Camino Chronicle: Walking to Santiago

Susan Alcorn   
Shepherd Canyon Books (2006)
ISBN 0936034033
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (6/06)


In 2001, Susan Alcorn and her husband Ralph journeyed to northern Spain to hike the Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage Trail.  This incredible journey took them over 400 miles through a vast array of landscapes and adventures.  What I really loved about this book is that while Alcorn is journaling her current experiences, she is also educating us on the history and culture of the areas that they pass through. This gives much richer detail to the story.  It is also interesting to read about how this part of Spain differs from the American culture. 

Initially, I wanted to read this story to learn about someone else’s adventure, however after having read it, I have gained the desire to do this pilgrimage myself.  Alcorn doesn’t sugar coat her experiences, there are some rough patches along the way.  Reading her journal, I learned about the positive and negative aspects of such a journey.  The personal growth that she gains from this experience seems to overcome
everything.  She has also taken on much grander challenges since this one.

I highly recommend this book to armchair travelers and to those who are willing to take on an adventure like this.  The daily accounts of Alcorn’s experiences would prepare you for the journey and the historical information would really enrich your experience.  This would be the perfect piece of equipment to have in your backpack!

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