Forum Book Club - Getting started, with book nominations

[C clearly]

Some great ideas for a Forum Book Club were suggested on a Zoom call today. I'm outlining a simple approach below, and let's see how it goes.

Here is the plan :

1. Develop a list of candidate books. People suggest books in the thread below, and I update the list in post #2.
2. At intervals, we start a new thread - one book per thread, and one new book/thread every couple of weeks or so.
3. We'll try to put the list in tentative order, so people have a few weeks to find and read books if they want.
4. If you can't read the book at the time of the initial discussion, you can still comment on the thread in the future.

Here are some ideas on criteria for selected books, but we can adjust as appropriate:

1. Camino de Santiago is a central theme.
2. Generally not self-published memoirs, particularly by forum members (i.e. Book should be written and edited professionally, and we want to avoid both self-promotion and hurt feelings.)
3. May be paper book, e-book or audio book.
4. Maybe be fiction or non-fiction, but generally not strictly "guide books".
5. For selection of "next book," I'll get it started, but maybe we can have an occasional poll for input.

[By the way, there is no reason that any forum member cannot start a new thread on a book as long as they respect Rule #3 about commercial posts. However, if we do this in an organized "Book Club" fashion, we might get better interaction among interested forum members. Also, we can stretch out the experience over the months as we wait patiently to walk!]

With all this in mind, make your book suggestions below, and I will start the ball rolling.

 

[C clearly]

List of books for possible discussion in the Forum Book Club.

Initially, the order is random, but once we get some more books on the list, I will revise to indicate a tentative sequence

• The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago: The Complete Cultural Handbook, by David M. Gitlitz and Linda Kay Davidson
• The Great Westward Walk, by Antxon Gonzalex Gabarain

 

[SYates]

It's About Time by Johnnie Walker ;-)

 

[Theatregal]

As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee

Perhaps not Camino as a central theme, but he walks through and stays in many places on the camino.

 

[SabsP]

A more general and eclectic view on walking. Not limited to a Camino.

Wanderlust: Rebecca Solnit on Walking and the Mind

“I suspect that the mind, like the feet, works at about three miles an hour. If this is so, then modern life is moving faster than the speed of thought, or thoughtfulness.”

www.brainpickings.org

Please feel free@C clearly to edit my post if needed.

 

[David Tallan]

• The Year We Seized the Day by Elizabeth Best and Colin Bowles
• To the Field of Stars: A Pilgrim's Journey to Santiago de Compostela by Kevin A. Codd
• A Hug for the Apostle: On Foot from Chartres to Santiago de Compostela by Laurie Dennett
• Buen Camino! A Father-Daughter Journey from Croagh Patrick to Santiago de Compostela by Natasha & Peter Murtagh
• Sinning Across Spain: Walking the Camino by Ailsa Piper
• Walk in a Relaxed Manner: Life Lessons from the Camino by Joyce Rupp
• Two Steps Forward: A Novel by Graeme Simsion and Anne Buist
• All the Good Pilgrims: Tales of the Camino de Santiago by Robert Ward

 

[gns]

For an accessible and thoughtful introduction I would recommend:

Medieval European Pilgrimage c700 - C1500 by Diana Webb

There seem to be reasonably priced copies available on Alibris UK along with other books by the same author.

 

[gerardcarey]

Off The Road: A Modern-Day Walk Down The Pilgrims Route Into Spain.
By Jack Hitt

 

[Rebekah Scott]

"Pilgrimage," by Jonathan Sumption. THE book on medieval European pilgrims and pilgrimage, including but not limited to Santiago. Very readable.

 

[LesBrass]

Travels with My Donkey by Tim Moore

it was this book that led my to my very first Camino steps

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Travels with My Donkey by Tim Moore

it was this book that led my to my very first Camino steps

A very enjoyable read, full of humor and some good laughs!

 

[BookGirl305]

Since I am BookGirl305, I can't sit this one out- count me in to the book club!

 

[Former member 91017]

Scott, Robert A. 2010. Miracle Cures: Saints, Pilgrimage and the Healing Power of Prayer. UC Berekely Press. (largely a medical history of the material economy of pilgrimage routes, including the way of St. James).

Michener, James. 1968. Iberia. (Especially the final chapter on the way of St. James). Penguin/random House. Quite a lark... often not so much well informed as very persuasive as a raconteur.

Turner, Victor. 1973. "The Centre Out There: pilgrim's goal" in History of Religions Vol 12:3, pp 191-230. An anthropological analysis of the structure of pilgrimage over time and place.

