Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)

Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)

– Rodden X Unknown

Johannesburg, South Africa · January 4, 1978

Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978) was born on January 4, 1978 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Their zodiac (Sun) sign is Capricorn. Their MBTI personality type is INTJ.

INTJ 4 NE🐍Fire Snake

Richard Mason (born 1978) is a South African-British novelist and philanthropist. Early life Richard Mason was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 4 January 1978. His parents were anti-Apartheid activists and brought Mason to the United Kingdom when he was 10 years old. Mason attended Sussex House School. Career Richard Mason first came to prominence in 1999 at the age of 21, when the London Times dubbed him "king of the hot young writers". He had just published his first novel, The Drowning People, an "exceptional achievement" (Guardian) that became "one of the most talked-about first novels of 1999" (Daily Telegraph). As The Telegraph put it, "If you want to be au courant with modern fiction, you will need to read it." "The Drowning People" sold more than a million copies in over 20 countries, was translated into 22 languages, and won Italy's Grinzane Cavour Prize for Best First Novel. Mason's second novel, Us (2005), was "an explosive mixture of cocky irony and elegy “ and took five years to write. It fuses the narratives of two men and a woman, each remembering their time at Oxford and the parts they played in the death of a dear friend. The critics' response was ecstatic. As Rebecca Pearson put it in the Independent on Sunday: "Only two books in my life have made me cry is Us, Richard Mason's devastatingly tragic, funny and utterly gripping novel." In The Lighted Rooms (2008), Mason takes the audacious step of putting an eighty-year-old woman in the grip of dementia at the center of the drama. What no one knows is that Joan McAllister is having the time of her life, as dementia's hallucinations allow her to revisit her past and the vitality of her youth. Ranging from British nursing homes to South African concentration camps during the Anglo-Boer War, and taking in the stock market bubble and the tensions of a relationship between a mother and her daughter, the characters in this "immensely readable magnum opus" (The New Yorker) are drawn with "a narrative wisdom surely unknown to most authors in their thirties" – Il Sottoscrito (Italy). As a leading Dutch newspaper put it: "Richard Mason is a hugely talented writer. When you read his book, you automatically think of authors like Thomas Mann and John Updike. This is a classic novel, written by a future literary master". (Rob Schouten, Trouw) Psychological accuracy is a hallmark of Mason's fiction, and his fourth novel, History of a Pleasure Seeker (2011), is a treasure trove of insight and humour. An Oprah Pick of the Month, the story of a dashing young man's adventures through the gilded age is "the best new work of fiction to cross my desk in many moons". (Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post) In his "beautifully turned, classical style" ('New York Times Book Review) Mason takes the lid off a privileged family and shows how sex, while not necessarily the same thing as love, can be a potent force for good. Philanthropy With the royalties of "The Drowning People", Mason established the Kay Mason Foundation. Under the patronage of Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the foundation works to identify promising teenagers and give them the education and experience they need to lead South Africa in the post-Apartheid era. In 2010, Mason became a co-founder of Project Lulutho, in collaboration with the community of Mthwaku in South Africa’s rural Eastern Cape. Mason spent a year under canvas helping with the construction and was a major funder of this center of conservation and green business skills, playing a key role in bringing together the stakeholders from civil society and government necessary to turn a ravaged ecosystem into "a place of hope". Prizes Mason’s first novel, The Drowning People, won the Grinzane Cavour Prize for Best First Novel. The Lighted Rooms and History of a Pleasure Seeker were long-listed for the Sunday Times Award and The Lighted Rooms was longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award. Mason's work for disadvantaged South Africans was honoured by an Inyathelo Award for Merit in Philanthropy in 2010. Publishing Business In 2010, Mason cofounded Orson & Co, a publishing house dedicated to multimedia eBooks. Their edition of Mason's History of a Pleasure Seeker brought together a number of musicians and actors including Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens, tenor Alex Richardson, and pianist Spencer Meyer. Orson & Co suspended its eBook publishing efforts in 2019.

Astrological Profile

☀️ Sun

Capricorn

☽ Moon

Scorpio

↑ Ascendant

—

Natal Chart

Planet Positions

PlanetSignDegreeHouseRetrograde
SunCapricorn13°41'——
MoonScorpio7°46'——
MercurySagittarius21°59'——
VenusCapricorn9°25'——
MarsLeo8°05'—R
JupiterGemini29°25'—R
SaturnVirgo0°01'—R
UranusScorpio15°27'——
NeptuneSagittarius16°51'——
PlutoLibra16°37'——

Elements

Fire

3

Earth

3

Air

2

Water

2

Modalities

Cardinal

3

Fixed

3

Mutable

4

Dominants

♈Signs
CapricornScorpioSagittarius
☉Planets
UranusPlutoVenus
🌿Elements
Fire

Astrological Interpretations

45 blocks · 74K words

♈
Planets in Signs
13 interpretations

Sun in Capricorn

Moderation and maturity prevail over fieriness. Your nature is thoughtful, stable, reserved and cautious towards all novelties. You feel fragile on the affective plane. Therefore, you protect yourself in a closed shell and you project an image of solidity and seriousness. A cold manner conceals your affectivity. But a volcano is dormant in your ivory tower... Beneath your apparent phlegm and your will to exhibit an even temper in all circumstances, there is an unfailing determination. Capricorn is very structured. More than anyone, he remains his true self, loyal to his principles, his objectives and his projects. The time required for his ascent does not matter! Tenacity is the strength of your sign. Never give up, maintain the same direction... All this suggests the junior or seasoned administrator, the person capable of handling the most diverse responsibilities, provided he could take the time to grasp their principles. Capricorn is often believed to have a belated destiny and a slow evolution. Without giving too much credit to this thesis - sometimes refuted by facts - we shall admit that the natives of this sign have the capacity to patiently and methodically build their destiny. A blue-chip security, if you manage to avoid the traps of an excessive rigour and inflexibility.

Moon in Scorpio

On the day and at the time of your birth, the Moon was in the sign of Scorpio. Your instincts deeply influence your thinking process and your actions. There is a lot of impulsiveness and violence in you. But they are only the other side of the coin of your direct and innate receptivity that gives you the amazing ability to perceive what is really at stake in any given situation. You also have extraordinary psychological skills. You are impervious to prevailing trends and tastes and you prefer to create a unique lifestyle for yourself alone. You are very selective in your intimate sphere and you accept as friends only the persons who can be naturally integrated in your quite special realm. You carefully maintain your distance with all intruders. Closeness needs time.

Mercury in Sagittarius

Mercury describes your relations, your communication skills and the way you relate to the external world. However, other astrological elements also influence these areas. The sign Mercury occupies is significant only if Mercury is part of your planetary dominantes. In your chart, Mercury is in Sagittarius. You are respectful of freedom of opinion and of expression. Communication means open-mindedness above all. You reject all forms of sectarianism and prejudices. Your fieriness and your tolerance facilitate your relationships. No one respects laws and social structures better than you. Relentlessly, you strive to enlarge your horizon. You are known for your interest in other people's views, as well as for your healthy curiosity that may border on indiscretion...

Venus in Capricorn

Venus describes your affective life. On the day of your birth, she is found in Capricorn. You are a fragile and sensitive person and you give the priority to the deepness of your feelings and the steadiness of your relationships. Your senses do not respond to all forms of stimulations. Your affective life has a cautious, reserved, moderate and ... intense nature. You forge your feelings slowly. You distrust love at first sight. Like faithfulness, love must be earned. Nothing is readily given in this area. Your sensitivity is deep but discreet, intense but concealed and inclines you to caution: frivolous loves do not interest you. You value sentimental attachments based on total and mutual trust. You know the cost of misunderstandings and delusions and you never commit yourself thoughtlessly. Modesty is a quality in some cases. But why do you hide your feelings so often? As you protect yourself too much, as you want to avoid being hurt, you may get locked up in an ivory tower and you may miss passionate loves. You may uselessly complicate situations: life together is simpler than you may think. You must learn to trust it. With time, you will be at your best.

