History of the Camino

[Former member 83942]

Hello,

I have been looking for a good book that is an actual history of the Camino de Santiago...not just a guide with brief histories of sites, but a history of the Camino movement over time. Any suggestions?

pat (enjoying memories of our 2019 Camino)

 

[peterhore]

Can I recommend this recent book? Camino: Pilgrims to Paradise, the Road to Santiago, Then and Now – A Cultural Companion Adam Hopkins is an Englishman who has lived in Spain for many years an has explored the Camino on foot and by car. From the blurb, he "weaves together a thrilling, intricate and accessible history of Apostles and Christianity, of medieval theology and the contest with Islam; of pilgrims and builders, of war and of peace, from earliest times till the 21st century. It is also a personal exploration of the new Camino, where Christians and Buddhists, and people of different faiths and no faith may make a shared journey, have fun on the way and explore for themselves the huge artistic legacy en route. Even those who know the Camino well may be surprised by what they discover. Both travelogue and history, this book contains a rich and surprising gallery of ideas. Product of a sceptical yet friendly eye, telling of aspiration and tragedy, and lightened with enough humour and poetry to make a compelling read, Camino is a one volume companion to a great journey." And, for once, the publisher's blurb is fairly accurate.

 

[Theatregal]

Hi @McSherry
Look at this thread for some suggestions:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/can-anyone-recommend-me-a-book-on-the-history-of-the-camino.54578/

 

[Jane Silverman]

Can I recommend this recent book? Camino: Pilgrims to Paradise, the Road to Santiago, Then and Now – A Cultural Companion Adam Hopkins is an Englishman who has lived in Spain for many years an has explored the Camino on foot and by car. From the blurb, he "weaves together a thrilling, intricate and accessible history of Apostles and Christianity, of medieval theology and the contest with Islam; of pilgrims and builders, of war and of peace, from earliest times till the 21st century. It is also a personal exploration of the new Camino, where Christians and Buddhists, and people of different faiths and no faith may make a shared journey, have fun on the way and explore for themselves the huge artistic legacy en route. Even those who know the Camino well may be surprised by what they discover. Both travelogue and history, this book contains a rich and surprising gallery of ideas. Product of a sceptical yet friendly eye, telling of aspiration and tragedy, and lightened with enough humour and poetry to make a compelling read, Camino is a one volume companion to a great journey." And, for once, the publisher's blurb is fairly accurate.

Spanish Pilgrimage by Robin Hanbury-Tenison relates a pilgrimage on horseback with lots of history and several photos. Published in paperback by Arrow Books.,.

 

[Former member 83942]

Thanks for all of the suggestions! I knew this was the place to ask!

 

[Terry Callery]

They say history is an argument that never ends.

For those who want to delve beyond the mythology, astral events and heavenly music, Robert Hodum's Pilgrim' Steps - A Search for Spain's Santiago and an Examination of his Way." is a good read. More of a collection of essays by the author, it lacks some overall cohesiveness and it is ponderously written at times. It is one of the few polemics that is skeptical about the fantastic stories that surround Saint James purported activities on the Iberian Peninsula and his burial in Galicia. Lots of facts and historical background contained in this 172 page self-published effort by a man who walked the Camino and did graduate work in History at Stony Brook University. He is however respectful of the meaning of the myth to the faithful.

 

[sillydoll]

Hello,

I have been looking for a good book that is an actual history of the Camino de Santiago...not just a guide with brief histories of sites, but a history of the Camino movement over time. Any suggestions?

pat (enjoying memories of our 2019 Camino)

My Camino 'Bible' is
The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago: The Complete Cultural Handbook by David M. Gitlitz (Author), Linda Kay Davidson (Author)

The road across northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela in the northwest was one of the three major Christian pilgrimage routes during the Middle Ages, leading pilgrims to the resting place of the Apostle St. James. Today, the system of trails and roads that made up the old pilgrimage route is the most popular long-distance trail in Europe, winding from the heights of the Pyrenees to the gently rolling fields and woods of Galicia. Hundreds of thousands of modern-day pilgrims, art lovers, historians, and adventurers retrace the road today, traveling through a stunningly varied landscape which contains some of the most extraordinary art and architecture in the western world. For any visitor, the Road to Santiago is a treasure trove of historical sites, rustic Spanish villages, churches and cathedrals, and religious art.

To fully appreciate the riches of this unique route, look no further than The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago, a fascinating step-by-step guide to the cultural history of the Road for pilgrims, hikers, and armchair travelers alike. Organized geographically, the book covers aspects of the terrain, places of interest, history, artistic monuments, and each town and village's historical relationship to the pilgrimage.

The authors have led five student treks along the Road, studying the art, architecture, and cultural sites of the pilgrimage road from southern France to Compostela. Their lectures, based on twenty-five years of pilgrimage scholarship and fieldwork, were the starting point for this handbook.