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Non-fiction, non-autobiographical books on the Camino

Boanerges

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
--
Hello,

I'm looking for some insight into some English-language historical books on the Camino I may have missed. I am a big history junkie and even did some graduate work on aspects of the Camino. I have read:

1.) Gitlitz and Davidson's endlessly fascinating The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago. I even toted it all along the Frances and felt it was worth the weight.
2.) William Melczer's The Pilgrim's Guide to Santiago, which is the English critical edition of the Picaud's 12th- century guide, and is worth a read simply for the voluminous and detailed Introduction to the text, as well as his footnotes to the text itself. Lots of historical goodies impossible impossible to find elsewhere.
3.) Nancy Frey's Pilgrim Stories, which, while a work of sociology now almost two decades old (and which I think was her doctoral dissertation), has a lot of good material covering the differences between the Camino and other Christian pilgrimages as well as general sociological material on pilgrimage itself as a human phenomenon.

A quick search shows me that there are almost as many Camino travelogues as pilgrims--but what other books of a more historical, sociological-cultural, or theological bent exits out there that you would recommend?

Thanks!
 
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
See the many citations in this earlier forum post which is still relevant.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/books-on-the-camino-frances.802/

Here are some basic camino history books in French which you might also find useful:

Barret, Pierre, et Jean-Noel Gurgand, Priez Pour Nous a Compostelle, Paris, Hachette, 1978;
Gicquel, Bernard, La Legende de Compostelle, Paris, Tallandier, s.d.;
Pericard-Mea, Denise,
Compostelle et Cultes de Saint Jacques au Moyen Age, Paris, PUF, 2000;
Rucquoi, Adeline et al., Saint Jacques et la France, Paris, Editions du Cerf, 2003.

Happy research and Buen camino!
 
W. Melczer The Pilgrim's Guide to Santiago? Easy Peasy
https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Se...me-_-Results&an=William+Melczer&tn=&kn=&isbn=
 
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One of my favorites: "The Age of Pilgrimage, The Medieval Journey to God" Jonathan Sumption
"Saint James in Spain" T. D. Kendrick interesting
"The Pilgrimage to Santiago" Edwin Mullins interesting
"Santiago de Compostela" Marilyn Stokstad
Not Camino but extremely interesting "The Face of Spain" Gerald Brenan
Finish this lot then we'll talk
 
I've just ordered "The Age of Pilgrimage, The Medieval Journey to God" by Jonathan Sumption on the basis of his recent quote about on the effects of COVID-19 and the lockdown. Being a medieval scholar, he may have a wider appreciation of plague and pestilence - as well as pilgrimage.


As an aside, I have also been able to witness him in court as a Supreme Court judge. Sharp, erudite and looks like Doc from "Back to the Future"
 
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