Weekend Cooking with Fancy Pantry

I spent all of last weekend in the kitchen doing some canning and a little baking. I only began learning the canning process last year and while it can be time consuming, I was surprised at how relatively easy it is to preserve summer's fruits and vegetables to enjoy all year long. I canned Peach Jam with Rum from a recipe contained in Fancy Pantry by Helen Witty (1986). This book appears to currently be out of print but you can still find copies available to purchase online. I first learned of this book from reading Sarah Ban Breathnach's Simple Abundance which I loved and return to often. Fancy Pantry is full of simple gourmet chutneys, sauces, jams and more designed to offer a little luxury to your meal or afternoon snack.

Here is the recipe for Peach or Nectarine Jam with Brown Sugar & Rum from Fancy Pantry:

6 cups coarsely chopped peeled firm-ripe peaches or nectarines (about 4 pounds)

2 cups (packed) light brown sugar

6 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup dark rum, preferably Jamaican

2 cups granulated sugar

1. Combine the peaches with the brown sugar and lemon juice and about half of the rum in a large bowl and stir the mixture well. Cover it and let it sit overnight.

2. Pour the peach mixture into a preserving pan. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover the pan, reduce the heat, and cook the mixture until the peach chunks are beginning to be translucent., 15 to 20 minutes; stir it several times. If the jam becomes too thick before the fruit clarifies, add 2 or 3 tablespoons of water. Add the granulated sugar and cook the jam rapidly, stirring almost constantly, until a spoonful placed on a chilled saucer and refrigerated for a few moments wrinkles instead of running when the saucer is tilted sharply. (Remove the pot from the heat while testing.) Stir in the remaining rum and cook the jam for 2 minutes, stirring.

3. Ladle the boiling-hot jam into hot, clean pint or half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Seal the jars with clean two-part canning lids according to manufacturer's directions and process for 15 minutes (for either size jar) in a boiling-water bath. Cool, label, and store the jars. Jam is ready to use immediately.  

Happy Reading!

Rebecca

This post is linked up to Weekend Cooking, a weekly meme hosted by Beth at Beth Fish Reads.

Mission to Paris- A Review

I recently finished Mission to Paris by Alan Furst. His other books include: Night Soldiers, Dark Star, The Polish Officer, The World at Night, Red Gold, Kingdom of Shadows, Blood of Victory, Dark Voyage, The Foreign Correspondent, The Spies of Warsaw, and Spies of the Balkans.

This was my first foray into the spy thriller genre so I felt a little out of my element in the beginning of the novel. However, as the characters developed, I found myself intrigued by the play of events and curious to see how the lead character, movie actor Fredrich Stahl, fairs in his dealings with the politics behind the film industry during a crucial time in the world's history.

There are a lot of characters that come into play throughout the novel and I wanted to know more of their background. There could be so many spinoffs where these characters have the potential to carry their own storylines in future novels. They each possessed their own secrets that don't fully come to light in Mission to Paris.

The city of Paris is almost a character itself, always luring you in with her seduction- elegant hotels, quaint bistros, and the sophistication of its fashionably clad inhabitants.

Initially, Stahl appears to be an egocentric celebrity but as he is forced to play the game by the Nazi's rules, the reader discovers that he is greatly sensitive to the cultural issues that were weighing so heavily on Europe at that time and he answers to his conscious. I enjoyed Mission to Paris. It was a nice change to step out of my reading comfort zone and discover a more masculine style of writing.

I received Mission to Paris from Random House Reader's Circle.


Happy Reading!
Rebecca

Random House Book Description
     It is the late summer of 1938, Europe is about to explode, the Hollywood film star Fredric Stahl is on his way to Paris to make a movie for Paramount France. The Nazis know he's coming- a secret bureau within the Reich Foreign Ministry has for years been waging political  warfare against France, using bribery, intimidation, and corrupt newspapers to weaken French morale and degrade France's will to defend herself.
     For their purposes, Fredrich Stahl is a perfect agent of influence, and they attack him. What they don't know is that Stahl is horrified by the Nazi war on Jews and intellectuals, has become a part of an informal spy service being run out the American embassy in Paris.
     From Alan Furst, the bestselling author often praised as the best spy novelist ever, comes a novel that will have you reading "just one more page" until you're done. Mission to Paris includes beautifully drawn scenes of romance and intimacy, and the novel is alive with extraordinary characters: the German Baroness von Reschke, a famous hostess deeply involved in Nazi clandestine oeprations; the assassins Herbert and Lothar; the Russion film actress Olga Orlova; the Hungarian diplomat and spy Count Janos Polanyi; along with the French cast of Stahl's movie, German film producers, and the magnetic women in Stahl's life, the socialite Kiki de Saint-Ange and the emigre Renate Steiner.
     But always at the center of the novel is the city of Paris, the heart and soul of Europe- its alleys and bistros, hotels grand and anonymous, and the Parisians, living every night as though it was their last. As always, Alan Furst brings to life both a dark time in history and the passion of the human hearts that fought to survive it.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

