Cafe Book Bean

Wake-up Wednesday: Tango Latte

This is my newest Café concoction and obsession The Tango Latte! Book Bean: Tango Latte 1 espresso shot pulled over 1 tsp of orange infused powdered sugar, 1 pinch cinnamon and 1 pinch vanilla extract powder (I pre-mix mine and do approx. .5 tsp,) approx. 1/3 cup steamed (or heated and frothed) milk of choice (I use 1%,) topped with orange zest and lightly dusted with cinnamon sugar. This drink…

The Mother by Lucy Maud Montgomery Here I lean over you, small son, sleeping Warm in my arms, And I con to my heart all your dew-fresh charms, As you lie close, close in my hungry hold . . . Your hair like a miser’s dream of gold, And the white rose of your face far fairer, Finer, and rarer Than all the flowers in the young year’s keeping; Over lips half parted your low breath creeping Is sweeter…

“Love, hope, fear, faith – these make humanity; These are its sign and note and character.” Robert Browning was born in Camberwell on May 7th 1812 and educated by private tutors. His parents were wealthy enough to allow him to travel and to be a poet as if it were a profession. He came known by literary figures such s Wordsworth and Landor after the publication of “Paracelsus” in 1835, but he was…

Star Wars Fan Book Guide

In a Galaxy not so far away Jedi fans of all varieties are celebrating Star Wars day. So of course I’ve decided to come out of hiding and do a special Star Wars themed Mini Bean. This is for all those Science Fiction lovers of Galaxy Warfare and Stellar Adventures!  It just so happens that I have quite a cache of these books in my to-read list at the moment, so that works out nicely. Star Wars…

“Up out of the lampshade, startled by the overhead light, flew a large nocturnal butterfly that began circling the room. The strains of the piano and violin rose up weakly from below.” Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being With spring in the air, this bit of literary poetry sprang to mind. What words from literature make you think of spring, or vice versa?

Today is the first day of Spring and it is in full swing! The sun is shining bright and I am ready to get back into gear. Here is What I’ve Been Sipping on this Spring: Proof of Heaven by Dr. Eben Alexander Rated 4.3 on amazon.com This is a story that would be remarkable no matter who it happened to, but the unique and intriguing circumstances make it all the more enchanting. A highly trained…

Meaningful Relationships in life require the selfless choice of Loyalty and Acceptance over Condition or Judgment, it’s as simple and as complicated as that. Unsuperficial sucess requires failure, hardship, and work. None of us are perfect, there is no exception or excuse. How foolish it is to waste time in anger, hate, or resentment. Life is too short, you can’t pass judgment without…

Flamboyant heroes, adventure, riveting duels, and of course romance. Alexandre Dumas and his swashbuckling  Musketeers have fascinated for ages! To honor Dumas on his birthday July 24th 1855, I wanted to share his many works featuring the most beloved comrades The Musketeers.

Here are the D’Artagnan Romances:

The Three MusketeersAn adventurous tale of the young man d’Artagnan. Leaving home…

America in Literature II

Here continues my list of quintessential American literary works: PART II of II

The Things They Carried

by Tim O’Brien A classic, life-changing meditation on war, memory, imagination, and

the redemptive power of storytelling

Rated 4.4 on amazon.com

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell Widely considered The Great American Novel, and often remembered for its epic film version, Gone With the Wind

America in Literature I

There is a plethora of great American literature, I could not create a list of less than 20. However, I focused less on the popularity of a novel/author and more on a variety and depth of “American ” (U.S.) content/concepts and ideas/ideals etc. Literature that focuses on the history, growth, and culture of our nation. So, I was able to narrow it down…

Here is my list of the top quintessential…

Eric Arthur Blair better known by his pen name George Orwell, born this day in 1903 was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His work is marked by lucid prose, awareness of social injustice, opposition to totalitarianism, and outspoken support of democratic socialism.

Orwell wrote literary criticism, poetry, fiction, and polemical journalism. He is best known for the allegorical…

January 27—the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau

On this annual day of commemoration here are a few associated books:

These are two wonderful gifts I received a few Christmas’ ago.

“The Holocaust Museum In Washington” This book was written by Jeshajahu Weinberg,the founding director of the museum. There are hundreds of color and black-and-white photographs throughout the…

New Years Fairy Tale

Here is a great story to read on New years Eve. It is a bit sad but different perspectives may alter the view on that. It is however a great little tale, even if a little grim.

The Little Match Girl Hans Christian Anderson The luminous art of three-time Caldecott Honor recipient Jerry Pinkney transforms the nineteenth-century Danish girl of Andersen’s tale into a child plucked straight from…