Pilgrimage to the End of the World: The Road to Santiago de Compostela FROM THE PUBLISHER
From Tibetan Buddhists at Jokang to Muslims at Mecca for the hajj, pilgrims across faiths and cultures travel thousands of miles--often by foot--to reach holy sites. Such journeys are considered proof of ultimate devotion, the most important act of an individual's life. The intense mystical and physical aspects of pilgrimages have recently sparked a modern revival, leading travelers hopeful for spiritual growth and physical challenge to embark on these sacred adventures. Pilgrimage to the End of the World takes the reader, via Conrad Rudolph's able eyes and feet, to the holy site of Santiago de Compostela, believed to be the burial place of the apostle James. Discovered in around AD 812, it became one of the most important pilgrimage destinations for Westerners (after Rome and Jerusalem) and has recently received an influx of renewed attention after being named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today it is the second most popular Catholic pilgrimage center, visited by Francis of Assisi and Pope John Paul II, among others. Rudolph made this passage himself, traveling the two and a half months and one thousand miles along the ancient pilgrimage route from Le Puy, in south-central France, to Santiago, Spain. Offering his perspective as a medieval art historian as well as a veteran traveler, Rudolph melds the ancient and the contemporary, the spiritual and the physical, in his chronicle of his travels to this captivating place. From anecdotes to travel tips for "the wise pilgrim" (routes to take, physical training required, what to eat, where to stay, what to bring, and even recommendations of other publications), this book is at once travel guide, literary work, historical study, andmemoir. Sincerely and engagingly written, it will appeal to travelers, religious scholars, and historians--and will have you wanting to embark for Spain as you close it.
FROM THE CRITICS
Library Journal
One way to lend your modern travel some historical weight is to follow the path of past travelers. Rudolph (medieval art & art history, Univ. of California, Riverside) did just that. Like hundreds of others annually, he followed the medieval pilgrimage route from Le Puy, France, to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, after Rome and Jerusalem, the Western world's most popular pilgrimage destination. This was no mere hike; it took Rudolph two and a half months to complete the 1000-mile journey. But he was not content merely to follow a grueling pilgrimage route (a feat in itself); he continued on from Santiago to Finisterre, another 60 miles to the west. What he found is that taking a trek has effects on the trekker beyond just blisters and pains; even more so than the breathtaking scenery and holy sites along the way, it is the memory of the people of the farms and villages (and fellow walkers) that stays with the pilgrim, whether secular or religious. This is a delightful book that will make even the armchair traveler want to see the light. Recommended for large public libraries.-Lee Arnold, Historical Soc. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
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