Mars in Leo

The planet Mars indicates how you react to life concrete stimulations. It also describes your fighting spirit, your abilities to stand for yourself and to take action. With Mars in Leo, your passionate nature and your affectivity always on the alert put your sentimental life on top of the list. You take action according to your own rules and you rely on sincerity above all. You cannot compromise and accept a course that is contrary to your desires. This configuration gives a propensity for curt, even heroic behaviours: you never draw back from obstacles and you make it a point of honour to fight to the extreme limits of your might. If your opponents do not give in, confrontations may take a Homeric turn. You can mobilize your energy as you please, and should circumstances require that you do so, you demonstrate exceptional competitiveness and fighting spirit.

Jupiter in Gemini

The planet Jupiter symbolizes expansion, broadness and generosity. Jupiter is associated with the functions of synthesis, enthusiasm and optimism. In your natal chart, his house position is more important than his sign position because, like Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, he is a slow planet. Many people born in the same period have Jupiter in the same sign. This is the reason why the sign occupied here is less meaningful than when it is occupied by the so-called fast planets, i.e. the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars. Therefore, some caution is to be exercised as you read what follows. Jupiter in Gemini increases your mental creativity, your imagination and your capacity for adaptation. The outcomes may not be seen externally but this configuration usually develops your sense of contact: when Gemini's well-known frivolousness and scattering meet with Jupiter's synthesizing mind and tidiness, it can only endow you with the best assets for your communication and intellectual pursuits.

Saturn in Virgo

The planet Saturn symbolizes contraction, effort, time, limitation and concentration. Saturn eliminates anything that is not authentic, sooner or later. It is impossible to cheat him as he gives an irresistible desire to form a coherent whole with oneself, in responsible and wise ways. He is the great purifier. He represents our limitations but also our truth. In your natal chart, the house position where Saturn is posited is more important than his sign position because, like Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, he is a slow planet. Many people born in the same period have Saturn in the same sign. This is the reason why the sign occupied here is less meaningful than when it is occupied by the so-called fast planets, i.e. the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars. Therefore, some caution is to be exercised as you read what follows. Saturn in Virgo gives you a persevering and precise nature. This good combination increases your taste for sciences and for effort and you are constantly striving to improve yourself. Your tenacity works wonders.

Uranus in Scorpio

The planet Uranus symbolizes originality, independence and cerebral energy bursting suddenly. Uranus triggers the irresistible need for freedom that we have in ourselves. Uranus tends to break the constraints that have become unbearable and gives us the courage and the will to get rid of what has become a burden; when he is well aspected, he also indicates genius. In your natal chart, Uranus' house position is more important than his sign position because, like Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Pluto, he is a slow planet. Many people born in the same period have Uranus in the same sign. This is the reason why the sign occupied here is less meaningful than when it is occupied by the so-called fast planets, i.e. the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars. Therefore, some caution is to be exercised as you read what follows. The sign positions of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto have a collective meaning. They do not influence your personality, unless they are involved in numerous aspects or when they emphasize a personal point of your natal chart such as your Ascendant's ruler, an angular planet, i.e. a planet near the Ascendant, the Midheaven, the Nadir or the Descendant. In such cases, the activity of the slow planet is very highlighted. Uranus in Scorpio reinforces your sexuality in cerebral and erotic ways, detached from all affectivity. Your passions and your emotions may have such a strong mental nature that you may be criticized for your cruelty.

Neptune in Sagittarius

The planet Neptune symbolizes extreme receptivity, intense emotional sharpness, impressionability and inspiration; it is the planet of mediums, mystics and religious faith. In an astrological chart, it indicates dilution, vagueness, understanding one's environment through emotions and the absence of clear and determined limits and structures. In your natal chart, Neptune's house position is more important than his sign position because, like Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto, he is a slow planet. Many people born in the same period have Neptune in the same sign. This is the reason why the sign occupied here is less meaningful than when it is occupied by the so-called fast planets, i.e. the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars. Therefore, some caution is to be exercised as you read what follows. The sign positions of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto have a collective meaning. They do not influence your personality, unless they are involved in numerous aspects or when they emphasize a personal point of your natal chart such as your Ascendant's ruler, an angular planet, i.e. a planet near the Ascendant, the Midheaven, the Nadir or the Descendant. In such cases, the activity of the slow planet is very highlighted in many regards. Neptune in Sagittarius may turn you into a monk, a visionary, or an active idealist willing to change the world. Rebellion and inspiration at the service of a sacred cause: here is an example that could describe accurately this planetary configuration.

Pluto in Libra

The planet Pluto symbolizes deep disruptions and upheavals, domination and sexual instincts, and the inner power we have in ourselves. Pluto destroys in order to reconstruct and he provokes painful crises that are needed in metamorphosis. Pluto is our deepest instincts' brutal force. It is the hidden and unconscious violence that can explode in us with incredible intensity before being projected in our actions; in itself, the planet is not negative: the might and the intensity of its energy are beyond the conceivable but it can be funnelled. Pluto is the only possibility we have at our disposal to overcome our inner blocks and to eliminate outgrown situations that have become inextricable. Pluto's energy is valuable because of its usefulness for the irreversible destruction of what constitutes a problem and not because of its negative side and its perversity. Pluto allows to reconstruct and to regenerate parts of our personality or whole stretches of our life, provided that we manage to funnel his wild energy and to step back. It is impossible to tame this energy, given its essence. However, it is possible to take advantage of it for a precise aim, through a temporary identification of some parts of us with this energy. In such a case, the outcome is our final evolution and even, our transformation. In your natal chart, Pluto's house position is more important than his sign position because, like Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, Pluto is a slow planet. Many people born in the same period have Pluto in the same sign. This is the reason why the sign occupied here is less meaningful than when it is occupied by the so-called fast planets, i.e. the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars. Therefore, some caution is to be exercised as you read what follows. The sign positions of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto have a collective meaning. They do not influence your personality and they are not to be really taken into account, unless they are involved in numerous aspects or when they emphasize a personal point of your natal chart such as your Ascendant's ruler, an angular planet, i.e. a planet near the Ascendant, the Midheaven, the Nadir or the Descendant. In such cases, the activity of the slow planet is very highlighted. Pluto in Libra intensifies your charisma and... your domination. Yet, you influence your entourage in charming and magnetic ways.

Mercury in Sagittarius: his intellect and social life

Your thirst for learning is considerable, Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978), and you can spend a lifetime studying languages, geography, philosophy and law, particularly. You are open-minded and you want to abolish all kinds of frontiers. The humanist, who is dormant in you, may turn into a “frequent traveller” reaching out to others in order to understand them and communicate with them. You express your opinions and your beliefs with honesty and clarity and likewise, you receive others' views with enthusiasm. You have numerous centres of interest and you may be perceived to be superficial, heedless and over-optimistic. However, if you manage to control your tendency to scattering, all your encounters, all your discoveries can positively influence your philosophical life approach.

