Guidebooks?

[Leigh Lorayne]

I have Brierley's guidebook, but also "A Village to Village Guide to Hiking the Camino de Santiago" by Anna Dintaman and David Landis. I seem to be gravitating to that book instead of Brierley, although I know Brierley is the most common and recommended guidebook. I will be walking the Camino Frances starting the end of Aug. Does anyone have any advice on which one? Has anyone used the Dinataman/Landis guidebook?

 

[mvanert]

I cursed Brierly daily when on camino last year. It was too vague when it came to elevation and what to expect regarding the path. It was okay for the albergue information but I found it too esoteric, not enough 'meat' with his information. My belief, and this is what I'll be doing next year, is to know the villages, towns and cities you'll be going through but be prepared to 'wing it'. My sister and I enjoyed the private, smaller albergue' s that were not the recommended stopping points to be so much more enjoyable then the ones everyone was going to. Bottom line, let it be your camino.

 

[C clearly]

You should take whatever guide seems to provide the type of information that you want and that you enjoy using, since you don't NEED one at all. Many people love to hate Brierley's guide, but I was very happy with the maps-only book and will take it again. I wasn't looking for particularly precise information on the topography, or detailed reviews of albergues, either. I just wanted to know which towns had them.

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

I have Brierley's guidebook, but also "A Village to Village Guide to Hiking the Camino de Santiago" by Anna Dintaman and David Landis. I seem to be gravitating to that book instead of Brierley, although I know Brierley is the most common and recommended guidebook. I will be walking the Camino Frances starting the end of Aug. Does anyone have any advice on which one? Has anyone used the Dinataman/Landis guidebook?

If you can read Spanish and have internet access, the Voz De Galicia and Eroskicosumer websites for the Camino are really all yuou need
Buen Camino

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Dintaman/Landis is excellent for history, but has not been updated as a guide. Brierley has always been the most accurate guidebook, and is nearly as current each year as the internet sites. He chose to publish with the Camino divided into stages, stages that reflect the information given by the Pilgrim Office in SJPdP and in many European guidebooks. I don't think he ever viewed the stages as mandatory, and he includes all the intermediate accommodations. The information on elevations and type of footpath are among the best unless you take several pounds of topographic maps. There is a booklet published by Michelin that may be the best map guidance, but the accommodations are not regularly updated.

If you don't mind the weight, you will find good evening reading with Dintaman/Landis that will prepare you to look for historical sites (and sights) for the next day of walking. Read it before you do, and you will save weight, but still have a good idea of history and culture.

 

[Leigh Lorayne]

Dintaman/Landis is excellent for history, but has not been updated as a guide. Brierley has always been the most accurate guidebook, and is nearly as current each year as the internet sites. He chose to publish with the Camino divided into stages, stages that reflect the information given by the Pilgrim Office in SJPdP and in many European guidebooks. I don't think he ever viewed the stages as mandatory, and he includes all the intermediate accommodations. The information on elevations and type of footpath are among the best unless you take several pounds of topographic maps. There is a booklet published by Michelin that may be the best map guidance, but the accommodations are not regularly updated.

If you don't mind the weight, you will find good evening reading with Dintaman/Landis that will prepare you to look for historical sites (and sights) for the next day of walking. Read it before you do, and you will save weight, but still have a good idea of history and culture.

Thanks so much! I appreciate the helpful advice. I have so appreciated this forum and have read EVERYTHING! From what I read weight is very important, so perhaps I will cross reference and try to absorb as much as I can before I go. Thank you.

 

[wesojourn]

If you can read Spanish and have internet access, the Voz De Galicia and Eroskicosumer websites for the Camino are really all yuou need
Buen Camino

Thanks Jeffery... I don't speak Spanish, is there an English version of your "all you need" recommendation?
wesojourn

 

[Cam1952]

I was quite amused as almost everyone I was travelling with had the Brierley book. (including myself)
My good friend Eddie had a book from a German author. Often we took his advice and it works out quite well. My suggestion, take a different guide book and compare this with the thousand or so Brierley led Pelegrinos you will be walking with. I think you will find a different perspective will be valuable, if for no other reason to compare.
Ultimately any guide may in some ways influence you in a way to miss something quite serendipitous.
Buen Camino.....