June 25

"It's Monday! What Are You Reading?" is a meme hosted by Sheila from Book Journey where readers share what they are currently reading, recently read, or plan to read next.

Currently Reading: Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

This little bench has become my favorite reading spot this summer. I am going to take my time reading Prodigal Summer and enjoy the beautiful weather we have been having in Huntington, W.Va. Many readers from last week's meme commented on how much they liked this book so I chose to read it next.

My view from my bench is my new teacup birdfeeder. It is the perfect setting for Prodigal Summer. I hope each of you are enjoying the season.

I just finished reading: Mission to Paris by Alan Furst and hope to have the review posted soon.

New Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier, author of The Girl With the Pearl Earring. I picked this copy up at my local library's recent used book sale because I know it has been popular and appealed to many readers. Library book sales are a great way to pick up many titles at great prices.

To enter, simply leave me a comment by June 30, 2012 and let me know if would like to be entered.

Thanks again for visiting The Key to the Gate!

Happy Reading!

Rebecca

Reading Groups: The Beginning of Beautiful Friendships

When you commit to becoming a part of a reading group/book club, you may find that active participation can be time-consuming. There is the time spent reading the selected book and author biographies, staying in touch with members and updating your group's social media pages, the actual meetings for discussion, as well as researching books for future selections.

During this process, you will spend a fair amount of time with the individuals that comprise your group. First, recognize that this is potentially quality time. And for many members who may be bogged down with work, parenting, household chores, volunteer projects, and many other responsibilities- this may be the only time they have to dedicate for themselves.

Through reading, you discover new cultures, religions and viewpoints, continually enhancing your own life and self-development. As part of a group, you experience this growth and change together, which can create a unique bond among your members. As you become more comfortable with the others, you may find yourself beginning to share details of your own life and difficulties you are facing.

Although reading is the anchor that centers the group, socializing is an important aspect of meetings. Once you learn more about each member, you will have a better understanding of his/her viewpoint on the reading material.

With the continued success of your group, members will likely encounter a range of life experiences- graduations, births, career or occupation changes, and even suffering the loss of loved ones. One of the many benefits of being a part of a group is that you will not face these moments alone. Hopefully with time, you will not only call your fellow book club members "readers" but also "friends."

Happy Reading!
Rebecca

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

June 18

"It's Monday! What Are You Reading?" is a meme hosted by Sheila from Book Journey where readers share what they are currently reading, recently read, or plan to read next.

Currently Reading

Mission to Paris by Alan Furst

I was excited to win this title from Random House Reader's Circle. I typically don't select mystery/ spy thrillers to read so this one is a chance for me to step into a new genre. I will share a review as soon as I finish. I've been slacking on my reading this past week and look forward to seeing what each of you are reading for some inspiration. If you have never checked out Random House Reader's Circle, you should! It's a good resource for discussion guides and also provides an outlet for readers to contact published authors for potential chats.

Coming Up

The additional books I hope to complete this summer include:

The Country Girls by Edna O'Brien

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

A Woman of Rome: A Life of Elsa Morante by Lily Tuck

Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor


New Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of "Burning Bright" by Tracy Chevalier, author of The Girl With the Pearl Earring. I picked this copy up at my local library's recent used book sale because I know it has been popular and appealed to many readers. Library book sales are a great way to stock up on many titles at great prices.

To enter, simply leave me a comment on any of my posts (old or new) between now and June 30, 2012.

Thanks again for visiting The Key to the Gate!

Happy Reading!

Rebecca

Israela Winner and a New Giveaway!

Congratulations to Heather @ Based on a True Story for winning the set of four Israela by Batya Casper books for her book group!

New Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of "Burning Bright" by Tracy Chevalier, author of The Girl With the Pearl Earring. I picked this copy up at my local library's recent used book sale because I know it has been popular and appealed to many readers. Library book sales are a great way to pick up many titles at great prices.

To enter, simply leave me a comment on any of my posts (old or new) between now and June 30, 2012.

Thanks again for visiting The Key to the Gate!

Happy Reading!

Rebecca

A Cookbook Staycation

You can create a fulfilling staycation this summer simply by curling up with a great cookbook. I enjoy cooking. But I love cookbooks. Cooking by Hand by Paul Bertolli (Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2003) is an excellent book to get you started on your culinary journey. Bertolli, executive chef and co-owner of Oliveto Restaurant, will serve you well as a resourceful and inspirational guide. Although this book does not contain photographs to accompany each recipe, the reader will not be disappointed with Bertolli's descriptive stories of his experience with food and gourmet cuisine.

"...I learned to wait patiently for the fruit of our sour orange tree to deliver on the promise of its exquisitely scented spring blossoms. I watched its color change through the summer and autumn from lime green to pale yellow, until the chill of December finally transformed its fruit to a deep persimmon. Tight-skinned and unapproachable for months, the oranges were now easy to peel; their flavor was intensely sweet and tangy at the same time. They seemed to taste of all the light they'd ever absorbed." (Introduction xi)

Cooking by Hand offers many traditional Italian recipes, but the emphasis is to discover the creative process required for mastering memorable dishes- a technique that takes the cook beyond the mechanisms of following measured-out instructions. Through his detailed guidance for selecting the perfect ingredients, determining an item's ripeness, or properly preparing meat, Bertolli creates a literary image of the dish that would make it almost too beautiful to eat. Cooking by Hand is a cookbook for the cook or reader interested in learning to appreciate the effort that goes into the creation of a delicious meal, even the most simplistic in form. This is a book of words you devour as much as the dishes.

However, if you are a cook or reader dependent on visuals. "The Food of Italy, France, Spain, India (and more)" series by Bay Books are the cookbooks for you. These books feature full-color, large-scale photographs of each recipe showcased and also provide climate and cultural information from each region of the country.

From The Food of Italy (Bay Books)

After spending time on the pages of these gorgeous cookbooks, you will feel as though you have traveled abroad and will be inspired to spend the rest of your staycation in the kitchen sharing your journey with family and friends through your culinary endeavors.

Bon Appétit!

Rebecca

    

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

"It's Monday! What Are You Reading?" is a meme hosted by Sheila from Book Journey where readers share what they are currently reading, recently read, or plan to read next. This is my first time participating in this meme and I am excited to see what everyone else is reading!

Currently Reading:

A member of my book club selected "Fifty Shades of Grey" by E.L. James as our group's current read. This book has received massive media exposure due to its graphic content targeted toward female readers. I'd love to hear what others thought of this book.

Up Next:

I recently won a copy of this novel from Random House Reader's Circle and am looking forward to delving into it. Here is a brief description from Good Reads:

It is the late summer of 1938, Europe is about to explode, the Hollywood film star Fredric Stahl is on his way to Paris to make a movie for Paramount France. The Nazis know he’s coming—a secret bureau within the Reich Foreign Ministry has for years been waging political warfare against France, using bribery, intimidation, and corrupt newspapers to weaken French morale and degrade France’s will to defend herself. For their purposes, Fredric Stahl is a perfect agent of influence, and they attack him. What they don’t know is that Stahl, horrified by the Nazi war on Jews and intellectuals, has become part of an informal spy service being run out of the American embassy in Paris.

There is still time to enter to win four copies of "Israela" for your reading group!

Simply leave a comment on this post with a link back to your blog or website or email thekeytothegate@gmail.com so that I have your contact information if selected. The deadline to enter is June 15, 2011.

Visit my previous posts "Israela Book Discussion and Giveaway" and  "Israela: An Interview with the Author" to learn more about this wonderful book!

Hemingway & Gellhorn- A Look at the Life of a Writer

Photo taken at Ernest Hemingway's writing studio at Hemingway House in Key West, Fla.

