Jack Quinn’s book is a daily account, in the form of a journal, of one man’s solo trek along the Camino de Santiago from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France to Sarría, Spain plus descriptions and photos of Santiago itself and of Madrid. The book has 260 color photographs in total, most of them taken on the Camino. Although Jack Quinn describes himself as a senior citizen, his experiences on the Camino are those of most pilgrims of any age, and his observations are those of a much younger person.
This book is a “must read” for anyone of any age planning to walk the Camino for the first time. Before doing any planning, watch the movie The Way for a quick introduction to the Camino and then read Jack Quinn’s book to understand the Camino experience in depth. Due to his well written descriptions of each day’s trek profusely illustrated with photos, you will feel that you are walking the Camino with him. Once you start reading, you will not want to put this book down.
In addition to a write-up of each day’s stage, