Women of the Way

[Laliibeans]

I bought myself two Camino books recently after reading Shirley Maclaine's book, which I found very negative in tone. I wanted to read something positive and uplifting about the Camino experience. (It didn't help that I'd also just read another very negative travel book, too.)

I picked up Buen Camino by Peter and Natasha Murtagh and Women of the Way by Jane Blanchard. I read Women of the Way first and was really pleasantly surprised.

Let me say first of all that I was very wary of reading this book because of the title. I get my back up over gender focus quite often because I often find that when one gender is being focussed on, the other suffers unfairly. Thankfully, this was absolutely not the case with Women of the Way. The author walks with her husband and it is really nice to see the strength between the two of them, the focus on women is just as perspective, it is never detrimental to either sex.

It was a very interesting and inspiring read, and best of all IT WAS POSITIVE!

I highly recommend it, it really brought a smile to my face as I was reading. I wish I'd read Buen Camino first, as I found that to be fairly disappointing. It's just a travel journal, parts were good and fairly interesting but at times it was very self-indulgent ("we were the focus, everyone knew us, this special thing happened only to us, etc") and really didn't warrant publishing as far as I'm concerned (does it really matter how much your 18 year old daughter can drink and disappear with boys in the middle of the night?). It also became very negative towards the end with judgemental comments about people who started at later stages. Some writing can just be kept for your own personal reflection :|

Would love some more positive books like Women of the Way!

 

[KiwiNomad06]

My favourite Camino book is "To the field of stars" by Kevin Codd. He's an American Catholic priest who was based in Belgium. He told his Camino story warts and all, so you knew of his struggles as well as the things he loved.
Margaret

 

[Laliibeans]

I've heard good things about that one. It might have to be next on my list

 

[efdoucette]

You probably know there is a youtube video, I think posted as a trailer for her book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd9ijAS4L6M

This must have been taken the same time I was on the trail because there are some ladies in her video that I also met on my Camino.

Eric

 

[Laliibeans]

Yes, I only watched it after I read the book though. I've been looking at the bookstores I normally buy my ebooks from and there aren't many English language Camino books available. It struck me as fairly odd since I'd heard that many people feel inspired to write about their Camino afterwards.

 

[k-fun]

Thank you for you kind comments about Women of the Way. I am glad you enjoyed the book.

I have listed over 80 books about the Camino on Pinterest. See http://pinterest.com/janevblanchard/camino-books/

Happy reading!

 

[MM4214]

My favourite Camino book is "To the field of stars" by Kevin Codd. He's an American Catholic priest who was based in Belgium. He told his Camino story warts and all, so you knew of his struggles as well as the things he loved.
Margaret

A great "warts and all" book is "The Year we Seized the Day" by Australian authors Elizabeth Best and Colin Bowles. My mum gave me this book with trepidation after I told her that I was going to walk the Camino next year. They way she said this actually scared me off this book for a few months but procrastination lost, and I have to say, I really loved the style, content and honesty of the book. I feel a bit more prepared now for the physical and psychological challengers of "The Way".
I also have just completed the book recommended on a previous post titled "The Unlikely Pilgramage of Harold Fry". Not based on the Camino but still really enjoyable.
Thankyou all for your wonderful recommendation. :grin: