Book Review - Savoring the Camino de Santiago: It's the Pilgrimage, Not the Hike - Kindle Edition - by Julie Gianelloni Connor

       When I first went to the Camino of St James in 2003, there were very few books about it out there. Now, many pilgrims have published either guidebooks or memoirs on the Camino, seemingly in the hundreds if you look on AMAZON. I have read at least 20 books on the Camino throughout the years, possibly way more than that. I have now been on the Camino five times and would have completed my sixth time if the pandemic had not hit. 

       There are many different ways to approach the Camino. We all have our own stories and our own personalities. We all have different expectations and comfort levels. I have been on five different Caminos and have had five very different experiences. I would say that in recent years, the pilgrims have greater expectations of the Camino and what it provides. I have hiked the Camino three different times in the middle of winter, when there are few hiking on the Camino and where atmosphere is much less geared toward a tourist. 

        I enjoyed reading about the author's personal perspective on the Camino. Some of my experiences have differed quite a bit from the author's. I must disclose that I am a Catholic priest myself, so people tend to talk to me about spiritual matters especially on the Camino. On the surface, it may seem like a lot of people don't approach it as a spiritual pilgrimage, but I have found that in conversation, their spiritual quest will often come out, sometimes in surprising ways. So, when the author says that the Camino is no longer a true pilgrimage and that very few people do it for religious and spiritual reasons, I do not agree with that observation, as that has not been my experience.  I will say that the American pilgrims group does approach it in a very secular way, influenced by the secular approach to the pilgrimage by many of its leaders.  But, many of the people approach pilgrimage in a more spiritual or religious way.  

Also, unlike the author of this book, I like the trails that are old and worn and that are irregular and full of history. To me, the trails of the Camino are a part of history. I walked the Camino three years a row in winter. It was cold and stark and harsh. I was going through a very rough time in my life and I needed the Camino to be there for me. Going on pilgrimage on the Camino each time is like meeting up with an old friend. 

          I want to thank the author for telling her stories and sharing her experience of the Camino.  I enjoyed her description of the different Camino stages, her advice on preparing for the Camino, and being truthful as to her struggles on the hike.  I very much appreciated her honesty and candor.