Just forget the Kerkeling Book. It's more a novel, or let's say a report of his journey to Santiago. I read the book after my first Camino and was really disappointed, because what I read was so different from what I had seen.
Two things for instance:
-he slept only twice in an albergue because they were too dirty. I'm just back from my second Camino and slept always in clean albergues, a place where you meet your fellow pilgrims and feel familiar. It's an offence to all the volunteers and hospitaleros who run and clean the albergues.
Further, what about the thousands of pilgrims who do well sleep in the albergues? Of course you'll find here and there a black sheep.
-after a certain time he felt lonely and tried to get in contact with other pilgrims. He met a few persons and about half of his book contains just their dialogues and thoughts on the way. The average pilgrim gets easily in contact with fellow pilgrims, be it on the walk or at the albergue.
And here I rather believe that Kerkeling had a problem with his own person and it's hard to understand how this book has been sold over a million. That's of course my personal opinion.
Now something positive, two really good german guide books:
- Outdoor-Handbuch "Der Weg ist das Ziel"
Camino Frances by Michael Kasper and Michael Moll - Conrad Stein Verlag
- "Wandern auf dem Spanischen Jakobsweg" by Dietrich Höllhuber - Dumont Reiseverlag.
Hope this will help you, buen Camino
Jupp