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

Thanks Jeffery... I don't speak Spanish, is there an English version of your "all you need" recommendation?
wesojourn

Sorry, not that I am aware of...

 

[NualaOC]

I have Brierley's guidebook, but also "A Village to Village Guide to Hiking the Camino de Santiago" by Anna Dintaman and David Landis. I seem to be gravitating to that book instead of Brierley, although I know Brierley is the most common and recommended guidebook. I will be walking the Camino Frances starting the end of Aug. Does anyone have any advice on which one? Has anyone used the Dinataman/Landis guidebook?

Hi Leigh, I also have both books and I debated which one to bring this year. I decided on Brierley as it has a lot more practical information re accommodations etc. However, if you plan to walk to Finisterre and Muxia, you might want to bring Dintaman and Landis - or just tear out the relevant pages, as I did.

I agree with Falcon's comment that Brierley has a lot more practical information, but D&L has more historical stuff. Although D & L had the basic information that we needed for Finisterre and Muxia, it was a little lacking in detail and it was confusing at times. We were glad that we didn't use it for the earlier sections.

Hope this helps!

Nuala

 

[Leigh Lorayne]

Hi Leigh, I also have both books and I debated which one to bring this year. I decided on Brierley as it has a lot more practical information re accommodations etc. However, if you plan to walk to Finisterre and Muxia, you might want to bring Dintaman and Landis - or just tear out the relevant pages, as I did.

I agree with Falcon's comment that Brierley has a lot more practical information, but D&L has more historical stuff. Although D & L had the basic information that we needed for Finisterre and Muxia, it was a little lacking in detail and it was confusing at times. We were glad that we didn't use it for the earlier sections.

Hope this helps!

Nuala

It does help. Thanks so much!

 

[Castellana]

I agree with CAM1952 - A few years ago I, too, was attracted to the Guidebook of German author Raimund Joos, as it was detailed, precise and above all, had an excellent description of the albergues and very accurate maps...I am now happy that he has recently published the English e-book version of his Camino Frances....and already have it....highly recommended...

 

[Mark Lee]

Either guidebook will work just fine. I started my first Camino with no guidebook, and eventually found one in an albergue which worked just fine. What is most helpful about a guidebook, any guidebook, is that it can keep you on track and lets you know which towns are ahead and which ones have albergues, hostels, etc. I say bring whichever guidebook is smaller and lighter.
As far as accuracy of maps and elevation charts? So what of the guidebook is off a few kilometers and a few degrees. You won't notice it. I didn't. Not like you are depending on the map to give grid coordinates for artillery fire or something.
Also the pilgrim's office in St. Jean will give you an elevation chart and a list of albergues along the CF.
cheers

 

[Leigh Lorayne]

I agree with CAM1952 - A few years ago I, too, was attracted to the Guidebook of German author Raimund Joos, as it was detailed, precise and above all, had an excellent description of the albergues and very accurate maps...I am now happy that he has recently published the English e-book version of his Camino Frances....and already have it....highly recommended...

Sorry to be so technologically challenged, but how would I access that e-book version of Raimund Joos? What do other people think of the different path choices that Brierley offers in some parts of the route?

 

[Ian Afloat]

I have a 2011 Brierley and a 2015 CSJ guide...my brain says Brierley, my sense of adventure says CSJ...which to choose?

 

[Mark Lee]

I have a 2011 Brierley and a 2015 CSJ guide...my brain says Brierley, my sense of adventure says CSJ...which to choose?

whichever one is smaller and lighter.......

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Brierley's maps absolutely mesmerized me the first time around, in 2012. Still do!

Since I'm old(ish), snore, and can afford private rooms, his albergue info was useless to me. Only the maps really mattered, and they never let me down.

I've got the 2015 edition, and will carry it with me in September. But the 2015 edition is physically smaller than my old one,and I have surprisingly mixed feelings about that. The daily stage maps are smaller, and seem somehow less satisfactory for that reason. (Maybe it's my aging eyesight!) On the other hand, it includes more town plans!

 

[Bala]

Sorry to be so technologically challenged, but how would I access that e-book version of Raimund Joos? What do other people think of the different path choices that Brierley offers in some parts of the route?

The book is available for purchase via Kindle through www.amazon.com . But you can download a free preview, which I did last night. I simply went to amazon, did a search of books (under search by category), entered Raimund Joos, and up it popped. If you don't have Kindle you can download the free app. Then when you request the preview, you read it through the app.

Unfortunately, much of the preview is taken up by the author's and translators' introductions, rather than the "meat" of the book. And the translators don't appear to be native speakers of English, so a lot of the sentence structure and grammar was awkward, making it somewhat cumbersome (for me) to read.

 

[Leigh Lorayne]

The book is available for purchase via Kindle through www.amazon.com . But you can download a free preview, which I did last night. I simply went to amazon, did a search of books (under search by category), entered Raimund Joos, and up it popped. If you don't have Kindle you can download the free app. Then when you request the preview, you read it through the app.

Unfortunately, much of the preview is taken up by the author's and translators' introductions, rather than the "meat" of the book. And the translators don't appear to be native speakers of English, so a lot of the sentence structure and grammar was awkward, making it somewhat cumbersome (for me) to read.

Thanks Bala, I've got it!

 

[Raimund Joos]

The book is available for purchase via Kindle through www.amazon.com . But you can download a free preview, which I did last night. I simply went to amazon, did a search of books (under search by category), entered Raimund Joos, and up it popped. If you don't have Kindle you can download the free app. Then when you request the preview, you read it through the app.

Unfortunately, much of the preview is taken up by the author's and translators' introductions, rather than the "meat" of the book. ......

Hello Bala

I am sorry, but Amazon, unfortunately not always chooses the best sides. Here you can see more:

http://www.camino-de-santiago.de/e-book.pdf

Raimund

 

[brkdn2]

Walking Guide to the Camino de Santiago History Culture Architecture by Gerald Kelly a small simple yet informative book

 

[Urban Trekker]

I cursed Brierly daily when on camino last year. It was too vague when it came to elevation and what to expect regarding the path. It was okay for the albergue information but I found it too esoteric, not enough 'meat' with his information. My belief, and this is what I'll be doing next year, is to know the villages, towns and cities you'll be going through but be prepared to 'wing it'. My sister and I enjoyed the private, smaller albergue' s that were not the recommended stopping points to be so much more enjoyable then the ones everyone was going to. Bottom line, let it be your camino.

I agree. Brierly guides have way too much fat and not enough meat. I like to take my tablet when I walk the Camino. You can't get Brierlys for eBooks. You can buy and download the English version of the German Yellow Book, Spain: The Way of St. James Camino Frances, to your tablet. Its a little thin on historical sites to see but meaty on everything else you need. If you are on a budget the author was very cost conscience in selecting places to sleep and eat.
Buen Camino

Happy Trails

 

[Bala]

Hello Bala

I am sorry, but Amazon, unfortunately not always chooses the best sides. Here you can see more:

http://www.camino-de-santiago.de/e-book.pdf

Raimund

Thanks! Much better than the Amazon preview, with actual substance from the text (and why wouldn't any preview include that?? ). The details on the individual albergues and the maps look very helpful. Seems like a valuable guide.

 

[Anke w]

Sorry to be so technologically challenged, but how would I access that e-book version of Raimund Joos? What do other people think of the different path choices that Brierley offers in some parts of the route?

You can follow this link http://www.camino-de-santiago.de/e-book.htm
Then you can click on one of the providers to get to their webpages where you can buy the eBook from Raimund Joos on the Camino de Santiago for your electronical reading device.