 

[Anamiri]

• The Year We Seized the Day by Elizabeth Best and Colin Bowles

This book is the reason I first walked the Camino

 

[Anamiri]

Travels with My Donkey by Tim Moore

I can second this book, I read it during my second Camino, laughed myself to sleep each night

 

[ebrandt]

A Furnace Full of God, by Rebekah Scott

 

[David Tallan]

A Furnace Full of God, by Rebekah Scott

I would have had this in my list but for criterion number 2 in the original post.

 

[nilesite]

David Downie - "Paris to the Pyrenees." One of my all-time favorites.

 

[nycwalking]

Off The Road: A Modern-Day Walk Down The Pilgrims Route Into Spain.
By Jack Hitt

I second this emotion.

 

[C clearly]

Wow! Over 20 books have been nominated, and I can't process any more for now. You are free to add suggestions to this thread, but I have already made a shortlist of 10 that we will vote on for this round. I applied the criteria mentioned in Post #1, and then considered cost and availability in different formats.

Life is getting in the way of my forum fun, and I won't be able to set up the poll until Thursday. In the meantime, you can start reading reviews and get ready to vote! You might want to reserve some of these books at your local library, too.

Here are the 10 finalists we'll pick from, in alphabetical order by author:

	AUTHOR	TITLE	PAPER	E-BK	AUDIO
1	Codd, Kevin A.	To the Field of Stars: A Pilgrim's Journey to Santiago de Compostela	Yes	Yes
2	Downie, David	Paris to the Pyrenees	Yes	Yes	Yes
3	Gabarain, Antxon Gonzalex	The Great Westward Walk	Yes	Yes
4	Hitt, Jack	Off The Road: A Modern-Day Walk Down The Pilgrims Route Into Spain	Yes	Yes
5	Kevin, Tony	Walking the Camino (from Granada)	Yes	Yes	Yes
6	Piper, Ailsa	Sinning Across Spain: Walking the Camino	Yes	Yes	Yes
7	Rupp, Joyce	Walk in a Relaxed Manner	Yes	Yes
8	Simsion, Graeme, and Anne Buist	Two Steps Forward: A Novel	Yes	Yes	Yes
9	Sumption, Jonathan	Pilgrimage	Yes	Yes
10	Ward, Robert	All the Good Pilgrims: Tales of the Camino de Santiago	Yes	Yes

 

[JohnLloyd]

Great idea - following the thread from now onwards!

 

[Ekelund]

What a great idea - I'm in.
The libraries in my city are closed because of you know what. And the bookstores. I'll have to order the books from Amazone and I hope I'll get the books in time to be part of the book talk.

 

[Allyson Hughes]

The Pilgrimage by Paul Coelho

 

[Camino Chrissy]

The Pilgrimage by Paul Coelho

I started reading that book a year ago, but although interesting, it was too "mystical" for my particular taste.

 

[SabsP]

I started reading that book a year ago, but although interesting, it was too "mystical" for my particular taste.

You are too kind in your description....

 

[Allyson Hughes]

I started reading that book a year ago, but although interesting, it was too "mystical" for my particular taste.

Yes...the Camino was mystical for me. I don't need a guide to the Camino....I would like to discuss about the mystical aspects of the camino with others that they experienced.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

You are too kind in your description....

A couple of chapters in and I was done.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

[Edit] Sorry. I've reported below on an older thread with a recent posting.

Someone just created a thread here for
Travels with a Stick

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/travels-with-a-stick-by-richard-frazer.66666/

Wow! 66,666 threads on the forum.

 

[C clearly]

That thread was started in December. Anyone who wants to get started right away can join it!

 

[Rex]

I am amazed, but not surprised, by the wonderful list compiled in less than 24 hours.
To C clearly for agreeing to put this together, and to all of those who have enriched my reading life by your submissions: Muchas gracias!! Reading, running and riding have been my sanity savers during the past 13 months. Now I have much more to add to my list.
Not suggesting anything is amiss, but our local library is quite small and Camino lore doesn't feature prominently (OK, not at all) in the local selections. [Our local line is that the library is closed today because someone has checked out "the book".] This means our local bookstore is going to get some unexpected business, finding and ordering books. Buen Camino.

 

[Walton]

Fantastic book thread idea! Can the book list idea be expanded to include all the Caminos including the Francigena?

 

[C clearly]

Can the book list idea be expanded to include all the Caminos including the Francigena?