Venus in Capricorn and the Sun in Capricorn: his affectivity and seductiveness

In your chart, the Sun and Venus are both in Capricorn. At once, this duet sets its affective standards very high: love is a quest for the absolute. You are not interested in commonplaces and conventional values. You rather prefer to attempt to ascend a mountain of love. A commendable ambition. You are credited with an unfailing integrity, an ascetic spirit that excludes all forms of deception. However, the heights you dream of may be out of your reach. Your romanticism, modestly concealed or restrained, offers emotions that people do not immediately perceive. Your heart is not as reserved and cold as people who do not know you may think. But how is it possible to share your aspirations for absolute love? It is so difficult to express and to share your very specific feelings. Remember… How many relationships were lost because you could not declare your love? Time was not on your side, but it can become your ally now. Your strength precisely lies in your exceptional ability to nurture, to structure and to maintain your relationship. If your partner finds her balance with this reassuring promise of longevity, then, you become able to build a relationship that grows each day stronger and closer to your ideal. Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978), it is obvious that you do not easily fall in love. But when you do, your feelings are deep, quiet, serious, and above all, lasting. Your need for security is indispensable for your well being and to enable you to give. You offer security and stability with your sense of duty even though you mix up responsibility and love. The charm of your partner does not only include physical features or aroused sentimental attraction, but also intellectual and moral qualities: you fiercely need authenticity and seriousness because this is the way you are. In general, your loves are not numerous and you become able to express yourself quite late in life. Your quiet and stable feelings are really worth it. If you do not get what you want, the danger is that you may seek refuge in cynicism and that you isolate yourself.

Mars in Leo: his ability to take action

What an energy, Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)! You take so many initiatives, you have so much strength for action, construction and struggle! You are part of the conquerors, loyal and concerned about panache. Your vitality is such that you can achieve your objectives and release all your creativity. However, you are so proud and so unyielding that you cannot tolerate the faintest annoyance on your way: if you are vexed, you may turn into the opposite direction as a matter of reaction. Sexually, your magnetism and your energy work wonders. You are not complicated and, as long as your slightly domineering nature is respected and you are granted due admiration, all goes perfectly well. You usually have a lot of self-confidence and you believe in you. This characteristic feature may turn you into a hero with Hercules's strength and solar charisma.

👑
Dominants
10 interpretations

Sun Dominant

If the Sun is part of your natal chart's planetary dominants, in astrology, you are said to be a Solarian: you loathe pettiness and Machiavellian manoeuvre, and you are fond of natural nobleness as well as of direct and honest attitudes. You endeavour to get out of muddled or dark situations as quickly as possible. Your need for transparency may lead you to make cut-and-dried judgments such as yes or no, and black or white. However, your honesty commands your entourage's consideration. At times, you come across as authoritarian. It is true that you never want to be thought of the notable absentee, and that you manage to make people pay attention to you, as well as to your plans and your assessments. To this end, the Solarian sometimes develops a great talent for placing himself under the spotlight without missing a single opportunity to arouse interest. Some other Solarians, although more discreet, still manage to be the focus of any debate, even in situations of exclusion. It is your way of being present even though you are actually not there... More than other people, you appreciate the esteem extended to you. It is useless to cheat with you, since in all areas you consider establishing enduring relationships only with those who love you, admire you, respect you, or express some degree of affection to you. Your will to straighten out your inter-personal relationships is your strength and sometimes, your Achilles' heel. You cannot achieve anything behind the scenes. Therefore, your comportment is marked with heroism, and your stands are devoid of ambiguity, in the sense that your commitments are unfailing, and your rebuffs, final. Interpretation of the 13° Capricorn symbolic degree "On a carpet of flowers, a man with a falcon head plays the harpsichord." ( Janduz version) Refined, devoted, and calculating character endowed with great artistic gifts. In the first part of life, one is driven by envy and selfish objectives and therefore, in order to reach one's artistic goals, one shows much dedication and respect to one's mentors. Once success, fame, and wealth are achieved, probably in music, the cinema, or philosophy, one becomes gentle and benevolent. If in the natal chart, the Moon is in conjunction with this degree, it heralds honours and unexpected riches which are far above one's original social status. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports. If you wish, you can receive immediately in your mailbox your detailed astrological portrait , a nice gift for yourself or for your close friends and relatives, who will deeply appreciate it.

Moon Dominant

If the Moon is part of your natal chart's planetary dominants, in astrology, you are said to be a Lunarian: the driving force behind your actions is mainly the pursuit of well-being and tranquillity. Your sensitive and romantic self lives on those periods of rest during which you let your imagination wander at will. This is your way of finding inspiration and balance. Nothing is allowed to disturb your feeling of fulfilment and security within a harmonious cell, be it a family or a clan. More than other people, the Lunarian is attached to those moments during which one forgets one's worries and lets oneself cast adrift aimlessly, with no other goal than to be lulled into an ambiance, a situation, or a perfect moment. Many people do not understand such absences and their meaning, which is to regain strength. These people readily describe you with such unflattering terms as apathy and nonchalance. Never mind! Some inspirations require surrendering as well as striking a balance derived from alternate action and passivity. Your qualities are expressed to the fullest in situations which demand familiarity and privacy. Your capacities to respect and blend into your environment is at least as valuable as some other people's aggressive dispositions. However, you are well-advised to avoid indolence and renunciation out of laziness or indifference. Interpretation of the 7° Scorpio symbolic degree "A beautiful rooster flaps its wings near several hens which are pecking around while an archer shoots at a flock of birds." ( Janduz version) Proud, vigilant, and courageous character endowed with numerous talents. One's competences are put at the service of the affairs of the country, probably in the field of justice and diplomacy. Rewards come in the guise of fame, honours, and a rich marriage. However, one must not heed one's jealous instincts and must refrain from being unfaithful in love. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports. If you wish, you can receive immediately in your mailbox your detailed astrological portrait , a nice gift for yourself or for your close friends and relatives, who will deeply appreciate it.

Mercury Dominant

If Mercury is part of your natal chart's planetary dominants, in astrology, you are said to be a Mercurian: the tradition points out the importance of communication. From idle but enriching chatters to observation gift, such a dominant endows you with a wide range of expression. Human beings have one thousand facets and one thousand masks they wear according to circumstances and the fortunes of the game of life. You take the role of an observer who is avid for novelties, discoveries, and surprises. Everything catches your attention and becomes an opportunity for new encounters, relationships, and learning. The world amazes you, amuses you sometimes, and stimulates your curiosity. Because the most important thing is to discover, and because you consider that each new situation is packed with potentialities, you try to fill the gaps in your knowledge. Although your open-mindedness may scatter your centres of interest, it also enables you to carefully avoid sticking to only one immutable and rigid view. The slightest sign enables you to perceive the other side of the coin, as well as the infinite complexity of people and of situations. On the human plane, you seek the dialogue and the information without which you know that you are not able to fully grasp the nature of your interlocutor. This keen interest in the Unknown sharpens your inter-relational skills. All these qualities are traditionally associated with Mercury. Interpretation of the 22° Sagittarius symbolic degree "A dagger with the hilt encrusted with precious stones pierces a heart caught in a wire screen." ( Janduz version) Selfish, jealous, and conceited character. One has difficulties in understanding that self-centredness harms relationships with friends or lovers, and that other people's aspirations must be given due consideration. This degree indicates unhappiness in love. If the natal chart concurs, there is a danger caused by a heart condition or a violent accident. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports. If you wish, you can receive immediately in your mailbox your detailed astrological portrait , a nice gift for yourself or for your close friends and relatives, who will deeply appreciate it.

