While I’m not a staunch believer in astrology, I do find great enjoyment in reading horoscopes. Come the first of every month you will find me glued to my computer constantly refreshing the AstrologyZone homepage for updates.

I recently discovered the work of astrologer Katharine Merlin through her book, The Private Lives of the Sun Signs. Although this is her first book in 25 years, Merlin is no stranger to the zodiac world. She has been writing the monthly horoscopes for Town&Country magazine since 1989.

The book explores the personality traits of the twelve zodiac signs, with insights into what motivates the people of each group, how they communicate, and relate to other people. Each section is filled with people from Merlin's own life, as well as public figures throughout time. For example, she connects the curiosity of Geminis to their love of language and wordplay, observing “many brilliant writers have been born under the sign of the Twins”—Saul Bellow, Walt Whitman, Allen Ginsberg, Arthur Conan Doyle, to name a few.

As a Gemini and books reviews editor with a particular fondness for wordplay (for Halloween one year I dressed up as the “Red Scare”—a red ghost with a sickle and hammer), it’s easy to see how this rings true for me. It’s that thrill of recognition that makes Merlin’s book so much fun to read.

What’s great about Merlin’s approach to astrology is that she isn't concerned with letting your zodiac sign define who you are, but instead uses it to provide perspective and offer a point of comparison that sparks self-reflection.