreting transits in your chart, than it would have to be this one. It was published almost thirty years ago but is still the best transit book out there today.
Astrology, Karma & Transformation
By Stephen Arroyo
This is a wise and uplifting book. All the chapters are fascinating. I especially enjoyed the section on relationships and how interaspects between two people’s charts will play out. All chapters, but especially the one on Ascendant/ Midheaven interpretations are deep, informative and obviously written by someone very learned in astrology. Arroyo has a profound understanding of astrology and it shows on every page. I recommend it as a must for every student in astrology and I believe it will help everyone in difficult times of life transition. I think the low sales ranking on Amazon is due to the word '“karma'” in the title. The book really has little overt spiritual content. But it is definitely written by an evolved soul. Even if you are not consciously aware you are on a spiritual quest via astrology, you will love this book.
Delineation of Progressions
By Sophia Mason
This is probably the best book dealing with progressions. The angles are central to the analysis and there is an excellent chapter on interpreting the progressed ascendant through the three decanates of each sign.
The Combination of Stellar Influences
By Reinhold Ebertin
This is the ultimate book about midpoints and transits to midpoints. But the usefulness is much broader, because in discussing any two planets such as Sun/Mars for example, there is a very knowledgeable interpretation of what it means for these two planets to be in aspect, both positive and negative. I use this book all the time. It’s a classic that won’t be surpassed for a long time.
The Astrological Neptune and the Quest for Redemption
By Liz Greene
This is a 500-page masterpiece, all about Neptune and its astrological interpretation. I was in awe when I read it. To write just this one incredible book would take most professional writers a lifetime, but it’s only one of Greene’s many excellent books. Her knowledge of astrology and how it ties in with mythology and how it has impacted the movers of history is unsurpassed. If you'’re looking for a quick read of what your Neptune square Sun might mean, this book is not for you. If you want the best researched and inspirational interpretation of Neptune (and Neptune aspects) read this book.
Saturn in Transit: Boundaries of Mind, Body, and Soul
By Erin Sullivan
You might want to read this book if you are feeling depressed, especially if under a heavy-duty Saturn transit. It is a scholarly and highly evolved book about the different stages of Saturn as it goes through the four angles in your chart and as it aspects natal Saturn. Ms. Sullivan knows her mythology and ties it in beautifully with astrology. It is a book about ‘the heroic quest for meaning”.
Cycles of Becoming: The Planetary Pattern of Growth
By Alexander Ruperti.
This book is incredibly rich with knowledge for the intermediate and advanced student of astrology. Ruperti was born in 1913 (Uranus in Aquarius) and I believe this was his only book, published in 1978. The book focuses on explaining planetary cycles, including nodes, personal planets and outer planets. The book is out of print and may be very hard to obtain although I see Amazon lists a few used copies beginning around $6. At this price, I really recommend buying a copy. It may be worth much more in the near future. The book is a masterpiece in the astrology arena.
Man and the zodiac
This book is out of print. If you are one of the first people reading this post you might want to pick up one of the used copies available online. There are about five copies going for between six and twelve dollars on Amazon. The major part of the book is devoted to describing ascendant types. Ascendants are divided into three decanates for each sign. The author is also an artist and depicts the typical look and personality of each of the 36 decanates. This artistic rendering is absolutely fascinating and seems eerily accurate much of the time.