Venus Dominant

If Venus is part of your natal chart's planetary dominants, in astrology, you are said to be a Venusian: you are a sensual and emotional person particularly receptive to the natural likes and dislikes aroused by your contact with people. You are prone to frequent instinctive aversions and true passions which are exclusively driven by the feeling of love. The heart has its reasons which Reason knows nothing of... Your balance is based on the richness of your affective life. Without love, the Venusian is resourceless, lost, and deprived of any reason for living. You have an obvious and strong will to charm and to arouse the attachments without which you cannot properly function. Every area of your life is thus marked by your affectivity. The danger is that you may "be taken in" by charm. In such cases, you would prefer to keep your emotions under better control. Thus, hyper-sensitivity has its own inconveniences. Nevertheless, better than anyone else, you know how to play with feelings and attractions. Although you are sometimes caught in the traps of an over sensitive emotionalism, feelings remain your best assets in many circumstances. There is another aspect to the Venusian dominant. According to the Tradition, this planet rules the Arts, and you are endowed with some degree of artistic dispositions, ranging from good to excellent. Interpretation of the 9° Capricorn symbolic degree "In the moonlight, a man holds an owl in each hand." ( Janduz version) Secretive, wise, and alert character. Success and fame can be achieved in any night shift work and in careers requiring confidentiality. Philosophy, astronomy, and occultism are also very favoured. Although one is not deliberately willing to harm colleagues or competitors, one readily takes advantage of their mistakes. Should the natal chart concur, setbacks stem from over-developed sensuality. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports. If you wish, you can receive immediately in your mailbox your detailed astrological portrait , a nice gift for yourself or for your close friends and relatives, who will deeply appreciate it.

Mars Dominant

If Mars is part of your natal chart's planetary dominants, in astrology, you are said to be a Marsian: in your hand-to-hand struggle for life, you demonstrate an acute and active sense of confrontation with the world, with other people, and with your own destiny. You need to take action and to fight for your projects and your desires. You perceive all situations with deep intensity, and you react to the here and now without bothering to step back in order to ensure that events are under your control. You take up challenges with excessive foolhardiness as a consequence of your impulsiveness. However, better than anyone else, you know how to mobilise your resources in case of crisis. You take action whenever it is necessary to do so, and you are present in a timely manner. With Mars, your attitudes are dictated by the realities of the moment, by your emotions, and by everything which proved to have worked in the past. When this dominant is not well integrated, it may bring about an aggressive or impulsive behaviour. Therefore, you must learn to control your hyper-sensitivity and your fits of temper. You are also endowed with Marsian qualities: the fighting spirit and the taste for duel without which one may find oneself overwhelmed by events. When this willpower is well channelled, its precious energy enables to cope with all sorts of contingencies. There are a thousand ways to win, and a thousand challenges to take up with the enthusiasm and the dynamism which make life so worthy. A certain idea of life which is wild, passionate, and in tune with events. Interpretation of the 8° Leo symbolic degree "A peacock spreads its tail as it follows a nobleman in a ceremonial dress. In the background, there is a castle with its gardens and terraces." ( Janduz version) Conceited, materialistic, and superficial character tinged with a streak of snobbery. The family comes from a high social layer. One has very good tastes but also an irrepressible propensity to ostentation. Excessive importance is paid to appearances, and much money is wasted in showing off one's worldly possessions. One has no concern whatsoever for the essential things of life. Whether one's fortune is inherited or earned by oneself, one enjoys happiness among one's fellow creatures. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports. If you wish, you can receive immediately in your mailbox your detailed astrological portrait , a nice gift for yourself or for your close friends and relatives, who will deeply appreciate it.

Jupiter Dominant

If Jupiter is part of your natal chart's planetary dominants, in astrology, you are said to be a Jupiterian: because this planet brings about a keen interest in social and professional success, the Tradition considers it to be beneficial. Indeed, you know how to adjust to events and to jump at the chance when it arises. The members of your entourage gladly entrust you with high responsibilities because they are often impressed by your learning skills and your adaptation abilities as you deal with new structures and new languages. What is the secret of your good star? It is your self-confidence which wins public support. Now, what is the secret of your charm? Definitely, enthusiasm, euphoria, and exaltation. Exaggeration also. When this dominant is well integrated, it is a factor of affluence and optimism, and a certain degree of joviality enables you to easily fit into various spheres. It constitutes your main asset to manage your life. However, you must at times curb your desire for integration, lest your sense of opportunity turns into extreme opportunism. Here also, the key to success lies in a correct estimate of everyone's chances and possibilities. Although management is one of your forte, and you can adjust your objectives to current realities better than other people, you lack the hindsight which enables you to avoid short-term vagaries and daily fluctuations. If you strive too much to adapt, you run a risk of betraying yourself. This is the other traditional side of the coin with "The Greater Benefic"! Interpretation of the 29° Gemini symbolic degree "Two men walk side by side in the forest with their dogs kept on a leash. Their manners are warm, but they watch one another from the corner of their eyes. A sheep does not realise that a wolf is following it." ( Janduz version) Unscrupulous, brutal, and cunning character ready for anything in order to reach one's ends. One is driven by an intense instinct of domination, and one does not hesitate to betray supporters and friends. One also resorts to hypocrisy and pretends to be devoted to higher-ups with a view to getting lucrative positions. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports. If you wish, you can receive immediately in your mailbox your detailed astrological portrait , a nice gift for yourself or for your close friends and relatives, who will deeply appreciate it.

Saturn Dominant

If Saturn is part of your natal chart's planetary dominants, in astrology, you are said to be a Saturnian: you gladly leave to other people the decision to take life as it comes. As far as you are concerned, you prefer to take advantage of your experiences in order to discover, to grow, and to question yourself. Interpretation of the 0° Virgo symbolic degree "The owners of the manor have put on their most beautiful attire to attend a party they offer to all the villagers." ( Janduz version) Sociable, pleasant and orderly character. One is willing to adjust to all situations and always respects friends and visitors regardless of their social origins. One is fond of all sorts of entertainments and parties. One has numerous friends because one's warm and helpful nature is highly appreciated. Life unfolds in happiness and simplicity. If in the natal chart, this degree is in conjunction with the Ascendant and the Sun, and if it forms hard aspects with Jupiter or Venus, it indicates an overwhelming desire for luxury, and a superficial lifestyle with overdeveloped concern for appearences and sensual pleasures. Over-eating and over-drinking bring about ill-health. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports. If you wish, you can receive immediately in your mailbox your detailed astrological portrait , a nice gift for yourself or for your close friends and relatives, who will deeply appreciate it.

Uranus Dominant

If Uranus is part of your natal chart's planetary dominants, in astrology, you are said to be a Uranian: personal values are prevailing. Inner certainties fuel an inflexible will and a desire to call attention on yourself as well as to follow your beliefs through. This planet prompts you to behave with determination, to put forward your own truth, and to start your personal revolution. More than other people, you are willing to keep some degree of autonomy in all circumstances, and you often display an individualistic nature. In order to achieve your ideal of freedom and independence, you may act like a despot as you try to convince and to impose your views, whether smoothly or forcefully. Regardless of the flexibility of your comportment, some situations demand an absolute firmness as well as uncompromising, frank and straightforward attitudes. People may criticise you for your intransigence and say that you are a hardliner. Outsider's opinions don't matter! The most important thing is that you act in all conscience and reach your primary objectives. More than anyone else, you know how to use your willpower and to focus your energy on a precise aim, relentlessly, whatever the consequences might be. In the chapter of qualities, let's mention a definite sense of responsibility, an innovative mind open to techniques and modern ideas, as well as a natural self-discipline which overcomes many an obstacle. Therefore, people are well-advised not to hound you into a corner. Interpretation of the 15° Scorpio symbolic degree "On the seashore, birds of prey chase away a wolf which tries to get near a carcass." ( Janduz version) Independent, scheming, and quarrelsome character. One does not hesitate to embark on dangerous adventures, which brings about in failure and ruin. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports. If you wish, you can receive immediately in your mailbox your detailed astrological portrait , a nice gift for yourself or for your close friends and relatives, who will deeply appreciate it.

