“Yosemite of My Heart” — Finding One’s Own Story
In his seminal book ‘Brave New World’, Aldous Huxley, has one of his main characters extort — “But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness, I want sin.” I don’t know so much about sin, but it set me thinking, isn’t this character seeking challenge, growth and transformation? The desire for adventure is universal, the longing to seek a newer horizon is potent in every heart and every human being is on a journey for self-actualization in one form or the other.
As I hold an author’s copy of ‘Yosemite of My Heart, Poems of Adventure in California’, in my hand turning the pages, this age-old narrative of finding one’s self by seeking adventures and challenges rings so true. I had set out to write a book which would be ‘a love letter to California landmarks & outdoors’, but overlaid with my personal experiences, the narrative (through collection of poems) took the form of classical dictum that ‘every journey outward is ultimately a journey inward’.
The book is a single, coherent story in the form of poems, about a protagonist faced with choices, a classic tale of fork in the road — takes the road to California, finds wild adventures, breathes in the air of tech, poetry and adventure in one potent whole, undergoes a degree of personal transformation, finds meaning in the mix of being adventurous and discovering power of written words. The book is ultimately a reflection of the internal & external world inhabited by the protagonist. The adventures are the vehicles of exploration of the deeper self and equally potent force for self realization, overcoming inner and outward conflict.
I believe poetry further accentuates this story, as poetry is first and foremost about aesthetic pleasure that adds to our overall emotional experience. And what better setting than California — California with its landmarks like High Sierras, Yosemite and Big Sur, apart from ever pulsating tech vibe of San Francisco Bay Area, the creative vibe of Hollywood and the outdoorsy vibe of San Diego. The book is an attempt to capture this essential essence of California, that makes it so unique.
This book will be formally launched on Feb 16, 2024 at ‘San Francisco Writers Conference’ event. Glad ‘Yosemite of My Heart’ found such a literary gathering to be unveiled !
The book is available on multiple platforms including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart Online, etc and will soon be available in some of the local bookstores in SF Bay area.
Amazon link — https://www.amazon.com/Yosemite-My-Heart-Lalit-Kumar/dp/1990496539
