For most of us, most of the time, keys are simply pieces of metal—things we stash in a pocket or purse, hardly thinking about them between uses. It’s when we misplace one that the key reveals itself to be one of the most significant articles in the world. Without the right key, we’re locked out—and in need of help. That’s why we also use the word key in another, figurative to stand for an idea that answers a riddle, solves a problem.

This profound connection between physical and metaphorical keys is the touchstone of photojournalist Linda Solomon’s powerful new book. A collector of vintage keys, Solomon decided to make photographs of these intriguing objects. As she was doing so, she fell upon a revelation—that the keys we truly treasure are those that wisely address life’s difficulties and bring us peace of mind.

In The Key , Solomon couples her beautiful black-and-white photos of intricate antique keys with words of wisdom from some of our time’s most celebrated people. The author interviewed luminaries in every field—Sidney Poitier, Tony Bennett, Doris Day, Kim Novak, Meredith Vieira, Barbara Walters, Hilary Duff, and many others—including celebrities who rarely grant interviews. Each life-changing, life-affirming insight in this wonderful collection is accompanied by a key that symbolizes the interviewee. Proceeds from the book will benefit breast cancer research, and several of the contributors are survivors of the disease.