I have a few problems with this book. I had to read this book for my Exploring Religion class and I really wish I didn't. First of, his journey to Santiago de Compostela was only around 30 pages while there were 50 pages on pictures that I could of looked up on the internet. I got bored about half way through his story. The one thing i liked was that at the end, it gave you tips if you want to make the pilgrimage yourself. I might use his references one day if I decide to make the journey. ( )

Santiago de Compostela in Spain has been a destination for Christian pilgrims for more than a millennium. Art historian Conrad Rudolph made the pilgrimage from Le Puy all the way to Finisterre. Rudolph provides a brief history of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages, an account of his pilgrimage experience, photographs of some of the sights along the way, and practical advice for doing the pilgrimage. Rudolph points out that many pilgrims have a spiritual purpose but not necessarily a religious one.

The first three sections of the book have a timeless feel. Pilgrims make the journey on foot, and the route passes through areas that haven't changed much since the Middle Ages. At some points on the route, the original Roman road is at the surface. The final section of the book containing practical advice for making the pilgrimage has some dated elements. Rudolph repeatedly advises potential pilgrims that it would be a mistake to take books in their packs. It's obvious this was written before Amazon's Kindle ushered in the ebook era. He also advises travelers to buy film along the way and mail it home along the route, with a mention in passing of the “new digital camera”.

Many readers won't feel a need to read this book from cover to cover. Each section of the book could stand on its own. For most readers, it will be a book to borrow from the library rather than a necessary purchase. ( )

Part travelogue, part history lesson, this is a quick read and an interesting one. The author vividly describes the physical challenges of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela (and beyond that, to Finisterre - the end of the world). More interesting is the way the two-month walk affected his view of the world: the slow progress having a spiritual affect on him even though he was not a religious man. ( )

The El Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James) is probably the most famous pilgrimage in the world. I first learned of it years ago during my Medieval studies, and recently saw the movie The Way. For some reason the older I get, the more I am drawn to The Way. This short book is a wonderful introduction to the history of the trail, and what it's like to hike it today, including a very practical section on how to approach the 1000 mile 10-week journey. I'm not Catholic, or even religious, but the idea of hiking through such a sparsely populated area of Europe, surrounded by thousands of years of history at every step, would probably be a life changing experience. I'll probably never do it, because of physical limitations, but this book is a wonderful proxy. Rudolph is an art historian with a sense of the spiritual and personal, the book feels authentic and appropriate. Includes many photographs. ( )