The list doesn't depend on which Camino route. At this point, it is just a list of 10 books about the Camino, selected from suggestions in the thread above. We will vote on which one(s) to use in a new "Book Club" thread. If this goes well, we'll try another book, and we might even open the list for more suggestions.

I am making up the rules for the Book Club, as we go! (I'm not committing to a comprehensive list of books about the Camino!)

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Is it too late to suggest ...

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Is it too late to suggest ...
View attachment 92858

This is too deep for me, Rick...just sayin'. I hope it's too late to enter it this time around.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I'm surprised "I'm Off Then" by Hape Kerkeling is not in the offering. As I understand, it was very instrumental in Germans walking the pilgrimage and I met quite a few of them myself. I am in the process of reading it now as it was translated into English

 

[C clearly]

I'm surprised "I'm Off
Then" by Hape Kerkeling is not in the offering

Only because nobody nominated it in time. I'll add it to the growing list for future consideration.

Is it too late to suggest

If you give me a link showing its availability to forum members in English, I'll add it to the growing list.

But remember what I said...

(I'm not committing to a comprehensive list of books about the Camino!)

 

[FamPed]

• The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago: The Complete Cultural Handbook, by David M. Gitlitz and Linda Kay Davidson

A really good book, I see that nobody has nominated it. I would like to read and talk about it with you all. But maybe we shall start with an easier book? *Thinking out loud*

Ps! I have seen the thread with the poll and made three suggestions.

 

[C clearly]

The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago: The Complete Cultural Handbook, by David M. Gitlitz and Linda Kay Davidson

I would like to read and talk about it with you all. But maybe we shall start with an easier book?

Here's a secret - I'll post tomorrow with a thread to start with this book, while we vote on the second.

 

[JohnLloyd]

I'm surprised "I'm Off Then" by Hape Kerkeling is not in the offering. As I understand, it was very instrumental in Germans walking the pilgrimage and I met quite a few of them myself. I am in the process of reading it now as it was translated into English

Hape is definitely an inspiration for German peregrinos - every single one I walked with had read his book, or heard about the Camino because of him.

However, like Coelho, there does seem to be some doubt over how much of the route he actually walked!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Hape is definitely an inspiration for German peregrinos - every single one I walked with had read his book, or heard about the Camino because of him.

However, like Coelho, there does seem to be some doubt over how much of the route he actually walked!

I'm only a third of the way through the book so far and he has already taken a bus ride.

 

[JamesGeier]

Many good suggestions. I have read most of them. One of my favorites not on the list is:

Pilgrim Stories: On and Off the Road to Santiago, Journeys Along an Ancient Way in Modern Spain
by Nancy Frey

Buen Camino!
--james--

 

[jsalt]

Not a Camino de Santiago book per se, but an absolutely delightful book to read for any book forum, is "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry", which anyone who has walked a camino can relate to.

 

[WanderstheWorld]

I have a few suggestions for the next list. The first Camino book I read was “What the Psychic Told the Pilgrim” by Jane Christmas. She’s a Canadian author. It’s has some humour to it too. The second is a fiction book based on the author’s experiences - “Rebirth: A Fable of Love, Forgiveness, and Following Your Heart” by Kamal Ravikant. It’s a fav of mine. Buen Camino!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Wow, I don't think the list of Camino related books will ever end...it's enough to make my head spin.

 

[philleethomas]

Some great ideas for a Forum Book Club were suggested on a Zoom call today. I'm outlining a simple approach below, and let's see how it goes.

Here is the plan :

1. Develop a list of candidate books. People suggest books in the thread below, and I update the list in post #2.
2. At intervals, we start a new thread - one book per thread, and one new book/thread every couple of weeks or so.
3. We'll try to put the list in tentative order, so people have a few weeks to find and read books if they want.
4. If you can't read the book at the time of the initial discussion, you can still comment on the thread in the future.

Here are some ideas on criteria for selected books, but we can adjust as appropriate:

1. Camino de Santiago is a central theme.
2. Generally not self-published memoirs, particularly by forum members (i.e. Book should be written and edited professionally, and we want to avoid both self-promotion and hurt feelings.)
3. May be paper book, e-book or audio book.
4. Maybe be fiction or non-fiction, but generally not strictly "guide books".
5. For selection of "next book," I'll get it started, but maybe we can have an occasional poll for input.

[By the way, there is no reason that any forum member cannot start a new thread on a book as long as they respect Rule #3 about commercial posts. However, if we do this in an organized "Book Club" fashion, we might get better interaction among interested forum members. Also, we can stretch out the experience over the months as we wait patiently to walk!]

