Tony (Deek) Dickey, creator of the remarkable library of materials at MundaneAstrology.net, says:
“Donna Cunningham really nails it with THE OUTER PLANETS
AND INNER LIFE, V. 3. It may a bit over the head of the novice, but even the motivated among these can gain from
reading this work. In a very detailed, but sensible manner, Ms. Cunningham explains how outer planet positions point
to the characteristics of various generations (and subgenerations). What I like best is her employment of charts,
tables and photographs to drive her many points home. Secondly, this works as a one time read and a long term
reference. I will use this work for many years to come and it has inspired me to apply some of her ideas to other
centuries other than the Twentieth.
"As you will see throughout this review there are many reasons I recommend THE OUTER PLANETS
AND INNER LIFE, V. 3.
I think most astrologers would agree.
In many circles astrologers give outer planets a short lease, glossing over the most distant planets to dealing
only with long-term social issues individuals are wont to understand. I have always had a problem with this approach
and am glad to see Donna tackle this problem head on. Throughout the book, the author shows how the outer planets
help people integrate social issues with personal circumstance. She does this best by example, introducing charts
of public figures to illustrate concepts she covers.
"In OPIL3 the author breaks Twentieth century groups into generations and subgenerations
according to planet pairings and planets in signs. More than this however she breaks down these
groups according to issues they face or faced throughout the century. But she uses much more than
'astrologyspeak'. She speaks about her subjects using real world examples. She takes on issues such as 9/11,
the decaying workplace and AIDS. All through OPLIV3 you will be certain to recognize the issues you
faced growing up, ones you face the moment and into the future. You will also be eager to
learn more about other generations like those of your parents or your children.
It is for these reasons that I see this as a reference as much as a one-time read.
"
Donna goes into great depth to make her point. For a book of only 157 pages, there is
much to digest. She answers, or at least addresses many issues astrologers ponder. What
I like is that though this work veers more toward the personal, there is much here that lends itself
to Mundane Astrology. She has done work that I envisioned but never had the time to address.
"
Some of the work will seem a bit specialized. Though none of the work is highly technical,
this is not a book that a novice should try to tackle. No terms are particularly difficult but beginning
or those who simply dabble in the topic may have trouble sifting through many of
the concepts used here. For those in this category, I would recommend accompanying this with
more basic material—like the glossary in the appendix of OPIL3--or having the patience to read this
work a few times until the terminology makes sense.
"
I think Donna Cunningham’s work here can be seen as a seminal tome. Essentially, she combines
the study of astrology with a comprehensive social survey of Twentieth century generations
(and subgenerations). For those who have a tangential interest in astrology, to professionals in the field,
she has provided a work that serves as a one time read and a valuable reference. I recommend
it to all but the beginning astrologer. Rest assured that THE OUTER PLANETS
AND INNER LIFE, V. 3.
will serve as an influence for mundaneastrology.net for years to come.
” (See
the full review here.)
Raye Robertson of By Jove Publications says:
"It’s no secret that for most astrology buffs, mundane astrology is an “acquired taste.” As a mundane astrologer, myself, I am keenly aware that topics I get all worked up about can sound as flat as steam-rolled pancakes to others. Why waste perfectly good astrological insight on dry stuff like history, cultural studies and geopolitics, when we’ve got the much sexier playground of the human psyche to hang out in, doing personal charts? Well, this e-book—the latest volume in series, entitled The Outer Planets and Inner Life, by the incredibly prolific astrologer/writer, Donna Cunningham—proves that mundane astrology is not only relevant to what goes on in that “playground,” but it may be absolutely necessary for a deeper understanding of personal chart dynamics.
"Astrology takes a different view of demographic generations than mainstream analysts
do: any given generation (i.e., the Boomers, the WWII generation, Generation X, etc.) is
said to be very broadly characterized by the Pluto sign it is born into. Thus, those born
into the same sign will inevitably have some general characteristics in common. But
within any given Pluto generation there are several sub-generations characterized by
their non-Pluto outer planetary dynamics. What Cunningham has done so masterfully
with this e-book series (and this volume, in particular) is to focus in on how these sub-
generations provide the endless variations we see within the broader generational
themes. For instance, Boomers (Pluto in Leos) may generally tend to see the world
through the lens of Leo (sunny, confident, in charge, entitled), but the world views of
those born during 1951-53 will be seriously modified by the Saturn-Neptune conjunction
of those years. Mainstream analysts, with their focus groups, surveys and think tanks,
only wish they had a tool for capturing the insights Cunningham discusses in this book!
"Meticulous, but always with a light affable touch, this book corrals the mind-boggling
complexities of planetary cycle sub-generations, the principles being integrated by any
given pair of planets in aspect, characteristics of high profile people born in specific sub-
generations, and so on. As one who has written a fair amount about Pluto generations
and has dabbled in the outer planetary sub-generations myself, I appreciate the service
Cunningham is providing with this feat of organization and insight. She manages to
capture so much unwieldy historical and socio-cultural information, show its relevance to
the various planetary aspects in play—and make it a delight to read! Visually, it’s also a
treat; Cunningham’s writing is as engaging as ever, and for those who have resisted and
avoided e-books because they don’t lend themselves to bathtub reading (I know you’re
out there!), this volume could change your mind.
"