HBO recently released its new film Hemingway & Gellhorn, which is directed by Phillip Kaufman and provides a look into the lives of Ernest Hemingway and his third wife, journalist Martha Gellhorn. Starring Clive Owen as Hemingway and Nicole Kidman as Gellhorn, the film follows the literary pair throughout their relationship, including through Spain during the Spanish Civil War and later China, where Gellhorn continued her work for Collier's magazine as a war correspondent. Throughout the movie, we are given a look at the life of writers as they struggle to find inspiration and accept the critiques and reviews that come with publishing their works. Hemingway credits Gellhorn for inspiring him to write For Whom the Bell Tolls, a Pulitzer Prize nominated novel. Writers and readers alike will be intrigued by the images into Hemingway's personal life and the tumultuous relationship of these two two successful writers.

Last summer, I had the opportunity to visit The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West, Fla. This house was his home from 1931 to 1939 and is well worth the visit if you are in the Keys for a glimpse inside Hemingway's writing studio featured in the pictures in this post.

Happy Reading!
Rebecca

Hemingway's writing studio at Hemingway House in Key West, Fla.

Hemingway's writing studio at Hemingway House in Key West, Fla.

Cats on the grounds of Hemingway House at Key West, Fla.

   

Life of Pi

"The world isn't just the way it is. It is how we understand it, no? And in understanding something, we bring something to it, no? Doesn't that make life a story?"   ~Pi Patel

Recently, I compiled a list of books in my "To Be Read" stack and shared these on Pinterest. It was this book, Life of Pi by Yann Martel (Harcourt, Inc., 2001) that generated the most comments- all favorable. After finishing this book, I can understand how it would resonate with so many. 

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Book Description (www.amazon.com)

The son of a zookeeper, Pi Patel has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior and a fervent love of stories. When Pi is sixteen, his family emigrates from India to North America aboard a Japanese cargo ship, along with their zoo animals bound for new homes. The ship sinks. Pi finds himself alone in a lifeboat, his only companions a hyena, an orangutan, a wounded zebra, and Richard Parker, a 450-pound Bengal tiger. Soon the tiger has dispatched all but Pi, whose fear, knowledge, and cunning allow him to coexist with Richard Parker for 227 days while lost at sea. When they finally reach the coast of Mexico, Richard Parker flees to the jungle, never to be seen again. The Japanese authorities who interrogate Pi refuse to believe his story and press him to tell them "the truth." After hours of coercion, Pi tells a second story, a story much less fantastical, much more conventional--but is it more true?

There are thousands of reviews of Life of Pi circulating on the Internet, in journals and numerous literary publications, so I will not even attempt to dissect my thoughts on the text or author's intent here. I do highly recommend this very well-written and thought-provoking novel to any reader interested in not only a good story to lose your own troubles and worries in but also to discover more about your own spiritual journey. I must admit I was not prepared for the riveting ending that leaves the reader to determine his/her own faith in both the story and the story teller. Throughout the novel, Pi is continually searching for understanding- in religion, science, environment, social order, and life. Yet, in the end, it is the very things that he cannot explain that hold the most meaning.

Have you read Life of Pi? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
Rebecca

Israela: An Interview with the Author

A Discussion with Batya Casper, 

author of "Israela"

 

The conflicts the characters in the book encounter are clearly ones that you are extremely knowledgeable and familiar with but was there anything surprising you learned about Israel's history or yourself while writing Israela?

Casper:
Yes. I’d originally conceived of this project as a work of non-fiction. I wanted to trace the history of modern Israel for myself so I could more clearly see how Israel had arrived at her present situation. However, as I wrote, fictional characters and imaginary situations kept popping into my mind - as it were, of their own volition. I realized that for me to paint a broad canvas, it was best to depict the details, everyday, authentic actions and emotions of what I now like to refer to as virtually correct fictional characters.

My second surprise was Israela herself. I wrote the entire book with another title in mind, knowing that it was not the title I really wanted. The morning after I had completed the book, when I was really finished with it, I woke with the word “Israela” in my head, and I knew she was the title. More, the moment I chose “Israela” as my title, I felt a compulsion to write. Israela wrote herself into her own sections, providing the sense of time, antiquity – and the sense of some other element – that I had wanted all along.

What would a typical writing day look like for you? Do you prefer to write during a certain time of day? Do you write in long-hand or via your computer? Where do you generally write?

Casper:
I am a compulsive writer. Either I have nothing to say, in which case I can stand on my head and worship all the gods at once, but nothing will come to me.

