Aama in America A Pilgrimage of the Heart

Thealternatelyrollickingandprofoundaccountofaneighty-four-year-oldHimalayanwoman'sfirstjournenacrossAmerica--andoftheinsightssheofferedherAmericancompanionsintotheircountryandthemselves.FifteenyearsafterhefirstmetAama,BroughtonCoburnretumedtoherremotevillagewithhisfuturewife,Didi,andaninvitationforAamatojointhemonatriptoAmerica.Ateighty-four,Aamabelievedshehadbecomeaburdentohergrandchildrenandthereforewelcomedthechancetovisither"adoptedson's"country.ForCoburn,thiswasawaytointroduceAamatorelativesandfriendsbackhome;butforAamathetriprepresentedsomethingmore--apilgrimagethathadbeenprescribedforherbyvillagepriests,anopportunitytogainmeritbyundertakingastrenuousjourneyduringthefinalstageofherlife."AamainAmerica"isavividchronicleofwhatbecameatwenty-five-state,coast-to-coastadventure.Guidedbytheperpetualcuriosityanddeeplyspiritualorientationoftheiringenious,unpredictabletravelcoffipanion,CobumandDidigraduallybegantoviewtheircountryfromanentirelynewperspective.ThemoretheyexperiencedAama'suncloudedvisionofAmericathemoretheyrealizedtheywerenotsimplytravelingtwelvethousandmilesthroughouttheUnitedStates--theywereundertakinganemotionalandphilosophicalodysseytowardagreaterunderstandingoftheirculture,theircountry,andthemselves."AamainAmerica"isononelevelanoffbeatAmericantravelogue.Butonanotheritisaprofoundexplorationofbeliefs,values,andlostspirituality,arediscoveryofthespiritualthatliesbeneaththesurfaceofAmerica,andasingularaccountofthemeetingoftwowidelydivergentcultures.