Shadow of a Pilgrim: An Apostate Walks Two Caminos in Spain

Shadow of a Pilgrim: An Apostate Walks Two Caminos in Spain by Thomas F Connell. paperback edition. ISBN: 9781732377424.

What happens when a classics-trained, half-a-century-lapsed Irish-American Catholic sets out to walk not one, but two Caminos, the thousand-year old pilgrimage routes that lead through a vast arc of European history and culture to culminate in the revered burial place of the Apostle St. James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain? This rich and unusual book, a day-to-day and densely-photographed account of one apostate pilgrims journey, carries the reader through forests, farmers’ fields and vineyards, mountains, ancient battle sites, and famous cities, first on the popular inland Camino Francés; and then along the wild, rugged coast of northern Spain on the Camino del Norte. The book stands out from the rest in two important ways. First, it covers the joys and travails, step by step, of a solitary pilgrim with 24 pounds on his back as he walks 1,100 miles along TWO Caminos. Its 600 pages are filled with lively, poetic and informative descriptions of the complex history, art, architecture and wondrous sights found along the way; and it crackles with humor (sometimes irreverent) as it tells stories about the unusual characters and events from 90 days on the road. Second, it is both a journal and a visual jewel. Expertly printed in a larger, coffee-table format (10” x 7”), it includes many design flourishes, and 340 full-color photographs from the journey, all printed on luminous, luxurious paper. Readers have described it as “a beautiful gem,” filled with stunning photos, and with dialogue and stories that make it “a page-turner.” Let Tom Connell take you on two Caminos, and you will see for yourself.