Pre-reading

[tudda]

Hello! I am headed for the Camino Frances in April of next year, and in the meantime, would like to educate myself on the history and culture of Spain. Political structure, artistic movements, literary figures, etc. Any suggestions? There's google, but there's also this community I've been devouring in the past weeks, so thought I'd ask here. Thanks!

 

[David Tallan]

This thread might be of interest: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/book-on-spanish-history.85316/

I would recommend Gitlitz and Davidson's The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago: The Complete Cultural Handbook, which is also the first book recommended in the thread.

 

[Grousedoctor]

I didn’t see it in the wonderful thread @David Tallan offered, but one of the first books that I read with an interest similar to yours was Derry Brabbs The Roads to Santiago. A great deal of historical and architectural information along Camino routes. Great photos.

 

[Bothydave]

The guide book advertised here by the late John Brierley is full of information and often best devoured in day by day chunks.
I found that although I read the next day each previous evening that I had often forgotten it by the morning through pleasant tiredness. Having the book each day reenergised the brain cells.

 

[Bothydave]

Remember that you are irrespective of what route you follow, you are only covering a very narrow path through the country. Thus unless you are taking transport to specifically see special sites you won’t be far off the route that you have chosen. No great need to read too widely.

 

[lovingkindness]

Hola @tudda

The Codex Calixtinus: Book V makes excellent reading in either latin or english translation. It is the very first pilgrim's guide to Santiago de Compostella, written by a french monk in the 12th century:

The English version of The Book V (Codex Calixtinus) | Codex Calixtinus

Chapter I. Roads to Santiago.'Quatuor viae sunt quae ad sanctum Jacobum tendentes, in unum, ad Pontem Regine , in oris Hispanise coadunantur.'Four roads meet at Puente la Reina in Spain and become one route to Santiago.One road goes through Saint-Gilles du Gard, Montpellier, Toulouse and the...

codexcalixtinus.es

The adenda of this codex contains 12th century manuscripts for the feast day of St James. The a capella group Anonymous IV has some exquisite recordings of it [Miracles of Santiago]. Here is an example:

buen camino!

Ps ...and here is the english CSJ reading list:

Further reading

Suggested titles for further reading into particular pilgrimage topics.

www.csj.org.uk

 

[Keyser]

Podcast called the Scholarly Pilgrim give a fantastic and concise history of the Camino.

‎The Scholarly Pilgrim - History of the Camino de Santiago on Apple Podcasts

‎History · 2024

podcasts.apple.com

 

[Kev&Kath]

I found Stephen Drew's novel quite inspirational. I've now read it three times....a sort of 'tradition' I hold in advance of a new pilgrimage walk.

 

[tudda]

Hola @tudda

The Codex Calixtinus: Book V makes excellent reading in either latin or english translation. It is the very first pilgrim's guide to Santiago de Compostella, written by a french monk in the 12th century:

The English version of The Book V (Codex Calixtinus) | Codex Calixtinus

Chapter I. Roads to Santiago.'Quatuor viae sunt quae ad sanctum Jacobum tendentes, in unum, ad Pontem Regine , in oris Hispanise coadunantur.'Four roads meet at Puente la Reina in Spain and become one route to Santiago.One road goes through Saint-Gilles du Gard, Montpellier, Toulouse and the...

codexcalixtinus.es

The adenda of this codex contains 12th century manuscripts for the feast day of St James. The a capella group Anonymous IV has some exquisite recordings of it [Miracles of Santiago]. Here is an example:

buen camino!

Ps ...and here is the english CSJ reading list:

Further reading

Suggested titles for further reading into particular pilgrimage topics.

www.csj.org.uk

Thank you!!