Recipes for a Beautiful Life (eBook)

Writing with a delicate balance of humor and truth, critically acclaimed author Rebecca Barry reflects on motherhood, work, and marriage in her new memoir about trying to build a creative life.
When Rebecca Barry and her husband moved to upstate New York to start their family, they wanted to be surrounded by natural beauty but close to a small urban center, doing work they loved, and plenty of time to spend with their kids. But living their dreams turned out not to be so simple: the lovely old house they bought had lots of character but also needed lots of repairs, they struggled to stay afloat financially, their children refused to sleep or play quietly, and the novel Rebecca had dreamed of writing simply wouldn’t come to her.

Recipes for a Beautiful Life blends heartwarming, funny, authentically told stories about the messiness of family life, a fearless examination of the anxieties of creative work, and sharp-eyed observations of the pressures that all women face. This is a story of a woman confronting her deepest fears: What if I’m a terrible mother? What if I’m not good at the work I love? What if my children never eat anything but peanut butter and cake? What if I go to sleep angry? It’s also a story of the beauty, light, and humor that’s around us, all the time—even when things look bleak, and using that to find your way back to your heart.

Mostly, though, it is about the journey to building not just a beautiful life, but a creative one.

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Writing with a delicate, beautiful balance of wit and yearning (#1 New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert), Rebecca Barrys poignant take on creativity, marriage, and motherhood will make you laugh and crysometimes at the same time.When Rebecca Barry, writer, mother, cat lady, and aspiring meditator, and her husband moved to upstate New York to start their family, they were optimistic that theyd be able to build a life theyd love: one connected to nature and extended family, one where they could invest in their artistic dreams, spend time with their children, live cheaply, and eat well. Naturally, things didnt turn out to be so simple: the lovely old house they bought to fix up needed lots of repair, their children wouldnt sleep, and the novel Rebecca had dreamed of writing simply wouldnt come to her. Anecdotal, funny, and telling, with the kinds of momentary glimpses of ordinary days that reflect something larger (The New York Times), Recipes for a Beautiful Life is about reveling in the extraordinary moments in daily life while trying to balance marriage, children, extended family, and creative work. The book is an excellent companion for mothers with small children, but it also speaks to anyone trying to find meaning in their work or a life that is truer to the heart. Full of great dialogue, tongue-in-cheek recipes (Angry Mommy Tea), and tips on things like how to keep your house clean (just dont let anyone in), Recipes captures the sweetness and beauty of answering your souls longing, as well as the difficulty, struggle, and humor that goes along with it. Mostly it is about the realization that a beautiful life, for this author, meant a rich, often chaotic, creative one. Or, as Redbook said when it featured the book in its 5 fabulous, even life-changing new reads column: Contentment isnt about getting everythingbut finding magic in the mess.