Along the Way: A Pilgrim's Memoir of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xdmxwqa4QAI
A delightful read of a woman's soulful pilgrimage on foot from Porto, Portugal to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. It is written on two levels, the outer and the inner, both quite interesting. The beautiful places, amazing vistas, beautiful and less beautiful hotels, tasty meals and interesting fellow travelers she meets on the way are all interesting, but beyond that, you are privileged to her inner thoughts, prayers, reflections, misgivings, hopes and joys on this great journey as well. After reading this you are well schooled on what it is like to take such a pilgrimage, from the wonderful joys of a hot bath for a sore body weary of hiking and the great tip of using petroleum jelly on your feet to help with the inevitable soreness. But most importantly, you share in the first hand experiences of a thoughtful and prayerful person on pilgrimage, and by doing so you participate in your own way on her journey, and that is amazing.
~Jonah S. Bergman, NYC
What a beautiful account of a such a sacred, ages old pilgrimage. Catholics and non-Catholics alike will feel like they are on the journey with the author as she deals with the physical and emotional pain that of this life. It will make you want to put The Way of St. James on your bucket list.
~Anne Riecken
Reading 'Along the Way' brings many gifts of the Spirit. It is written from a woman’s point of view and this brings out of this secular pilgrimage details untold before. You can feel the welcome feeling of a simple pew in a church after a long day’s walk. It is also written from the point of view of the New World--the Americas--and from a sound and traditional Catholic perspective. So it does not lose you in distractions; it's not about a trendy walk. It unravels the eternal gifts of El Camino to a soul living in the 21st century.
~Daniel Rabourdin, EWTN Host, Theology of the Table
Losana Boyd unselfishly takes us along on her journey of the Camino de Santiago, providing us an unvarnished account of her 13 days on the trail. Through her descriptive and poetic prose, you feel like you are on a pilgrimage with her. She shares wonderful detail of the terrain, the people and the distinct communities that she encounters along the way. Anyone planning on hiking the Camino will gain invaluable information about the hike, where to stay, how to organize your trip, what to carry, etc. But her book is so much more than this.
She connects the physical struggles of the hike with her own inner conflicts and how the journey has provided time and space for soulful renewal. You can feel how her faith provides her strength and guidance throughout. This is a walk that has been journeyed by so many pilgrims searching for a way to reconnect to themselves and their faith. Her unique and inspiring account of that pilgrimage will stay with you long after you have finished reading her book.
~Janet Paroo