I've always been interested in psychology, so I was excited to read this book that was recommended to me by a friend (incidentally, she and I took Introduction to Psychology together when we were in college). The Color Code, written by Utah psychologist Taylor Hartman, provides a key to understanding the different personality types that exist in all human beings. He insists that all personalities can be divided into four basic types (or colors, using his system): red (driven by power, basically Type A personalities); blue (motivated by intimacy, emotional); white (peacemakers) and yellow (fun-loving, party people). Obviously, he says, people have secondary and mixed colors, but their basic makeups fall into these four categories. I was a little skeptical at first (people are so complex, it should be impossible to categorize them so easily), but his system is surprisingly accurate. I could easily pinpoint red, blue, white and yellow people in my life, and their personalities (in general) were described almost perfectly by Dr. Hartman.

Hartman's point is that by identifying these personality types, we can better understand how to communicate and associate with each other. Also, by finding our own color, we can better understand ourselves and how we relate to other people. With this goal in mind, Hartman provides a test to determine your own color. Then, he goes through each of the colors, listing its strengths and weaknesses. While this was interesting, what I found most fascinating was his analysis of the relationships of people with differing colors. Hartman goes through each color combination, detailing how the colors interact when paired as co-workers, spouses, friends, parent/child, etc. Again, I found his descriptions surprisingly accurate.

The final section of the book (which I found to be the least interesting) focuses on becoming "charactered," or building character by developing positive traits found in colors other than your own. For instance, a Yellow who says, "I'm too fun-loving to work hard - that's just the way I am," is not charactered. A Yellow who says "Yes, I'm fun-loving, but I also discipline myself to finish work before I play," is charactered. Hartman has actually written Color Your Future, which I believe focuses solely on this aspect of his philosophy.

I found Hartman's book riveting. Some of it's a little cheesy (I snickered every time he used the term "rainbow connection"), but I think it's already helped me to understand myself and others a little better. Even if you're skeptical, it's a fun book to read.

If you don't have time to find the book, you can take the personality test for free at http://www.thecolorcode.com/. You do have to create an account there, but you can opt out of receiving mailings from them.

So, after staying up all night reading Mary Higgins Clark's new book (see review below), I picked up Chris Bohjalian's The Double Bind, thinking it would be a more leisurely read. I even told my husband, "Don't worry, this one isn't as exciting as the last one. I won't have to stay up all night reading it." Well, guess what? I was wrong. Although it started out slowly, it turned into an extremely compelling book that I was very reluctant to put down.

It tells the story of Laurel Estabrook, a young social worker, who comes across a box of old photos left behind by a homeless man. The photographs were obviously taken by someone with great expertise, and Laurel becomes obsessed with learning how the homeless man went from successful photojournalist to penniless transient. Her search leads her to the Gatsby Family (yes, the Gatsbys, figments of F. Scott Fitzgerald's imagination), where devastating family secrets abound. The obsession takes its toll on Laurel, already emotionally fragile from a vicious attack she suffered several years earlier. Her friends and family are frightened for her, but she refuses to give up her all-consuming quest for the truth. The ending is a shocker (which I won't give away), but it will change the way you view the whole novel.

Like I said before, the first part of the novel was a little slow. Plus, I was thrown off by the inclusion of the Gatsbys in the story (although it makes sense later in the book). I almost abandoned the whole novel, but out of loyalty to Bohjalian, I stuck with it. I'm glad I did, because it turned into a fast-paced, absorbing read. Once I got over Bohjalian's resurrection of the Gatsbys, I enjoyed the search for their deep, dark family secrets. While I didn't stay up all night, I did finish the book in a day, so deeply was I enthralled with Laurel's story.

My only beef with the book is the ending, which is hard to discuss without ruining the surprise. I can only say that it ruined the story for me, because it felt like such a cheap finale. Also, I'm not sure the clues Bohjalian sprinkled throughout the story really were strong enough to support the ending. It's one of those you-either-love-it-or-you-hate-it kind of things.

Despite the ending, I thought The Double Bind was a great read. It also provides an interesting (though somewhat preachy) perspective on homelessness. Pick it up - you won't be disappointed (except, maybe by the ending).

I stayed up until 1 this morning finishing Mary Higgins Clark's newest mystery, I Heard That Song Before. I've been reading Clark since junior high, and consider her one of my favorite authors. I know she's not the greatest writer, but she manages to pen pageturners that are exciting, while maintaining a definite PG rating. Still, I have been somewhat disappointed in her last few books, and this one was no exception.

The story focuses on Kay Lansing, a librarian working in Englewood, New Jersey, who finds herself taking a step into her past when she enters the Carrington Family's sprawling estate to ask a favor of its owner, Peter. It's the same mansion where her deceased father once worked as a landscaper. When Peter agrees to work with Kay on a literary fundraiser, the two fall in love and are married after a whirlwind courtship. Kay is happy with the union, but her family and friends are uneasy about her new husband. Twenty-two years ago, Peter was dating Susan Althorp, who was murdered after he supposedly dropped her off at her home. No proof could connect Peter to the crime, but he had still been presumed guilty by the general public. Later, when his wife mysteriously drowned, he again became a "person of interest" in a homicide. Kay believes in Peter, but finds herself in the minority when Susan's body is discovered on the Carrington's property. Once again, Peter is at the center of a murder investigation. As the evidence piles up against him, Kay determines to find the real killer. There's no shortage of suspects: Susan's father was angry with her the night she died; could he have harmed his own daughter? Or was it Gary Barr, the temperamental servant, who gets jumpy every time he's interviewed? For Kay, the answer hinges on an argument she overheard in the mansion's deserted chapel when she was six. As Kay tries desperately to make the connection, she finds herself in a race against time to save her husband and herself.

Like I said, Mary Higgins Clark knows how to keep a reader turning pages by focusing almost solely on plot. Her characters are all flat as pancakes, her writing is lifeless (she's the queen of telling, not showing), and her dialogue is stilted and unnatural. Usually, I can overlook these things for a compelling plot, but I Heard That Song Before's storyline is so full of holes it's hard to concentrate on anything else. It starts with Kay's marriage to Peter, which happens so quickly the reader never has a chance to see a relationship develop. Yet, somehow, they are hopelessly in love. It goes on from there, with plot twists that come out of nowhere and myriad loose ends that are never tied up. All this made for a dissatisfying read.

Make no mistake, I still love Clark and will probably read every book she writes until the day she dies. I'm that loyal. However, her last few books have not been up to par on many levels, although somehow they still manage to pull me in and keep me reading way past bedtime.