Another camino book out of Australia

[sillydoll]

Camino Footsteps: Reflections on a Journey to Santiago de Compostela
Authors: Wells Kim & Wells Malcolm

For many, the Camino is undertaken with a clear purpose, whether personal, emotional or spiritual. To others it is a challenge in terms of fitness and stamina, to achieve a goal. For experience trekkers Kim and Malcolm Wells, it became a powerfully spiritual journey, and the common bond of peace and friendship formed amount (sic) the many pilgrims they met was one of the most rewarding aspects of the experience.

Perhaps some of our Aussie members can read and review this one for the Forum?

10 years ago there were only a handful of personal account books available on the camino. If you do a google book search with the words "pilgrimage Santiago" you will get 1041 results! A bookstore owner in Pamplona told us last year that over 400 new camino pilgrimage books had been published between June 2006 and June 2007.

There are now hundreds of personal accounts being published with the same old theme,
"I started in St Jean, struggled over the mountain, slept with 100 other snoring pilgrims, ate bocadillos and menu del perergrinos for 30 days, walked through rain, sun, mud and stones, met wonderful people, arrived in Santiago, saw the botafumeiro and although I am not religious found my spiritual self. Amen."

You can read similar accounts in thousands of online blogs - about 145 000 according to a blog search for el camino de santiago.
Walking the camino is a profound and often life changing experience for many people but I like to suggest at our camino meetings that if anyone is tempted to write a book about their camino they should at least try to find a new, original angle for the book. (No, they don't have to walk with a donkey!)

 

[Deleted member 397]

I haven't read this book but my initial reaction is...not ANOTHER camino book! Sil's resume of their typical contents is accurate. If you've done the camino why would you want to read someone else's account? I do have some books on the history of the camino and pilgrimages in general but do wonder why many who walk the camino feel the need to write a book-it can often be the literary equivalent of boring friends with your holiday snaps.

 

[vjpulver]

Ohhh, to each his/her own.

I am one of those who thrives on reading the experiences of others. If they are attempting or accomplished something I plan to do or have done, I feel a kinship to them.

Yes, some of the writing is dull and uninspired, but I never cease to be amazed at how others respond to the routine of eny endeavor.

But, I also like the annual holiday letters people are fond of sending around at Chrustmas time! And I like looking at people's personal photos....what can I say?

I am grateful for referrals on any Camino related books - I've posted a wishlist on BookMooch (http://www.BookMooch.com) and if you are inclined to get rid of any books you have (relating to the Camino or otherwise) consider posting an inventory at BookMooch so others who enjoy those books can recieve them.

Life is good...just tooooo short!

"Ginn"
VJ Pulver
In Sunny Santa Fe
Read my Journals: http://www.pulverpages.com

_____________ORIGINAL POST FOLLOWS______________________

I haven't read this book but my initial reaction is...not ANOTHER camino book! Sil's resume of their typical contents is accurate. If you've done the camino why would you want to read someone else's account? I do have some books on the history of the camino and pilgrimages in general but do wonder why many who walk the camino feel the need to write a book-it can often be the literary equivalent of boring friends with your holiday snaps.

 

[sillydoll]

Ginn, I also love to read about other pilgrims' experiences - especially if they have something new and fresh to share with us.

In Conrad Rudolph's "Pilgrimage to the End of the World" the professor cleverly weaves his knowledge of art history, his physical experience of walking 1800km, and his spiritual insights into a well written, charming account of his walk from Le Puy. There is little fluff, little huff and puff, just a succinct good read. I loved it when he said, "the albergues are the soul of the camino."

Joyce Rupp's book appealed to me, not because she is a Servite sister but because in spite of being a Servite sister she confesses to all the faults and human frailties the rest of us might display - intolerance, impatience, high expectations, narrow-mindedness etc - but tries to turn all these negatives into positives. She says on her website, "Little did I know that with every step I took on my walk toward Santiago, a huge change was unfolding in how I "did my life."

There are other fascinating reads on the caminos but the majority of the flood of new books being published on the Camino Frances (and 98% are written about the CF) read like a camino template - same route, same towns, same routine, same observations, same conclusions - just a different protagonist.

PS: Walking the camino is the most repetitive thing one can do in 30+ days. Writing about it can be like writing lines for punishment at school. (Reading these can be just as tiresome!)
You will write out 100 times:
Get up, pack your bag, eat, walk. Lunch, arrive at an albergue, wash clothes, find food, sleep.
Get up, pack your bag, eat, walk. Lunch, arrive at an albergue, wash clothes, find food, sleep.

 

[lisajs68]

I have not done my Camino (yet- aiming for Sept 09) but I am a reader by nature ( work in a library), and so I enjoy reading Camino travel books, as well as other travel/adventure descriptions. I have just bought Camino Footsteps today while at the State Library of Western Australian for work (always have a quick look in their shop).
Haven't read it yet, but I can tell you it is a hard cover book with dust jacket, 166 pages. It has a short history of the Camino, a description of the authors journey, final reflections and a planning & photography hints chapter. The book is full (at least every second page) of colour photographs of the landscape, buildings, animals and pilgrims that the authors saw along the way, and the photos are lovely. That's one of the main reasons I bought a copy, because of the pictures.
Cheers,
Lisa.

 

[sillydoll]

Lisa please write a review once you have read it. You could also submit your review to the camino associations:

America: American Pilgrims on the Camino: http://www.americanpilgrims.com/
Canada: The Company of Pilgrims: http://www.santiago.ca/
http://www.aromasysabores.com/camino/camino_routes.html US and Canada
French Canadian: http://www.duquebecacompostelle.org/
England: Confraternity of St James: http://www.csj.org.uk
Ireland: The Irish Society of the Friends of St James http://www.stjamesirl.com/
South Africa: http://www.csjofsa.za.org

 

[Rambler]

Ideas for Camino books?

Sil:
That gives me an idea.

What if we brainstorm ideas for new angles on Camino Books?

I am with you both that I like to read accounts of people's Camino experience, but they have become repetitive.

One's I have not yet read though are:

-An account by an hospitalero. That would be interesting! I can see the title now. "A year of playing nursemaid and housekeeper to the UN's migrating delegation of spiritually aroused" or "My year of one night stands"

-A priest that services to peregrinos.

- A chef walking the camino and spending time with the cooks along the Way learning about Spanish cuisine

-A barkeep's account of a year of being the watering hole for peregrino's and how a local village views us as (tourists, pilgrims, income)

-A husband and wife that save their marriage (or lose it) on the Camino

Any other ideas? Are any of these already books?

Rambler