Los Angeles—For five hundred years, the women in Claudia Lambert’s family have studied men and passed their wisdom from mother to daughter. Disdainful of men, Claudia’s daughter has refused her inheritance and now Claudia’s greatest fear is that she will die without sharing the "keys to the kingdom." Acting on her husband’s suggestion, Claudia thinks Karen Trevini might prove a worthy student. Sharing her esoteric knowledge poses a risk, but the opportunity to save Karen’s 19-year marriage convinces Claudia to take this chance.
During a series of afternoon meetings at her home in Pasadena, CA, Claudia begins to teach Karen the "keys" to understanding men and creating intimate, equal partnerships with them. Their time spent together leads to a unique exchange of information that transforms Karen’s relationship to all men, and changes her husband Mike’s life forever.
"Claudia, Karen and their husbands, Burt and Mike, bring to life what I have learned over the past 12 years studying men," remarks Alison A. Armstrong, researcher, educator, and creator of the nationally led Celebrating Men, Satisfying Women® workshop. "The keys within this novel are surprisingly simple to use and profoundly alter relationships between spouses, lovers, friends, co-workers, parents and their children. This book was written in novel form because I believe people learn more while being entertained by stories."
What are the Keys to the Kingdom? Claudia starts by teaching Karen about the Stages of Development, which explain how men’s identities are shaped and expressed in predictable stages from infancy through seniority. These stages, called Pages, Knights, Princes and Kings, make sense of the changing motivations, needs and capacities that affect every part of men’s lives, including how they relate to work, friendships and family. Karen discovers that the source of the constant bickering in her relationship is that Mike is in "the Tunnel", a profoundly challenging transition between Prince and King. The imminent arrival of Mike as her "King" fuels her determination to learn the "keys to the kingdom."
As Karen explores the Stages of Development – and how to work with them to get her own needs met – she also learns, among a treasure trove of information, how to listen to men for more intimacy, the key that adds surprising excitement to a stale sex life, the generosity in receiving gifts, and how to nurture the power of her own femininity.
The first in a series of three books meant to cover the encyclopedia of information Armstrong has gathered and teaches in the workshops of PAX Programs Incorporated, which Armstrong co-founded. Keys to the Kingdom uses the perspectives of its four main characters to allow the reader to experience her information from the point of view of both men and women. Part romance, part mystery, part life-altering education, the reader will cry and chuckle their way to better relationships.
Many people are surprised to learn that Armstrong had the concept for her fictional series before developing the Celebrating Men, Satisfying Women workshop.
An important novel for our times, Keys to the Kingdom is sure to encourage understanding between men and women and enhance the relationships of every reader. Included at the end of this novel is the first chapter of The Transformation of a Frog Farmer, the next book in the series. (less)