With all this in mind, make your book suggestions below, and I will start the ball rolling.

My favourites are:
1. Nicholas Luard - The Field of the Star
2. Robin Hanbury-Tenison - Spanish Pilgrimage (A Canter to Saint James)
3. James Bentley - The Way of Saint James
4. Edwin Mullins - The Pilgrimage to Santiago

 

[domigee]

"Pilgrimage," by Jonathan Sumption. THE book on medieval European pilgrims and pilgrimage, including but not limited to Santiago. Very readable.

Thanks for that, just ordered it.

 

[Canche]

I started reading that book a year ago, but although interesting, it was too "mystical" for my particular taste.

I didn't like it, and didn't finish it

 

[Canche]

I suggest we set up a separate time for the book club forum instead of using our usual forum time on Tuesdays.

 

[C clearly]

I suggest we set up a separate time for the book club forum instead of using our usual forum time on Tuesdays.

I'm not sure how that would work, as I have only been on a few of those zoom calls. Here on the forum, more people can participate - in their own time zones!

In the meantime, pop over to this thread on the first book, and give your comments and questions about the Gitlitz and Davidson book.

 

[philleethomas]

Some great ideas for a Forum Book Club were suggested on a Zoom call today. I'm outlining a simple approach below, and let's see how it goes.

Here is the plan :

1. Develop a list of candidate books. People suggest books in the thread below, and I update the list in post #2.
2. At intervals, we start a new thread - one book per thread, and one new book/thread every couple of weeks or so.
3. We'll try to put the list in tentative order, so people have a few weeks to find and read books if they want.
4. If you can't read the book at the time of the initial discussion, you can still comment on the thread in the future.

Here are some ideas on criteria for selected books, but we can adjust as appropriate:

1. Camino de Santiago is a central theme.
2. Generally not self-published memoirs, particularly by forum members (i.e. Book should be written and edited professionally, and we want to avoid both self-promotion and hurt feelings.)
3. May be paper book, e-book or audio book.
4. Maybe be fiction or non-fiction, but generally not strictly "guide books".
5. For selection of "next book," I'll get it started, but maybe we can have an occasional poll for input.

[By the way, there is no reason that any forum member cannot start a new thread on a book as long as they respect Rule #3 about commercial posts. However, if we do this in an organized "Book Club" fashion, we might get better interaction among interested forum members. Also, we can stretch out the experience over the months as we wait patiently to walk!]

With all this in mind, make your book suggestions below, and I will start the ball rolling

In these Covidian times, and without the opportunity to embark on the physical walk, I have been on a virtual pilgrimage, through the Camino literature, travelogues and histories, but only decided recently to put them all together and I am SHOCKED at how many I have! How does other people's collections compare? And is there anything glaringly missing?
I guess this is just an indication of the times we live in, but I am hoping to get the opportunity to experience the Camino later this year. I have everything crossed!

 

[BombayBill]

Here is a book on the CF from a gardener’s prospective.

The Way of the Gardener

Reverence takes on a new meaning in this original memoir of an avid gardener walking the Camino de Santiago The Camino de Santiago has been a journey for pil...

nyupress.org

 

[Esther Jantzen]

HI, I'd like to recommend my own new book (2020), one of the very few English Camino kids' books--WALK: Jamie Bacon's Secret Mission on the Camino de Santiago. It's a history, mystery, and travel tale about the missteps, adventures, and heroism of an American boy who walks the Camino Francés with his home schooling family. Adults love it, too, if the Amazon reviews are any indication. Available on national and international Amazon sites, and via bookstores. (I'm not sure of the protocol here, but Bob suggested I post about my book.)

 

[C clearly]

(I'm not sure of the protocol here, but Bob suggested I post about my book.)

Thanks for the information about your book. This is covered by Rule 3, exception 1, found here.

Our book club is run rather casually, where we have been passing along the role of choosing 3 or 4 books (usually on a theme) for review and comment, to members who want to participate in the "book club." At the moment, @TrvlDad1 is "hosting" a serious of 3 fiction books, the first of which has a thread here. Feel free to join in the discussion about that book or any of the previous books. They each have a clearly titled thread in the Books section, tagged with "book club," and they can stay open indefinitely for comment.

There are quite a few authors of Camino books among our members, so we don't want the Book Club to be seen as a promotional opportunity! We are just Camino fans reading Camino books and talking about them.