Neptune Dominant

If Neptune is part of your natal chart's planetary dominants, in astrology, you are said to be a Neptunian: your intuition is highly developed. You are of a contemplative nature, and you are particularly receptive to ambiances, places, and people. You gladly cultivate the art of letting-go, and you allow the natural unfolding of events to construct your world. You follow your inspirations, for better or for worse. At times, you display an extraordinary clairvoyance gift. You seem to be able to read your subconscious like a book, and you track down subtle underlying mechanisms, flaws, or open breaches. This innate intuition might explain the strokes of good luck which the Neptunian is sometimes credited with. However, you may also be the victim of illusions and misleading intuitions. You are an idealist, and you let your deepest aspirations prevail over the realities of the moment. Then, you set off in quest of some quixotic objective, living like a Don Quixote who relentlessly pursues an impossible dream. You have a great talent for psychology and the mysteries of the human soul. Since you instinctively perceive people's intents and motivations, as you swim in the complexity of human nature, you feel in your element. The subtlety of your perceptiveness is the source of both special affections and irrevocable rejections. What is the danger of such a dominant? If it is not offset by other influences in your natal chart, you may not have an iron will. Your trump card is your instinct, which may be developed to the extent that it becomes clairvoyance. Interpretation of the 16° Sagittarius symbolic degree "« In the middle of the sea, an old man on a raft leans on a stick." ( Janduz version) Introverted, daring, and independent character. For some reason, one is estranged from parents during childhood. Loneliness has contributed to slowly develop willpower, resilience, and audacity. One achieves several remarkable feats of bravery, but success brings about foolhardiness, and after repeated risky undertakings resulting in failures and losses, the last part of life is marked by poverty. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports. If you wish, you can receive immediately in your mailbox your detailed astrological portrait , a nice gift for yourself or for your close friends and relatives, who will deeply appreciate it.

Pluto Dominant

If Pluto is part of your natal chart's planetary dominants, in astrology, you are said to be a Plutonian: you sometimes feel like a foreigner who does not belong to the world, to its laws, and its concerns. The rules of life in society are not necessarily yours. You are interested in what is unknown and in the subtle laws of a hidden order. So, you take malicious pleasure in ridiculing the patterns you find too simplistic or too rigid. You also revel in underlining the limits of explanations you deem too common. There is something unconventional about the way you are, the way you think, and the way you act. What is your specificity made of? Is it an extraordinary partner? A life off the beaten path? Or do you only distance yourself from conventional morals? In any case, you have the feeling, sometimes quite vague, that you come from nowhere, and that you do not belong to any definite group... In short, it means that you cannot be simplified in order to conform to existing models. The gap between you and ordinary mortals is also an element of your strength. Your deep clear-sightedness, firstly, enables you to put things into perspective and to grant them only the attention they deserve. Your other remarkable asset is your capacity to intervene from behind the scenes, to secretly organise events, and to bring about the desirable outcome without seeming to impose or to dictate anything. However, you must still overcome one of the major difficulties of this dominant, which is to get people to accept your difference and to smoothly fit into your environment. Interpretation of the 16° Libra symbolic degree "A dagger is planted in the front door of a hovel." ( Janduz version) Irascible, fault-finding, and unfair character. One does not hesitate to criticise without offering a solution. The propensity to systematically contradict and sneer at one's interlocutors must be tightly reined in, lest one undergoes serious setbacks. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports. If you wish, you can receive immediately in your mailbox your detailed astrological portrait , a nice gift for yourself or for your close friends and relatives, who will deeply appreciate it.

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Symbolic Degree Interpretations
12 interpretations

"On a carpet of flowers, a man with a falcon head plays the harpsichord." ( Janduz version)

Refined, devoted, and calculating character endowed with great artistic gifts. In the first part of life, one is driven by envy and selfish objectives and therefore, in order to reach one's artistic goals, one shows much dedication and respect to one's mentors. Once success, fame, and wealth are achieved, probably in music, the cinema, or philosophy, one becomes gentle and benevolent. If in the natal chart, the Moon is in conjunction with this degree, it heralds honours and unexpected riches which are far above one's original social status. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports.

"A beautiful rooster flaps its wings near several hens which are pecking around while an archer shoots at a flock of birds." ( Janduz version)

Proud, vigilant, and courageous character endowed with numerous talents. One's competences are put at the service of the affairs of the country, probably in the field of justice and diplomacy. Rewards come in the guise of fame, honours, and a rich marriage. However, one must not heed one's jealous instincts and must refrain from being unfaithful in love. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports.

"A dagger with the hilt encrusted with precious stones pierces a heart caught in a wire screen." ( Janduz version)

Selfish, jealous, and conceited character. One has difficulties in understanding that self-centredness harms relationships with friends or lovers, and that other people's aspirations must be given due consideration. This degree indicates unhappiness in love. If the natal chart concurs, there is a danger caused by a heart condition or a violent accident. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports.

"In the moonlight, a man holds an owl in each hand." ( Janduz version)

Secretive, wise, and alert character. Success and fame can be achieved in any night shift work and in careers requiring confidentiality. Philosophy, astronomy, and occultism are also very favoured. Although one is not deliberately willing to harm colleagues or competitors, one readily takes advantage of their mistakes. Should the natal chart concur, setbacks stem from over-developed sensuality. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports.

"A peacock spreads its tail as it follows a nobleman in a ceremonial dress. In the background, there is a castle with its gardens and terraces." ( Janduz version)

Conceited, materialistic, and superficial character tinged with a streak of snobbery. The family comes from a high social layer. One has very good tastes but also an irrepressible propensity to ostentation. Excessive importance is paid to appearances, and much money is wasted in showing off one's worldly possessions. One has no concern whatsoever for the essential things of life. Whether one's fortune is inherited or earned by oneself, one enjoys happiness among one's fellow creatures. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports.

"Two men walk side by side in the forest with their dogs kept on a leash. Their manners are warm, but they watch one another from the corner of their eyes. A sheep does not realise that a wolf is following it." ( Janduz version)

Unscrupulous, brutal, and cunning character ready for anything in order to reach one's ends. One is driven by an intense instinct of domination, and one does not hesitate to betray supporters and friends. One also resorts to hypocrisy and pretends to be devoted to higher-ups with a view to getting lucrative positions. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports.

"The owners of the manor have put on their most beautiful attire to attend a party they offer to all the villagers." ( Janduz version)

Sociable, pleasant and orderly character. One is willing to adjust to all situations and always respects friends and visitors regardless of their social origins. One is fond of all sorts of entertainments and parties. One has numerous friends because one's warm and helpful nature is highly appreciated. Life unfolds in happiness and simplicity. If in the natal chart, this degree is in conjunction with the Ascendant and the Sun, and if it forms hard aspects with Jupiter or Venus, it indicates an overwhelming desire for luxury, and a superficial lifestyle with overdeveloped concern for appearences and sensual pleasures. Over-eating and over-drinking bring about ill-health. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports.

"On the seashore, birds of prey chase away a wolf which tries to get near a carcass." ( Janduz version)

Independent, scheming, and quarrelsome character. One does not hesitate to embark on dangerous adventures, which brings about in failure and ruin. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports.

"« In the middle of the sea, an old man on a raft leans on a stick." ( Janduz version)

Introverted, daring, and independent character. For some reason, one is estranged from parents during childhood. Loneliness has contributed to slowly develop willpower, resilience, and audacity. One achieves several remarkable feats of bravery, but success brings about foolhardiness, and after repeated risky undertakings resulting in failures and losses, the last part of life is marked by poverty. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports.

