Touching the Hem of Heaven

For approximately 20 seconds In April of 2015, the earth shook under the town of Barpak, Nepal. When it stopped, a wide swathe of destruction and loss of life remained. This photo essay of over 200 original photographs is not about the earthquake. Rather, it is a memoir that takes place nearly four years before that fateful April day, when one man journeyed to a country he had never been to before to escape his own version of the ground shifting beneath his feet.This is a singular...
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For approximately 20 seconds In April of 2015, the earth shook under the town of Barpak, Nepal. When it stopped, a wide swathe of destruction and loss of life remained. This photo essay of over 200 original photographs is not about the earthquake. Rather, it is a memoir that takes place nearly four years before that fateful April day, when one man journeyed to a country he had never been to before to escape his own version of the ground shifting beneath his feet.This is a singular story of Jay Desind, poet, writer, and photographer, who left the United States to escape tragic events. To lose himself in a foreign country. Travel with him as he explores the redemptive power of photographic vision. Meet, as he did, some of the wonderful kind children and parents of Nepal that welcomed him with open arms. "I had a faint idea I was broken," Jay says early on in his travels. By the time he left Nepal he knew he had a debt to pay, when "healthier and wiser," he left this country, one of the poorest nations on earth.Jay Desind's lyrical style of writing draws you into a compelling story that is beautifully brought to life with his own photographs. There has never been a book quite like this, and once you experience it you will come to understand how the past and present comes together and leads us into the future.Jay Desind is the best selling author of Lost in Language, a memoir that continues to garner 5-Star reviews. "In this book I found a little bit of Marcel Proust, a little bit of Bruce Chatwin and a little bit of Quentin Tarantino! I laughted a lot! Jay Desind has a great sense of humour! And at the same time I was somehow close to tears for the tenderness of some of his memories so full of pain, of life, of love.", Carmen Canditto. His most recent book, Everyday: A 365 Day Odyssey of Photography and the Written Word, also gets rave reviews. "In Jay Desind's book of poems, words and images, the reader accompanies him as he travels from place to place, seeing the world through his eyes, reading the thoughts in his mind. His photos, remarkably all taken and processed on his smartphone, are used as backdrops or illustrations to his words rather than being separate entities. They work in harmony with each other. Many of Jay's poems truly touched me and I would find tears streaming down my face as I read. When I've recovered, I shall be revisiting this beautiful book again and again. It'll take me a while before I tire of it!" Susan Navis, author of The Rise of Agnil.Touching the Hem of Heaven is a singular work of prose and photography, a must for those who want a glimpse of Nepal before its unfortunate wide ranging destruction, a mirror into the mind of a poet and photographer who is known for his skillful weaving of both forms into a new art form. For the entire year of 2015, Jay Desind is donating 100% of the profits of Touching the Hem of Heaven to Nepalese school children in need. Here is your opportunity to experience a very special book and to also contribute to a worthy cause. Additional reviews of Jay Desind's books."Near the end, Jay invites you take his hand and follow him, much like the ghosts of a Christmas Carol. The invitation, though, is unnecessary. From the very first words, he's held his hand out and has allowed you, the reader, to walk along with him through heartbreak, finding love, finding himself, and more importantly, getting lost. He introduces you to the cast of characters who have influenced who he is and how he ended up where he is now, from the seemingly nondescript to the starring role, all the while reminding us that something small can change everything.One word of caution....if you suffer from extreme wanderlust as I do, be wary. The little glimpses Jay shares with us only amplifies that want to pick up and go!Grab a copy, some coffee, a croissant, and join Jay on his journey!" Morgan R Moore