Or, I have something I want to say, in which case I am like the proverbial dog with a bone. I write for long stretches - up to nine to ten hours at a time. I prefer to sit at my computer, at my desk, in solitude. Early mornings are my best time to start writing.

It was refreshing to read a novel with such strong female leads. Did you always envision the story through the eyes of Orit, Ratiba and Elisheva or did one take on a larger role than you originally planned as the story unraveled?

Yes. I started out with a single character – Elisheva. She soon split off into herself and Orit – two very different characters. Before long, Ruti/Ratiba emerged. I worked the hardest on her because I knew her the least. To my great surprise, she is now recognized at Israela’s main character.

What books would you recommend others to read?

Casper:
Reading is such a personal undertaking, as personal as the clothes we wear, or the homes we live in. My taste is quite traditional, I think.

 I love Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns; Gabriel Garcia’s One Hundred Years of Solitude; A.B. Yehoshua – both his Mr. Mani and his A Journey To The End of The Millenium. I adored Nicole Krauss’ The History of Love. I love all of Barbara Kingsolver’s books, especially The Poisonwood Bible; Flauber’s Madame Bovary (of course,) Dostoevsky’s the Last of the Just, which I read as a young girl and which has stayed with me ever since. I have been most influenced by the great Russian writers, and by the Bible. I consider the Book of Kings, with the stories of Kind Saul and David to be among the finest literature ever written.

The Israeli/Palestinian conflict is a very complicated issue and it can be difficult as an outsider to follow the issues through the media. What is your hope that readers take away from "Israela"?

Casper:
I hope they gain a sense of Israel’s humanity, of life in Israel as a constant balancing act between its complex social structure, its complicated, contradictory histories and cultures, and the rigors and joys of everyday existence. More than anything, I want my readers to come away with a sense of the temerity, the incredible earnestness with which people there – all peace-loving people there – struggle with issues; face their problems, make their decisions and face the consequences of those decisions, conscious at every moment that each decision made will affect their lives, their well-being, and those of their neighbors. I want my readers to know that life in Israel is way more - more beautiful, more joyous and more tragic than the ever present Arab/Israeli conflict depicted by the media.

About the Author
From www.israelathebook.com
     Batya Casper, Ph.D, is a director and teacher of theater, trained to manipulate conflict for dramatic effect. "What a glib endeavor compared to the blood and tears of real life," she says. Casper has lived in Israel intermittently since early childhood. She has watched friends and family struggle, question, sacrifice their children.
     She has lived in numerous countries, including England, Scotland, South Africa, Israel and the United States, and brings a worldly perspective to her writings. Batya is a director and actress. She also teaches theater. She directed several plays in Israel, including Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard and Athol Fugard’s Playground, both mentioned in her new book. She earned a BA in English literature, and has a Masters and a Ph.D. in theater Arts from UCLA.
     Batya moved to Israel in 1956 – just eight years after the State of Israel was formed. She has lived there intermittently since early childhood. Batya taught Hebrew literature and biblical studies at an adult education center in St. Louis and she taught Hebrew to adults in Boston. She also worked as an Assistant to the Cultural Attache of Israel in Boston, as the coordinator of educational programs for exchange students between U.S. and Israel.

Happy Reading!

Rebecca

Israela Book Discussion and Giveaway!

Israela

by Batya Casper

"Israela" by Batya Casper, (Tate Publishing & Enterprises, LLC, 2011), is a story of love, secrets, betrayal, loss, survival, and hope. The story unravels through the eyes of three women, each with their own viewpoint and vision for the future. Centered around the conflicts of the Irsaeli and Arab people, this book helps us to understand the struggle and cost of peace. What would the land we inhabit say to us if she had a voice? Can we soften our own hearts enough to listen?

"In my heart, I call to their mothers, 'Take your sons to your houses, Bind them to your chairs; gag them, blindfold them if necessary until they grow calm. Then teach them, for they have forgotten, about peace, about the blessed life, about a future- a present- without pain.' Beneath their prayers, in their morning cups of coffee, beneath their love making and their child rearing, and in their sorrows, especially in their sorrow when burying their dead, I hear the simmering of heating souls; I smell the charge of armies, of lives exploding uselessly into smithereens. I sit mourning over a disaster still to come."

My book club won copies of this beautiful book from Book Movement and we would like to pass four copies along to one lucky winner for their next book club selection. If you have been thinking of forming a book club but haven't yet made that leap, enter to win and have a set of four books for your invited members to get you started. Check out my previous posts on Starting a Book Club and how to Take Your Book Club from Fair to Fabulous for more tips.