"A dagger is planted in the front door of a hovel." ( Janduz version)

Irascible, fault-finding, and unfair character. One does not hesitate to criticise without offering a solution. The propensity to systematically contradict and sneer at one's interlocutors must be tightly reined in, lest one undergoes serious setbacks. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports.

"A man with a black face, but with white hands and feet, tries to jump on a centaur which holds a bow and arrows." ( Janduz version)

The man symbolises subtlety, duality, changes, and sometimes opportunism and hypocrisy. The centaur represents independence, idealism, courage, and sometimes, boastfulness and conceit. The natal chart indicates which drawing is relevant. In both cases, success is achieved through personal efforts, good luck, and marriage. This degree often indicates that the father is a foreigner or an important man whose social status is much higher than that of the mother. In some cases, the father dies before the child is born, or the birth occurs out of wedlock. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports.

"A man and two women gamble in a lavishly furnished room decorated with exotic flowers." ( Janduz version)

Reckless, extravagant, and coward character. One is unable to manage one's destiny properly because one is only concerned with superficial pleasures and external appearances. The lavish lifestyle one enjoys is beyond one's means and may bring about big financial losses. Should the natal chart concur, there is a danger of poisoning through gas, chemical substances, and narcotics. N.B.: symbolic degrees belong to a branch of fatalistic astrology. Their interpretation must be regarded with the utmost caution, especially given the fact that different authors give different meanings to symbolic degrees. This is the reason why they are not included in our Astrotheme reports.

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Other
10 interpretations

Planetary Positions and Aspects of Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)

Positions of Planets Sun 13°42' Capricorn Moon 7°47' Scorpio Mercury 22°00' Sagittarius Venus 9°26' Capricorn Mars 8°06' Я Leo Jupiter 29°25' Я Gemini Saturn 0°02' Я Virgo Uranus 15°27' Scorpio Neptune 16°52' Sagittarius Pluto 16°38' Libra Chiron 1°08' Я Taurus Ceres 18°28' Sagittarius Pallas 28°43' Scorpio Juno 0°42' Capricorn Vesta 17°17' Scorpio Node 10°18' Я Libra Lilith 17°41' Я Cancer List of Planetary Aspects Sun Conjunction Venus Orb 4°15' Mercury Conjunction Neptune Orb 5°08' Moon Conjunction Uranus Orb 7°40' Mercury Opposite Jupiter Orb 7°25' Moon Square Mars Orb 0°18' Sun Square Pluto Orb 2°56' Venus Square Pluto Orb 7°12' Mars Square Uranus Orb 7°21' Mercury Trine Saturn Orb 8°01' Moon Trine Jupiter Orb 8°21' Neptune Sextile Pluto Orb 0°13' Jupiter Sextile Saturn Orb 0°36' Moon Sextile Venus Orb 1°38' Sun Sextile Uranus Orb 1°45' Mercury Sextile Pluto Orb 5°21' Sun Sextile Moon Orb 5°54' Venus Sextile Uranus Orb 6°01' Venus Inconjunction Mars Orb 1°20' Moon SemiSquare Mercury Orb 0°46' Jupiter SesquiQuadrate Uranus Orb 1°01' Mercury SesquiQuadrate Mars Orb 1°05' Sun SesquiQuadrate Saturn Orb 1°19' Uranus SemiSextile Pluto Orb 1°10' Uranus SemiSextile Neptune Orb 1°24' Biography of Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978) (excerpt) Richard Mason (born 1978) is a South African-British novelist and philanthropist. Early life Richard Mason was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 4 January 1978. His parents were anti-Apartheid activists and brought Mason to the United Kingdom when he was 10 years old. Mason attended Sussex House School. Career Richard Mason first came to prominence in 1999 at the age of 21, when the London Times dubbed him "king of the hot young writers". He had just published his first novel, The Drowning People, an "exceptional achievement" (Guardian) that became "one of the most talked-about first novels of 1999" (Daily Telegraph). As The Telegraph put it, "If you want to be au courant with modern fiction, you will need to read it." "The Drowning People" sold more than a million copies in over 20 countries, was translated into 22 languages, and won Italy's Grinzane Cavour Prize for Best First Novel. Mason's second novel, Us (2005), was "an explosive mixture of cocky irony and elegy “ and took five years to write. It fuses the narratives of two men and a woman, each remembering their time at Oxford and the parts they played in the death of a dear friend. The critics' response was ecstatic. As Rebecca Pearson put it in the Independent on Sunday: "Only two books in my life have made me cry… is Us, Richard Mason's devastatingly tragic, funny and utterly gripping novel." In The Lighted Rooms (2008), Mason takes the audacious step of putting an eighty-year-old woman in the grip of dementia at the center of the drama. What no one knows is that Joan McAllister is having the time of her life, as dementia's hallucinations allow her to revisit her past and the vitality of her youth. Ranging from British nursing homes to South African concentration camps during the Anglo-Boer War, and taking in the stock market bubble and the tensions of a relationship between a mother and her daughter, the characters in this "immensely readable magnum opus" (The New Yorker) are drawn with "a narrative wisdom surely unknown to most authors in their thirties" – Il Sottoscrito (Italy). As a leading Dutch newspaper put it: "Richard Mason is a hugely talented writer. When you read his book, you automatically think of authors like Thomas Mann and John Updike. This is a classic novel, written by a future literary master". (Rob Schouten, Trouw) Psychological accuracy is a hallmark of Mason's fiction, and his fourth novel, History of a Pleasure Seeker (2011), is a treasure trove of insight and humour. An Oprah Pick of the Month, the story of a dashing young man's adventures through the gilded age is "the best new work of fiction to cross my desk in many moons". (Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post) In his "beautifully turned, classical style" ('New York Times Book Review) Mason takes the lid off a privileged family and shows how sex, while not necessarily the same thing as love, can be a potent force for good. Philanthropy With the royalties of "The Drowning People", Mason established the Kay Mason Foundation. Under the patronage of Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the foundation works to identify promising teenagers and give them the education and experience they need to lead South Africa in the post-Apartheid era. In 2010, Mason became a co-founder of Project Lulutho, in collaboration with the community of Mthwaku in South Africa’s rural Eastern Cape. Mason spent a year under canvas helping with the construction and was a major funder of this center of conservation and green business skills, playing a key role in bringing together the stakeholders from civil society and government necessary to turn a ravaged ecosystem into "a place of hope". Prizes Mason’s first novel, The Drowning People, won the Grinzane Cavour Prize for Best First Novel. The Lighted Rooms and History of a Pleasure Seeker were long-listed for the Sunday Times Award and The Lighted Rooms was longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award. Mason's work for disadvantaged South Africans was honoured by an Inyathelo Award for Merit in Philanthropy in 2010. Publishing Business In 2010, Mason cofounded Orson & Co, a publishing house dedicated to multimedia eBooks. Their edition of Mason's History of a Pleasure Seeker brought together a number of musicians and actors including Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens, tenor Alex Richardson, and pianist Spencer Meyer. Orson & Co suspended its eBook publishing efforts in 2019.

