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The Camino de Santiago: One Wanderful Walk

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Every year, over three hundred thousand people complete the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela. Part memoir, part history, ( and part attempt at humour), The Camino de Santiago: One Wanderful Walk recounts a solo woman traveler’s personal adventure on this route in 2019.

Each person who walks on this ancient route walks in the footsteps of someone who has come before. And, some steps are bigger than others! These are compelling stories set in beautiful Spanish landscapes and in bustling cities, and they are the stories of the human connections built from funny, shocking and poignant experiences.

Why do so many people chose to walk this way? What did the author hope to gain from the experience? Was the food tasty? How was the wine? A lot of uphill? Any bedbugs?

Follow along with the author, as she follows the yellow arrows and the proverbial yellow brick road, and tries not to get lost on her way to Santiago.

This is book is for the armchair traveller and for those planning on taking a trip to Spain to walk the route for themselves. Sit back be inspired and let the magic of the Camino unfold!

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 15, 2021

136 people are currently reading
817 people want to read

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5 stars
135 (43%)
4 stars
112 (36%)
3 stars
50 (16%)
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9 (2%)
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3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
Profile Image for Amber.
419 reviews1 follower
September 24, 2021
This was a really nice sharing of the author's Camino walk. I loved her honesty, positive outlook, appreciation of the scenery and culture, and intentionality to try to see the best in others. I did find myself annoyed with one of her pilgrim companions and her judgmental, self-righteous attitude towards another pilgrim--especially since this person exemplified a holier than thou pretentiousness. I am glad that the author distanced herself from that sort of negativity, and while O'Gorman did not see the Camino as a spiritual quest, she clearly displayed a far more spiritual quality than her judgmental counterpart.

This is definitely one of my more favorite Camino books, and I really enjoyed reading the book.
Profile Image for Tess Ailshire.
779 reviews4 followers
October 29, 2022
I've read a number of hiking (Appalachian Trail, Camino, Pacific Coast Trail, etc.) books and this definitely sits squarely in the middle It's not fantastic, but it's far from bad. Sure, it could use an editor, one who knows the difference between a paddy and a patty, and who can fix the misuse of commas and semicolons, but there are plenty worse.

This book reads more like a travelogue than a journey or story; it's a "just the facts" book. If you want emotion, if you want to "feel" the Camino, there are better books. If you just want to know something about the Camino, this will do the trick.
276 reviews2 followers
July 16, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. I've always wanted to 'walk the Camino'...if not the entire length at least a portion of it. However, with my present medical issues, I'll never be able to accomplish this dream. This book gave me a delicious sample of the possibilities that pilgrims can realize. I'll probably pick up several more books about the Camino de Santiago.
11 reviews2 followers
February 22, 2023
I was impressed by the number of people Shannon met during her walk to Santiago from France and how much people seemed to connect while on this pilgrimage, no matter the reason they were actually operating under. In my younger days, I might have wanted to do this, but at age 80, I'm not interested in flying elsewhere to walk since I live in a large gated community in central Arkansas and I have miles and miles of walking trails, back roads, grassy paths, etc. I certainly do not worry about blisters on my feet, and when I get tired, I can head back home, and that's about all the excitement I can handle at my age now. I often do not meet others (although we have hundreds of walkers in the Village) and I can walk back into the wooded areas if I so choose, but I will stick to the roads, whether paved, gravel, grass, et al. The book is well written, the stories are very relatable, and the friendships that were formed during the times there were really heart warming. But this is a story that should be read by everyone, young and old alike, as there is nothing like walking in nature to find yourself.
Profile Image for Alicia Marsland.
Author 7 books9 followers
July 18, 2022
A Camino story

I have read four Camino books now. They were all different yet I know the names of some places and what’s there pretty well. In a way, I was making my own Camino, walking through shingles while preparing and then participating in an Anglican/Episcopalian youth conference, which I run along with my husband. I once crossed the Rockies on foot when I was young but now I am old. I don’t think the Camino happening for me.

I am usually too busy and too tired to experience anything spiritual during the conference although there are exceptional years. This was a year enlightened by others’ experiences of the Camino.

So I thank the author of this book, who had no spiritual experience, also those who did, in the other books that I also read. God is there whether you know it or not. That makes every journey worthwhile in the end.

in any case, you would like this book. It’s down to earth, like the writer. And full of the sights and sounds of that famous pilgrimage.
Profile Image for Philip.
61 reviews2 followers
February 4, 2022
This is the first book I've read about the Camino de Santiago, and it made me want to learn more about this historic pilgimage route.

It stands to reason that I'd like this book because I like nearly all travel stories, as they allow me to travel vicariously in between trips of my own. So my personal preference for the genre needs to be taken into account. I would like to give 3.5 stars for an engaging story with interesting characters, but a lot of annoying typos.

