This book, published in 1996 by Whitford Press, presents a wide range of classical astrology techniques with the aim to “radically improve Astrology”. At least this is wrote on the cover…

The first 4 chapters (1.Introduction: Why Classical?, 2.Have you forgotten what the Sky looks at night? The Babylonian Captivity, 3. Elements, Qualities and Triplicities, 4. Historical Context: From the Fall of Rome to the End of Renaissance) are really boring. You can find here some history, definitions, generalities bit won't take long and you will think something like “Are there any more pages until this chapter will end?”. I don't say it is not good to know what is in that book but, it is not easy to read, a lot of pages are not relevant for the subject and the book is not coming with something new, useful, something that will bring an important improvement to your practical astrology.

Let us go back to the book. After the introductory chapters comes Chapter 5 - Essential Dignities and Chapter 6 – Accidental Dignities.  I believe these are the best chapters from the book (she wrote a whole book about dignities: Essential Dignities). One can find here tables with both Egyptian and Chaldean terms and the almuten for every degree. I think that's useful. Also, some examples: the charts of Nicholas II, Mary Godwin Wollstonecraft Shelley and Prince Charles.

In chapter 6 the accidental dignities are very well grouped after the House placement (angular, succedent, cadent), motion (swift, slow, direct, retrograde), oriental and accidental (for superior planets is better to be oriental, for inferior planets occidental), closeness to the Sun (cazimi, combust, under the Sun`s beams), the Moon increasing or decreasing in light, aspects to malefic and benefic planets and conjunctions to fixed stars. I like this chapter.

Chapter 7: Everything you ever wanted to know about sect… is not “everything” about sect, not even close. But, you will find here some general theory that will help to use sect. For something closer to this “everything about sect” read “Night and Day: Planetary Sect in Astrology” by Robert Hand.

Chapter 8 is about the Part of Fortune and chapter 9 is called “When a quincunx is not inconjunct”. Not interesting…