Enter to win four copies of "Israela"

Simply leave a comment on this post with a link back to your blog or website or email thekeytothegate@gmail.com so that I have your contact information if selected. The deadline to enter is June 15, 2011.

Stay tuned for the next post at The Key to the Gate featuring a Q & A with Batya Casper, author of "Israela."

                                                                                                           

Enrich your reading by sharing your thoughts on books with others by starting a book club.

   No book club meeting is complete without refreshments. If you feed them, they will come.

Happy Reading!

Rebecca

Birdsong: A Novel of Love and War

I just finished reading Birdsong: A Novel of Love and War by Sebastian Faulks (Vintage International, 1993) and what a terrific read! I came across this book at my local library's book sale about a year ago and it looked intriguing so I picked it up. After researching the book online, I discovered that it has been extremely popular in the U.K. since it was released and has been adapted for radio, stage, and recently television as a two-part film for PBS's Masterpiece Anthology series. It is also part of a trilogy (The Girl at the Lion d'Or and Charlotte Gray) consisting of similar characters. It is the perfect British saga to tide Downton Abbey fans over until its third-season return in the U.S. next year.

From the Publisher

Published to international critical and popular acclaim, this intensely romantic yet stunningly realistic novel spans three generations and the unimaginable gulf between the First World War and the present. As the young Englishman Stephen Wraysford passes through a tempestuous love affair with Isabelle Azaire in France and enters the dark, surreal world beneath the trenches of No Man's Land, Sebastian Faulks creates a world of fiction that is as tragic as A Farewell to Arms and as sensuous as The English Patient. Crafted from the ruins of war and the indestructibility of love, Birdsong is a novel that will be read and marveled at for years to come.

" I feel guilty that I have survived when all the others are gone." 

- Stephen Wraysford 

Birdsong elegantly expresses man's eternal struggle to find meaning even in the darkest of days. It reminds us of the sacrifices of our war veterans and those of our allies, and how we can never fully understand or process the emotional, physical, and mental depths they have traversed. Yet surprisingly through all the ugliness and despair, the need for love remains.

If you have already read this novel, leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts.

Happy Reading!

Rebecca

     

Book Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Kristin T. for winning a copy of 

"They Came Like Swallows" by William Maxwell!

Stay Tuned for Upcoming Giveaways and much more from

The Key to the Gate.

Finding One's Way Through Reading

For the last few years, I have tried to incorporate more inspirational reading into my roundup of books. It can be difficult to find contentment in our excess driven culture where we are inundated with images of air-brushed perfection designed to deceive us into thinking that reality could ever be so impeccably polished.

The world of technology has advanced so rapidly in the last decade that we are now "tuned in" to receive advertising and messages at all times. Sometimes you just need to remove yourself from the constant chatter to be reminded that happiness doesn't always arrive in a jubilant roar, it can also come in the quietest of whispers.

I wanted to share with you three books that I have found inspiring and encouraging, and always keep close at hand:

The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron
This book is a wonderful resource to remind you that a creative life is a fulfilled life. Cameron takes the reader on an artistic journey to tap into one's creative self that. Through scheduled time that is dedicated solely to one's art, this book encourages you to express your creativity and to set small goals in order to reach your ultimate dream. One of the more difficult assignments in the book is to spend a week in "Reading Deprivation"- no newspapers, books, magazines, or other printed materials- to learn how to listen to your own inner voice. You must learn to nurture your talents to find the confidence you need to achieve your goals. This books shows us that through our own creative endeavors, we possess the tools needed to obtain personal success.

The Heart of Buddha's Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh
Thich Nhat Hanh is an acclaimed Buddhist monk, poet, and peacemaker who shares with us the teachings of Buddha in such simplicity and beauty that one immediately feels that peace is possible for each and everyone one of us. Accepting that we cannot change our past any more than we can predict our future, we find the serenity needed to enjoy simple pleasures in the present. This book is a perfect primer for learning to  question our own actions and how our behaviors reflect the struggle within. When we criticize others, what is  it about ourselves that we are feeling unhappy about that leads us to pass judgement? Through the Buddha's lessons, Thich Nhat Hanh helps us to acknowledge our thoughts before we speak or take action so that we can instantly change our way of thinking to a positive approach and benefit from a positive response.

Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach
If you only share one book with the women in your life, this very well may be the one to pass along. The information in this book is cataloged as daily journal entries for an entire year but if you are like me, you will likely devour this book in a week. There is much more to this book than you may gather from some reviews. It is much more than a "how-to" on organizing your linen closet or establishing a kitchen pantry. The passages are full of reminders on celebrating each day and realizing that your success can't be defined by material objects. Creating a simple life isn't entirely about participating in the green movement. It's about making our days less stressful, appreciating what we have as opposed to constantly coveting more, and embracing each new day with a grateful heart.

Rebecca

      

Steinbeck- American Literary Master

I am so excited to begin the new book just published by the University of Virginia Press, "Steinbeck in Vietnam: Dispatches from the War." Edited by Thomas E. Barden, "Steinbeck in Vietnam" is a compilation of the columns Steinbeck wrote for publication in Newsday between December 1966 and May 1967 as he toured the war zone. These dispatches are the last published works of John Steinbeck.

Other great works by Steinbeck:

 

Give the Gift of Books this Mother's Day

Mother's Day is quickly approaching. Still searching for gift ideas? Give the gift that keeps on giving...a Book!

"The Red Tent" by Anita Diamant celebrates women and the role they play as mothers, wives, sisters, aunts, friends, and daughters. The story is told through the voice of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, who is briefly mentioned in the Book of Genesis. Through Dinah, we are provided a look at the life and culture of her mother, her aunt Rachel, and the women who surround them. This story details Dinah's imagined fate, as well as embracing the mother of all living things.

"The Lace Reader" by Brunonia Barry centers around a group of women living in modern-day Salem, Mass, who create a specific lace that has been made for generations. Several of the women have the gift of reading one's future in the pattern of the lace, a talent that is strongly guarded alongside the secrets of the Whitney women. "The Lace Reader" is a mystery that leaves the reader questioning which events are myth and which are reality. Only the lace knows for certain.

Celebrate Mother's Day with one of these or another great read by giving the gift of a book and sharing the joy of reading!

Rebecca

Book Giveaway!

The first book giveaway from 'The Key to the Gate'

Originally published in 1937, "They Came Like Swallows" by William Maxwell centers around the Spanish influenza epidemic of 1918 following the end of World War I, and how one small-town Illinois family endures the crisis and tragedy which befalls them.

** To be entered to win, simply become a follower of The Key to the Gate by utilizing the "Join this site" tool in the sidebar at the right of the page. The deadline to follow is May 12. A random selection of all followers will be made following the deadline and the winner will be notified for mailing contact information. 

Stay tuned for future book giveaways!

Rebecca

Unbroken

Click the image to buy this title from Amazon.

I always learn something from every book I read. Within its story, there is most often a theme or message that causes me to think beyond the characters and situations described. But some books have such a great impact that I am certain they will remain with me for the rest of my days. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, author of Seabiscuit: An American Legend, is one of those books. I don't want to give away too many details because I highly encourage you to read this book if you have yet to do so. Unbroken is a recount of the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner, who enlists in WWII serving as a bombardier in the Army Air Force. After the B-24 on which Zamperini is serving on a search and rescue mission crashes in the Pacific Ocean, he is taken on a journey that no one could imagine and few could endure. It is a book that reminds us of the importance of small acts of kindness even in the midst of the horrors of war, and why this group of men and women are considered "the greatest generation." Unbroken is a beautiful salute to our veterans. It is a story of resilience, inspiration, faith, survival, and how one man refused to be broken.

April is National Poetry Month

Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is held every April to celebrate the art of poetry.

Take a Reading Challenge: Set a goal to read one poem a day for the remainder of the month. Many poems are available online for free. Revisit the works of one of the "Great Romantics" such as Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, or John Keats. Indulge in American poetry from the masters- Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson- or a more contemporary/modern poet- e. e. cummings, Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes.

Learn more about National Poetry Month or search for poems via author or theme to discover new poets at www.poets.org. You may just find the inspiration you need to write your own poem and share it with others on your social networking sites.

There are also many movies that prominently feature poetry such as The Dead Poets Society in which Robin Williams portrays an English teacher who inspires students to love poetry or my personal favorite, Bright Star, which is based on the life of poet John Keats.

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What are you waiting for?

Carpe Diem and Discover Poetry!

Rebecca