My favorite contemporary books that involve travel - a quest if you will - are Bryson' s A Walk in the Woods and Pitts' Before I Forget, both 5-star reads. Camino is a good story, though. Fun, thought-provoking, and you don't want it to end.
Profile Image for Amy Walsh.
Author 8 books324 followers
September 26, 2021
A Wonderful Portrayal of an Amazing Journey

I enjoyed the descriptions people and places on the journey. There were some truly unforgettable characters along the author's way! The photos, recipes, and quotations were a lovely addition. The author is honest, witty, perceptive, and knowledgable. I enjoyed learning about the legends, history, traditions, and monoments along the Camino through her eyes. I just have one question for the author: Did Angelina tell you what happened with Tomasso in her letter? So curious!
This was such a lovely book!
Profile Image for rob.
398 reviews2 followers
November 10, 2021
Intriguing

I enjoyed reading Shannon’s journey of walking the Camino from France to Spain. I learned a lot of historical facts and quirky things from her journey. I enjoyed learning about the different people that she interacted with, it’s almost like you were there with her. There were moments Shannon’s humor made me laugh out loud. I felt for her at times with having blisters on her feet, but it was inspiring to see her and others push on. This story It makes you definitely won’t to slow down and reflect on what’s important in life.
54 reviews3 followers
August 13, 2022
I picked this up, as, while I visit Spain a lot, it's mostly Madrid, La Mancha, Andalusia and Catalunya - I know vert little about the North West. This is a very breezy travel-blog type book, full of very short chapters and pen portraits of people and places.
It has given me a few ideas of places I'll visit in the future, although I've no interest in Camino-ing to get there.
The book balanced the religious, hippy-spiritualism, fitness motivations of many of the travelers without force feeding any of them you - the authour seemed to get a lot of of her journey - which I guess is the point
Profile Image for Joan Buell.
206 reviews9 followers
October 16, 2021
I always enjoy travel stories, and this one did not disappoint. The author described the scenery well, and I appreciated the pictures, which only showed that words were not enough. She captured the friendships she made on her trek, and it was clear that a common goal can unite people who are quite different. She shared the joys, and was honest about the trials. Only negative. . . needs proofreading. Many omissions and errors.
862 reviews6 followers
May 16, 2024
My new favorite book! I walked the Camino in 2018, one year before the author. Reading this book was like revisiting my trip of a lifetime. I felt like her experiences were so similiar to my own, it was truly amazing. I especially loved the way she emphasized all the friends she met multiple times along the way. My memories came flooding back. I hope to walk again and this book has inspired me to pursue that dream.
45 reviews2 followers
October 19, 2021
This is a wonderful storytelling approach to the Camino. It’s full of characters met along the way and evokes a sense of connectedness that evolves on long journeys. I appreciated the daily routine of introducing the humans met along the way mixed in with the interesting points found along the way. A human sided approach to a spiritual experience.
1 review
June 4, 2022
I enjoyed reading this often inspiring account of the author’s Camino experience. Lots of detail about the different people she met along the route which was central to her story. The description of the paths travelled and many albergues stayed in and meals taken all helped me to get a really good feel for the whole peregrino experience.
214 reviews3 followers
November 10, 2022
This was a fun walk! Different than other thru hikes I've read about. I had no idea the Camino existed before I stumbled across this book. The author did a great job of taking the reader along for the highlights of the trip, without creating a monotonous travelogue. Very enjoyable read which made me want to do more research.
Profile Image for Carie.
517 reviews
January 8, 2023
This was a nice way to re-live my camino from 2017. In my opinion, the writing started out stellar, and then towards the end it felt a bit like the walk - let's just get this done.
If you are thinking about doing the camino, or you have already, you will enjoy this easy-to-read memoir like I did.
Profile Image for Kathryn.
974 reviews19 followers
March 27, 2024
Completely biased review based on the fact that I read this while planning my own Camino de Santiago walk, and then revisited the relevant chapters each day I before walking. This is the only thing I've read (or watched) the gives you an entry for EVERY day of the walk. Since I was only doing the 117km version, most of what I've read or watched completely bypasses my experience.
12 reviews
October 3, 2021
One person's experience making the walk

A fantastic telling of what it is like to walk the Camino. We learn about the joys and the difficulties, the sights and sounds, and the people she met. A very enjoyable reading.
20 reviews
October 20, 2021
Excellent mix of compassion, humor and the beauty of the Camino. We meet her companions, strangers who become friends, eccentric characters and the perennial blisters along with the goal of completing an important life journey. One of my favorite Camino books
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Profile Image for T.J. Lee.
Author 23 books49 followers
January 17, 2022
Heartwarming adventure

A great story about walking in someone else's shoes...for a month straight. My feet hurt just reading about it. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
108 reviews1 follower
January 18, 2023
I wish

I loved this book because of the detail of the traveling and the people. I have to live vicariously thru these travel books, and enjoy every page.
Thanks so much to the people who write these!
2 reviews
January 10, 2024
Fun read

Shannon writes with a relatable and humorous style. I would be laughing out loud beside my husband sitting and reading beside me. He plans to read next. We are in the process of planning our Camino.
27 reviews1 follower
August 9, 2021
Really good well written book and didn't want it to end. Will keep it on my Kindle and read it again and again!
Profile Image for Cara Silver.
Author 2 books79 followers
December 13, 2021
Life Altering Trip

This book follows the author on her trip through the Camino De Santiago in Europe. It is quite the journey and I hope to take it some day. It seems like a life changing trip where she met so many amazing people and had the experience to laugh a lifetime.
The author did an amazing story telling the story of her long and sometimes difficult journey.
39 reviews
April 18, 2022
As I was expecting - an entertaining, information personal journal of the author's trip.
Profile Image for Ari.
25 reviews10 followers
May 28, 2022
I enjoyed her sharing the journey. I may never get there but her descriptions brought it to life for me.
50 reviews
March 12, 2023
An interesting read.

A very good read about the Camino Santiago. Not too heavy, but truthful in its description. A very enjoyable story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews

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