Walking the Camino
A Modern Pilgrimage to Santiago
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Walking the Camino
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Narrated by:
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James Millar
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By:
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Tony Kevin
About this listen
In May 2006, armed only with a small rucksack and a staff, Tony Kevin, an overweight, sedentary, 63-year-old former diplomat, set off on an eight-week trek across Spain. But this was not just a very long walk - it was a pilgrimage.
From Granada, in the southeast, to Santiago de Compostela, in the far northwest, Tony followed the Via Mozarabe and the Via de la Plata, two of the many pilgrim trails that crisscross Spain and Portugal and that all lead to a single destination. In the Middle Ages, the cathedral city of Santiago de Compostela was Europe’s most famous centre of pilgrimage, and in recent years it has enjoyed a remarkable revival; every day towards noon, hundreds of hot, tired, and dusty pilgrims stream into Santiago Cathedral for the daily Pilgrim’s Mass.
What, in our busy, materialistic 21st century, is this apparently anachronistic phenomenon all about? What drives tens of thousands of people of all nationalities and creeds to make long, exhausting walks across the cold mountains and hot tablelands of Spain, to take part finally in a medieval Christian liturgy of spiritual renewal and reconciliation with God?
Walking the Camino beautifully captures the flavour of what it was like to walk the camino, and is filled with fascinating observations and anecdotes about the nature of contemporary Spain. And because pilgrimage is such a deeply personal experience that has the potential to unlock the deepest recesses of hidden memory and conscience, it is also a profound personal meditation on the nature of modern life.
It will be of interest to people who contemplate making, or who have made this walk; to those interested in the politics and culture of contemporary Spain; and indeed anyone who appreciates fine travel writing.
Tony Kevin served in the Foreign Affairs and Prime Minister's departments over a 30-year period, and was Australia's ambassador to Poland and Cambodia. His other award-winning book is A Certain Maritime Incident: the sinking of SIEV X
©2008 Tony Kevin (P)2014 Audible LtdWhat listeners say about Walking the Camino
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 04-03-2022
Taking the walk
I wanted to feel like I was on the Camino, and I really felt like that as I listened. I loved hearing about the rhythm of the walk, the scenery, Spanish history, and the impact of the pilgrimage.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 07-12-2018
History and Spirituality
Lots of Spanish history to assist in understanding the country you are blessed to walk through (maybe too much for some people)
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- SM2019
- 28-03-2019
heartfelt and spiritual
loved it and was sad when it was finished, inspired anew to attempt my own walk someday soon
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Martin Castilla
- 09-10-2020
Interesting travel tale with woeful narrator.
Tony Kevin's background as a diplomat is evident in his thoroughly researched tale of his walk of El Camino de Santiago.
Much of it is interesting, if at times laborious, given the rich historical background information included.
However, the narrator is terrible.
He seemingly has NO IDEA of the sound of Spanish words.
Where Kevin has inserted prayers and poems into the book in their native Spanish, for brevity, the narrator butchers them with totally ignorant, unaware and cringe-inducing pronunciation.
I'm talking some of the most basic Spanish words like 'hombre' (he says 'jombre') and chorizo (narrator says 'choritzo', repeatedly), and 100 other words and names I happily - or rather, sadly - forget.
The narrator also is lifeless, bland, monotone. How can you read about the glory of the vistas and architecture Kevin encountered in such flat tone? Sacrilege! It robs the story of its life. I listened to most of the book at 1.5 times speed so as to not be lulled into sleep while driving.
For this native Spanish speaker, this was too much.
It ruins what might have been a very fine book. Purchase at your own peril.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Michael Smith
- 04-08-2020
annoyed me a little
if you want a book about Spanish history than this is for you. If you want a book that is more about walking the camino, find another book.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Suz
- 30-09-2017
great narrator and the story of the walk was good
I loved most of this book - well written and the narrator was excellent. There was a little too much history detail and I did need to forward past stages that went to historical detail that was exhausting. If history was what you were looking for AND the story of the authors walk of the Camino this book is for you. It was worth forwarding past information that did not hold interest for me as the content was fabulous.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Katie
- 11-09-2015
Part travelog, diplomatic essay & reflection
Dated by technology and current events, but an interesting account of an Australian's pilgrimage on a lesser-travelled Camino through Spain from Grenada.
Covers everything from what to pack, a good walking staff and why you should wear two pairs of socks when walking, through to the similarities between religions, the history of Spain and major political and current affairs in the first few years of the 2000s.
Unfortunately, Kevin's writing style is reflective of his diplomatic background and can be quite dry at times but the listener/reader is left with a conviction that he has done his research. If you read this book, you won't need to read many others on the history of Spain etc.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 23-02-2022
Fascinating recount.
I was able to experience the wonders, the pain, the blisters,history, food,characters and purpose.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 14-06-2019
Quite highbrow
good to dip into but lacking humor . I listened to the serious chapters on politics and self development through religion but in retrospect would have skipped them.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- John
- 19-03-2017
Inspiring
A very ordinary story, in a very uplifting, way. Recommended for all those contemplating the Camino.
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