Labyrinth

I just finished a novel that brought back such memories for me. Labyrinth by Kate Mosse is set in southwest France, the Languedoc, in and around Carcassone. It's a book replete with medieval history, Crusaders, the Cathars and legends of the Holy Grail. While it's fiction, Ms. Mosse has done extensive research on the period she writes about, i.e. the 13th century. The story is what she calls a 'timeslip;' it moves back and forth between the 13th century and the 21st century. Various characters are mirrored across the millenia. Alice Tanner is an ancestor of Alais Pelletier du Mas and bits of memory of Alais' life in medieval France haunt Alice's thoughts and dreams. Competing secret societies seek the Grail; Alice as a volunteer on an archaelogical dig in the Sabarthes Mountains stumbles on clues that will lead everyone to the Grail's mysteries. 21st century murder and magic mimic the mayhem of the 13th century. Does Alice really 'stumble' or is she lead by the influences Alais, Guilhem and Escarlmonde across the centuries? Is she able to bring rest and peace to the restless souls who protected the Grail from the onslaught of the only Crusade mounted inside France? Is there a way for her to avenge the deaths of thousands of Cathars burned by order of the King of France and the Pope? If you love medieval history, this novel is for you. Fictional characters in a story interwoven in real history and real people. And it will be even more meaningful if, like me, you've visited this part of France, climbed the pog to Montsegur and journeyed through Cathar land.

Lunch in Paris

You're probably wondering if Red Bell Reads has been reading lately! Yes, of course, Red Bell Reads lives to read. But nothing worthy of sharing has come along...that is until 'Lunch in Paris.' It's almost summer and this would be a delighful summer read. If you're vacationing/living somewhere with a great Farmer's Market and a kitchen to work in...all the better. Read the book; share in Elizabeth's journey to Paris, to love, to cooking in a tiny, tiny apartment with minimal utensils, but a wealth of imagination and appetite. The story is funny and romantic. There are several laugh out loud scenes. The recipes that the author includes will keep you paging through the book long after you've read the last page. I tried  'Poached Cod with Wilted Leeks and Homemade Mayonnaise.' Okay, it didn't turn out exactly right, but that was my fault. I substituted regular mustard for Dijon (which I didn't have), but it was still yummy. And just why have I never poached fish before?? Easy and delicious. I'm a convert. I'm anxious to try the 'Lamb Shanks with Orange and Star Anise' and the 'Summer Ratatouille.' If you buy the book, let me know which recipes you try!

Trail of Crumbs

I became an avid reader before I could even read! My mom wrote in my baby book that as soon as I could sit up, I'd entertain myself for hours 'reading' magazines and comic books. The summer between 6th and 7th grade I remember feeling so proud that  I had read every biography and autobiography in the entire Bookmobile! (did they have Bookmobiles where you lived?) It seems only natural, then, that the memoir has become one of my favorite literary genres. This memoir, "Trail of Crumbs" by Kim Sunee came recommended by a friend who knew a memoir sprinkled with New Orleans, Paris, Provence and food would be right up my alley..and she was right! I caution you, however, that if you're looking for a 'happily ever after' story or one full of sunshine and light, this memoir is not for you. Kim Sunee explores her life as 'other' looking for a place to call home, a place where she fits in. What she has in reality is a life most of us would consider a wonderful, a fairy tale life. In her early twenties, she meets and becomes the companion of Olivier Baussan, founder of the French company, L'Occitane. Desperately in love, they live in a villa in Provence and an apartment in Paris, and travel all over the world to its most gorgeous and exotic places. Kim is beautiful, talented, smart and living a lifestyle that most people would envy, yet she is desperately unhappy and unsure of herself. Her struggle to find identity is compelling; her writing is evocative and luscious especially when she shares the one thing that does make her happy...food and cooking. The recipes she includes for her favorite comfort foods are reason alone to read this books. They may surprise you! So will Kim Sunee.

Little Saint

Welcome to Red Bell Reads, my blog about words and images that I find intriguing. My first offering to you is Little Saint by Hannah Green, a book I've actually read twice. My first encounter with Little Saint occurred deep in the heart of la France profounde during my month-long stay in the Lot. It was Laury's book; she recommended it as it is about Conques, a pilrimage village that I planned to visit during my stay. It is about Conques, but more importantly, it's about the saint venerated there in the Abbey Church....Sainte Foy. Martyred in 303 AD as a 12 year old child, Foy captured the imagination of the author, Hannah Green during her many sojourns in the village. This book is as much a memoir of the author as it is her rapture with the child-saint. When I returned home, I bought my own copy of the book and read it again. Each word, each sentence took me back to Conques, now a beloved memory of my trip. I'm as charmed by Sainte Foy as Ms. Green was. I can't wait to get back to Conques to visit her church again and light a candle to her.