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Julia’s Reading Challenge for 2019
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Introduction
Blanket of Stars: Thru-Hiking the Camino de Santiago
by C.W. Lockhart An unlikely pilgrim battles agoraphobia to reclaim life beyond the sofa. The 800-kilometer journey along the Camino Frances provides a scenic backdrop to ponder midlife crisis and chronic illness, an empty nest and marital woes, military service and posttraumatic stress, rage and grief, heartbreak and fear – And the way forward.El Camino de Santiago, known fondly as The Way, is a matrix of trails with starting points across Europe leading to the sacred relics of Saint James the Apostle in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Often considered a Catholic pilgrimage, this ancient route predates Christianity. The Way continues to evolve, attracting spiritual seekers with and without religion, thru-hikers, fitness junkies, history buffs, and the curious.
Armed with humor and grit and a backpack named little Agnus, Lockhart tackles emotional and physical obstacles, shares adventures with pilgrims from all over the world, mothers traveling teens, endures blisters and bicycle seats and embraces the glory of Mother Nature and the intrinsic spirituality of peregrination. She finds herself transcending from a human being on a spiritual quest to a spiritual being on a human quest.
Julia’s Review
I must admit, I am a bit of a Camino addict and I love reading other people’s stories about their travels. I enjoyed this book, which is full of highs, lows, shock and laugh out loud moments. I was considering cycling the Meseta if I walked the Frances route again, but after reading this book I will put it on the back burner! Having walked this route a few times myself, I was visualising the villages and towns as she made her way through the various regions and I loved her descriptions of the people and the hostels.
If you are in your 40’s or 50’s and your kids are nearly at the stage of leaving home and perhaps your marriage is not as exciting as it used to be, then you will relate to this book.
A good read.
Purchase from Amazon (although I downloaded on Audible) – click here
