Pilgrimage to the End of the World: The Road to Santiago de Compostela

by Conrad Rudolph

Traveling two and a half months and one thousand miles along the ancient route through southern France and northern Spain, Conrad Rudolph made the passage to the holy site of Santiago de Compostela, one of the most important modern-day pilgrimage destinations for Westerners. In this chronicle of his travels to this captivating place, Rudolph melds the ancient and the contemporary, the spiritual and the physical, in a book that is at once travel guide, literary work, historical study, and memoir.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, History, Memoir, Religion, Ebooks, Spain

138 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Linnea Hendrickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this book I decided I wanted to walk through France from Le Puy en Velay to St. Jean Pied de Port, and I did it. Many of Rudolph's reflections on this walk stayed with me as I walked a walk that changed my life.

[Lisal Kayati Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best Camino books I have read. I loved the history and the detailed, truthful and helpful information the author provides. It has helped me to think through my motivation for this trip. His was a longer (1000 mi) pilgrimage, so I believe his insights come from a place many future pilgrims might “romanticize” in their musings.

[Tim Littleford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, and some great insights as a person of no faith doing a pilgrimage. It would have been a richer book if he was willing to engage with the spiritual element of a pilgrimage, which you know, kind of the point of the whole thing.

[David Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

7.2/10

[SandiegoSuzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used this book when planning my own Pilgrimage to Santiago. It helped give me the confidence, courage, and desire to make walk 350 miles of the Camino alone at the age of almost sixty.

[l_i_s_a_p_h · Rating 2 out of 5]

I believe that Conrad would have had a more transformational experience had he a belief in God and understood why people became "pilgrims." His account describes the journey as a physical one, but, in my opinion, he missed the spiritual component. That is why people asked for prayers along the way - perhaps their regard for those who set forth on such a path must believe in a faithful God who sustains the weary traveler.

[Glorianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful lyrical reminisces of the pilgrimage. A window is opened to vicariously experience the people, places and moments of a legendary journey. Inspiring read. You truly feel as if you are walking in another's shoes and not only the author's but the pilgrims who have come before him for centuries.

[Rachael Kosinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this for a Pilgrimages Art History class. One of the best books I've read while at college! I also have been extremely interested in El Camino de Santiago de Compostela for a long while, so this was both pleasing and informative.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat dated in terms of actual packing advice, but a solid and fast read on the spirit of the Camino and why to do the walk. Definitely made me want to do the full length walk vs. a shorter route.

[Georgetowner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very practical and informative book. The history of pilgrimages in the first section was especially interesting. I highly recommend this for anyone who is interested in walking the Camino. Rudolph very effectively presents the good, the bad, and the beautiful of walking the long Camino.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's okay if you're into this sort of topic. I'm not, because most of the realizations and teachings are common sense, at least to me.

[Harvee Lau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been fascinated by this pilgrimage that many people take, walking to the holy site of Santiago de Compostela, the Spanish city where the remains of the apostle Saint James the Greater is said to reside in a large and impressive cathedral. The walking trip from Le Puy, France, through the Pyrenees mountains, and through northern Spain is about a thousand miles and took the author two and a half months to complete.

The title shows that the author took the pilgrimage route beyond Santiago de Compostela, a hike of three days more to Finisterre, where land ends at the Atlantic Ocean and the "End of the World." This book has maps and photographs of the pilgrimage route, of monuments and churches and some of the small villages along the way. It suggests a detailed and specific list of items pilgrims should take with them, plus a warning to pack light. The author suggests vigorous hiking training for several months to prepare for the long and challenging walk along the pilgrimage route to the holy site.

The author made the trip in the mid 1990s and published the book in 2004. I did find that a couple of his links to web cams in Santiago de Compostela and along the route no longer work.

[Liralen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fairly quiet book and very quick to get through. It's set up a bit differently than most of the other Camino memoirs I've read, with distinct sections for history, memoir, memoir through photographs, and advice. Rudolph also chose not to include every detail of his own trip, focusing instead on those that were representative and/or particularly interesting.

Rudolph is definitely a hard-line pilgrim, dismissing not only the 'decaff pilgrims' (cyclists -- almost every writer so far has dismissed them) but those who stay in hotels even occasionally and anyone who sets foot in a moving vehicle. He's not rude about it, but he's definitely opinionated (though on the trail for reasons far more cultural than spiritual).

For a complete account of walking the Camino, I'd look elsewhere, but I do think this book does what it sets out to -- it provides a lot of history, a slice-of-life look at the pilgrimage, and a lot of advice (some of which is questionable but most of which is probably still relevant).

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A professor of medieval art history provides a brief history and offers a too brief (and sometimes moving) account of his pilgrimage through France and Spain (certainly not a religious one, but a respectful one none-the-less), and including some pictures (certainly not the high point) and pointers about what to take and how to prepare. His description of both countryside and people make me want to hit the trail and I appreciated his tone and realism. A small delight - thank you U of Chicago Press for the free e-book. "A pilgrim is not a tourist. You have a deeper experience precisely because you are not an observer in the traditional sense of the word. Something changes. You are not exactly the same person you were before. The locals look to you as a special experience, as authentic."

[Beth Jusino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a travel guide, not a memoir, but something in between. This small book has the kind of information you'd get from a friend who'd just finished the Camino de Santiago: his reflections on why he went, his most memorable moments (some show up more than once), his complaints about blisters and bad knees, his collection of snapshots (some aren't very good), and his advice if you decide to go yourself.

All combined, it's an inspiring introduction to an adventure I'm hoping to attempt in the next couple of years.

[Harley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pilgrimage to the End of the World is actually three books in one. First, it is a memoir of a pilgrimage that Rudolph made. Second, it is a photographic travelogue. And, third, it is an instructional manual on how to make a pilgrimage. Fortunately, each section is separate and you can read as much or as little of each section as you like. I liked the memoir best. Conrad Rudolph is a professor of medieval art so he brought an understanding the Middle Ages to the pilgrimage.

[A.J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part travelogue, part history lesson, this is a quick read and an interesting one. The author vividly describes the physical challenges of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela (and beyond that, to Finisterre - the end of the world). More interesting is the way the two-month walk affected his view of the world: the slow progress having a spiritual affect on him even though he was not a religious man.

[Cecilia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a few problems with this book. I had to read this book for my Exploring Religion class and I really wish I didn't. First of, his journey to Santiago de Compostela was only around 30 pages while there were 50 pages on pictures that I could of looked up on the internet. I got bored about half way through his story. The one thing i liked was that at the end, it gave you tips if you want to make the pilgrimage yourself. I might use his references one day if I decide to make the journey.

[Antje23 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of my bucket list items, and as a brief guide it does the trick. The most useful section of this book is the resources, which include what to bring/pack, guides to use, and routes to take. I plan on doing more reading before I attempt.

[Kim]

I liked the maps and explanations of the routes, including how many days some were.

[Marlies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little book...it's a dream of mine to take my mom to Santiago de Compostela, but we'd fly & drive! : )

[Laura]

Free e-book by The University of Chicago Press.

[Milt · Rating 3 out of 5]

digital edition. UofC free

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light, adventurous and autobiographical account of a pilgrimage. An interesting view of a long-taken journey.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating, and well-written.