YOU ARE NOT HERE

YOU ARE NOT HERE by Michael Albanese is a book inspired by the poem “Ithaka” by Constantine Cofey, a poem about journeys, becoming, and finding oneself and one’s fortune on the way rather than expecting them at the final destination. It’s full of short anecdotes, poems, and discussions of philosophical and personal topics ranging from imposter syndrome, appreciation of that which is beautiful but ephemeral, loneliness and the need for belonging, perseverance and faith, the inevitability of the final end and the need to consider carefully what we busy ourselves with on the journey. Alternately funny, thought-provoking, and occasionally emotionally wrenching, YOU ARE NOT HERE is a book for those who are looking for, or trying to create their own, meaning in the journey we’re all traveling from birth to death. Striking black-and-white illustrations reflect and reinforce the text, providing images that catch the eye and the mind.