Searching for “It” is author Ken Ludmer’s Homeric odyssey that takes us from post-war New York City through the cafés of Beat Generation Greenwich Village, across America to the Rocky Mountains, and beyond. The road warrior therapist talks to us in tales of adventure, stories of transition and pathos, and includes observations on the human condition—all seen through the eyes of a therapist. Each chapter is an in-depth conversation, one of those rare encounters that some of us are lucky to have had on our journeys. It’s as if we are the ones seated at the bistro table, suddenly conversing over coffee with a strangely perceptive wayfarer. Ludmer’s voice has the connectivity of Buscaglia and the humor of Perelman. You are advised to settle into your comfy couch for some at-home reading therapy. Be prepared to ponder and laugh often—but keep the box of tissues handy.

Ken Ludmer’s narrative is a result of fifty years of conversations with people from every walk of life, in his and their search for something mostly undefinable, the ultimate je ne sais quoi, the search for “it”.