Biography of Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978) (excerpt)

Richard Mason (born 1978) is a South African-British novelist and philanthropist. Early life Richard Mason was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 4 January 1978. His parents were anti-Apartheid activists and brought Mason to the United Kingdom when he was 10 years old. Mason attended Sussex House School. Career Richard Mason first came to prominence in 1999 at the age of 21, when the London Times dubbed him "king of the hot young writers". He had just published his first novel, The Drowning People, an "exceptional achievement" (Guardian) that became "one of the most talked-about first novels of 1999" (Daily Telegraph). As The Telegraph put it, "If you want to be au courant with modern fiction, you will need to read it." "The Drowning People" sold more than a million copies in over 20 countries, was translated into 22 languages, and won Italy's Grinzane Cavour Prize for Best First Novel. Mason's second novel, Us (2005), was "an explosive mixture of cocky irony and elegy “ and took five years to write. It fuses the narratives of two men and a woman, each remembering their time at Oxford and the parts they played in the death of a dear friend. The critics' response was ecstatic. As Rebecca Pearson put it in the Independent on Sunday: "Only two books in my life have made me cry… is Us, Richard Mason's devastatingly tragic, funny and utterly gripping novel." In The Lighted Rooms (2008), Mason takes the audacious step of putting an eighty-year-old woman in the grip of dementia at the center of the drama. What no one knows is that Joan McAllister is having the time of her life, as dementia's hallucinations allow her to revisit her past and the vitality of her youth. Ranging from British nursing homes to South African concentration camps during the Anglo-Boer War, and taking in the stock market bubble and the tensions of a relationship between a mother and her daughter, the characters in this "immensely readable magnum opus" (The New Yorker) are drawn with "a narrative wisdom surely unknown to most authors in their thirties" – Il Sottoscrito (Italy). As a leading Dutch newspaper put it: "Richard Mason is a hugely talented writer. When you read his book, you automatically think of authors like Thomas Mann and John Updike. This is a classic novel, written by a future literary master". (Rob Schouten, Trouw) Psychological accuracy is a hallmark of Mason's fiction, and his fourth novel, History of a Pleasure Seeker (2011), is a treasure trove of insight and humour. An Oprah Pick of the Month, the story of a dashing young man's adventures through the gilded age is "the best new work of fiction to cross my desk in many moons". (Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post) In his "beautifully turned, classical style" ('New York Times Book Review) Mason takes the lid off a privileged family and shows how sex, while not necessarily the same thing as love, can be a potent force for good. Philanthropy With the royalties of "The Drowning People", Mason established the Kay Mason Foundation. Under the patronage of Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the foundation works to identify promising teenagers and give them the education and experience they need to lead South Africa in the post-Apartheid era. In 2010, Mason became a co-founder of Project Lulutho, in collaboration with the community of Mthwaku in South Africa’s rural Eastern Cape. Mason spent a year under canvas helping with the construction and was a major funder of this center of conservation and green business skills, playing a key role in bringing together the stakeholders from civil society and government necessary to turn a ravaged ecosystem into "a place of hope". Prizes Mason’s first novel, The Drowning People, won the Grinzane Cavour Prize for Best First Novel. The Lighted Rooms and History of a Pleasure Seeker were long-listed for the Sunday Times Award and The Lighted Rooms was longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award. Mason's work for disadvantaged South Africans was honoured by an Inyathelo Award for Merit in Philanthropy in 2010. Publishing Business In 2010, Mason cofounded Orson & Co, a publishing house dedicated to multimedia eBooks. Their edition of Mason's History of a Pleasure Seeker brought together a number of musicians and actors including Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens, tenor Alex Richardson, and pianist Spencer Meyer. Orson & Co suspended its eBook publishing efforts in 2019.

Astrological Profile of Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978) (Filtered Excerpt)

Disclaimer : these short excerpts of astrological charts are computer processed. They are, by no means, of a personal nature. This principle is valid for the 77 268 celebrities included in our database. These texts provide the meanings of planets, or combination of planets, in signs and in houses, as well as the interpretations of planetary dominants in line with modern Western astrology rules. Moreover, since Astrotheme is not a polemic website, no negative aspect which may damage the good reputation of a celebrity is posted here, unlike in the comprehensive astrological portrait.

Introduction

Astrological Portrait Here are some character traits from Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)'s birth chart. This description is far from being comprehensive but it can shed light on his/her personality, which is still interesting for professional astrologers or astrology lovers. In a matter of minutes, you can get at your email address your astrological portrait (approximately 32 pages), a much more comprehensive report than this portrait of Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978). Note: as this celebrity's birth time is unknown, the chart is arbitrarily calculated for 12:00 PM - the legal time for his/her place of birth; since astrological houses are not taken into account, this astrological profile excerpt is less detailed than those for which the birth time is known.

Astrological Dominants of Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)

This section presents the main astrological dominants in Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)'s birth chart. When the time of birth is unknown, four dominant factors are displayed: elements (Fire, Earth, Air, Water), modalities or modes (Cardinal, Fixed, Mutable), dominant planets, and dominant signs. If the birth time is known, three additional dominants are included: dominant houses, house accentuations (angular, succedent, cadent), and quadrant distribution, which offers insight into psychological orientation and behavioral tendencies. These astrological dominants form a kind of background tone — a first impression of temperament and chart structure. They provide useful context ahead of the more detailed interpretation based on planetary positions by sign, house, aspect, and dignity. Warning: when the birth time is unknown, which is the case for Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978), a few paragraphs become irrelevant; distributions in hemispheres and quadrants are meaningless, so are dominant houses and houses' accentuations. Therefore, some chapters are removed from this part. For all paragraphs, the criteria for valuation are calculated without taking into account angles and rulerships of the Ascendant and of the Midheaven. The methodology retains its validity, but it is less precise without a time of birth.

Elements and Modes for Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)

Like the majority of Earth signs, Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978), you are efficient, concrete and not too emotional. What matters to you is what you see: you judge the tree by its fruits. Your ideas keep changing, words disappear, but actions and their consequences are visible and remain. Express your sensitivity, even if it means revealing your vulnerability. Emotions, energy and communication must not be neglected; concrete action is meaningless if it is not justified by your heart, your intellect or your enthusiasm. Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978), Fire is dominant in your natal chart and endows you with intuition, energy, courage, self-confidence, and enthusiasm! You are inclined to be passionate, you assert your willpower, you move forward, and come hell or high water, you achieve your dreams and your goals. The relative weakness of this element is the difficulty to step back or a kind of boldness that may prompt you to do foolish things. The twelve zodiacal signs are split up into three groups or modes, called quadruplicities, a learned word meaning only that these three groups include four signs. The Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable modes are more or less represented in your natal chart, depending on planets' positions and importance, and on angles in the twelve signs. Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978), the Cardinal mode is dominant here and indicates a predisposition to action, and more exactly, to impulsion and to undertake: you are very keen to implement the plans you have in mind, to get things going and to create them. This is the most important aspect that inspires enthusiasm and adrenalin in you, without which you can grow weary rapidly. You are individualistic (maybe too much?) and assertive. You let others strengthen and improve the constructions which you built with fervour.

Dominants: Planets and Signs for Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)

In astrology, planets symbolize core drives, signs shape how they express themselves, and houses show where they manifest in life. A dominant planet points to a strong inner dynamic, a dominant sign reflects prevailing temperament, and a dominant house highlights key life priorities. This triad — or duo when the birth time is unknown — offers a broad overview of personality before deeper interpretation through aspects and dignities. It serves as a prelude to more detailed chart analysis. In your natal chart, Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978), the ten main planets are distributed as follows: The three most important planets in your chart are Uranus, Pluto and Venus. Uranus is among your dominant planets: just like Neptune and Pluto, Uranian typology is less clearly defined than the so-called classical seven planets that are visible to the naked eye, from the Sun to Saturn. However, it is possible to associate your Uranian nature with a few clear characteristics: Uranus rhymes with independence, freedom, originality, or even rebelliousness and marginality, when things go wrong... Uranus is Mercury's higher octave and as such, he borrows some of its traits of character; namely, a tendency to intellectualize situations and emotions with affective detachment, or at least jagged affectivity. Therefore, you are certainly a passionate man who is on the lookout for any kind of action or revolutionary idea, and you are keen on new things. Uranians are never predictable, and it is especially when they are believed to be stable and well settled that... they change everything - their life, partner, and job! In fact, you are allergic to any kind of routine, although avoiding it must give way to many risks. With Pluto as a dominant planet in your chart, you are a magnetic and mighty predator, like the Scorpio sign ruled by this planet, who needs to exert pressure on others in order to "test" them. You are always ready to evolve, to risk destruction for reconstruction - including your own - to live more intensely whilst imposing your secret authority on things and on people you encounter. You may come across as wicked, cruel or too authoritarian, but actually you only follow your instinct, you sound people out, and you like to exert your domination simply because your vital energy is too powerful to remain inside. You are inclined to be passionate, with hidden motivations. You are sometimes misunderstood but one of your great Plutonian assets is to go successfully through each life ordeal with ever growing strength. With Venus among your dominant planets, one of your first reflexes is... to please! Your look, your charm, and your seduction are omnipresent elements in your behaviour. Your approach to things is connected to your heart, and for you, no real communication can flow if your interlocutors exude no sympathy or warmth. Cold and logical reasoning, clear thoughts and good sense are not important to you: if there is no affective bond with your environment, no connection can be established with the Venusian that you are, and nothing happens. You have a strong artistic side, and you never neglect subjective but clear concepts such as pleasure, beauty, and also sensuality. However, sometimes to the detriment of efficiency, durability, logic, and... detachment. In your natal chart, the three most important signs - according to criteria mentioned above - are in decreasing order of strength Capricorn, Scorpio and Sagittarius. In general, these signs are important because your Ascendant or your Sun is located there. But this is not always the case: there may be a cluster of planets, or a planet may be near an angle other than the Midheaven or Ascendant. It may also be because two or three planets are considered to be very active because they form numerous aspects from these signs. Thus, you display some of the three signs' characteristics, a bit like a superposition of features on the rest of your chart, and it is all the more so if the sign is emphasized. Capricorn is one of your dominant signs and endows you with a grave and serious style that seems to stick to you constantly. But if you have that reserved and cold side - as some extrovert people may think - on the other hand, you possess sturdy qualities: you are strong-willed and tough. Your long-term vision, your sense of duty, and your ambition are not affected by the derisory and erratic motions that seem to upset most mortals less steady than you. Besides, you are like a good wine, you age well and your natural solemnity or serious side paradoxically turns into an almost cheerful appearance, as you grow older. You are actually very sensitive when it comes to love. Faithful, caring, sweet, and sensitive, your behaviour is very different in your everyday, sentimental life. A golden heart beats under your tough and austere appearance... With Scorpio as a dominant sign, you are a strong and astute person, complicated and passionate, sometimes destructive and intolerant, but strong-willed, tough and daring, sometimes bordering on aggressive. So many qualities and dangers combined in one person! Obviously, this often results in a natural selection of people around you: those who stand up to you or admire you and those who can't bear you anymore! But that is precisely what you want. You are what you are and you are not going to transform yourself just to please. You are too proud and you never dread confrontations, although your way of fighting is secret, like your nature that, mysteriously enough, you are so reluctant to reveal even to your close friends who will never understand you. That said... what a hellish charm you have! Sagittarius, an adventurous and conquering fire sign, is dominant in your chart: you are enthusiastic, enterprising, optimistic, very sociable, and mobile - you have itchy feet, both physically and mentally. Nobody gets bored with you because you are always planning things and suggesting excursions, at least... when you are around and not already gone on a trip! Obviously, so many movements for one man may scare people off, and some of them may even criticize your brutality or your tendency to loose your temper, but you are so warm and genuine, so expansive, isn't this a good thing? And all the more so, since your sense of humour is overwhelming... After this paragraph about dominant planets, of Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978), here are the character traits that you must read more carefully than the previous texts since they are very specific: the texts about dominant planets only give background information about the personality and remain quite general: they emphasize or, on the contrary, mitigate different particularities or facets of a personality. A human being is a complex whole and only bodies of texts can attempt to successfully figure out all the finer points.

The Moon in Scorpio: his sensitivity

Your sensitivity is intuitive and clear-sighted Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978). Your exacerbated affectivity and your emotions are secretive, intense, deep and sensual. Your magnetic nature seduces. You are aware of the strange fascination you exert and you gladly cultivate this mysterious aura. Your feelings are so powerful that you may feel you should repress them sometimes. But the more you try to control them, the stronger they grow. Therefore, your jealousy may reach such levels that it may hurt. Without half-measure, you become aggressive and you can harm because your inner radar instinctively detects other people's weaknesses. Your emotions are often filled with eroticism and you are an explosive blend of lucidity, amorous intensity and constant provocation but... you are so charming! Your nature is attractive, even bewitching. After all, the only persons you offend are the middle course followers...

The Sun in Capricorn: his will and inner motivations

Psychologically speaking, your nature is introverted and cold, totally controlled and phlegmatic, at least regarding the image you project invariably. You seem unemotional and austere. Actually, due to your secondarity, you chew over your strategies or your reactions required by your environment. You are slow but very thoughtful, solid and balanced. You are as curt as you are cold and you put the entire strength of your character at the service of your huge and long-term ambition or of your detachment from earthly riches and you focus on spiritual values. Like all the persons born under an apparently reserved and tough sign, your inner personality is often charming and gentle, as if the thick armour, forged throughout childhood, had entirely preserved the purity and the warmth of the soul imprisoned within. As you are born under this sign, you are serious, cold, disciplined, patient, focused, thoughtful, ambitious, indomitable, cautious, lucid, persistent, provident, steady, introverted, stern, wilful, hard-working, responsible, persevering, honest, realistic, loyal, reserved, resolute, moralistic, quiet, rigorous, attached and reliable. But you may also be curt, withdrawn, calculating, petty, cruel, unpleasant, ruthless, selfish, dull, rigid, slow or sceptical. Sir, in love, you may feel less interested than the other Zodiacal signs because you repress your feelings and you practice so much self-control. You want to keep situations under full control, in all circumstances, although love is the only area where progress requires a laid-back attitude, where it is necessary to give in order to receive, all things which are difficult for you. Therefore, you are alone for a long part of your life until you meet with the love of your life, to whom you will be faithful and attached, beyond reproach. Capricorn has very few but intense and lasting love affairs. Daily life within your couple is responsible and serious. It may not be too bubbling, but your feelings’ sustainability and solidity make for your lack of spontaneity and extravagance. You may not be very available, as all your time is taken up by your work and the pursuit of success. You are very keen to marry a person who can share your professional interests, which does not lessen the quality of your attachment at all. Your home is sound, with an atmosphere of seriousness. The effort-oriented education, which you give your children, is respectful of the best traditions.

Conclusion

Astrological Portrait This text is only an excerpt from the portrait of of Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978), which we hope will inspire you to deepen your knowledge of astrology. If you wish, you can instantly get your own full astrological portrait , far more detailed than this overview.

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Life Path Number

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Frequently Asked Questions About Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)

What is Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)'s MBTI personality type?
Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)'s MBTI personality type is INTJ, based on community voting and personality typing on AstroTypeDB.
What is Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)'s Enneagram type?
Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978) is typed as Enneagram 4 on AstroTypeDB.
What is Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)'s zodiac sign?
Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)'s zodiac (Sun) sign is Capricorn. Based on a birth date of January 4, 1978.
What is Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)'s Moon sign?
Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)'s Moon sign is Scorpio, derived from the natal chart calculated for January 4, 1978.
When was Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978) born?
Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978) was born on January 4, 1978 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Where was Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978) born?
Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978) was born in Johannesburg, South Africa.
How is Richard Mason (novelist, born 1978)'s personality type determined?
Personality types on AstroTypeDB combine community voting, evidence from interviews and behavior, and assessments referenced by typology databases. Visitors can also cast their own votes for sun, moon and ascendant — top consensus is shown publicly.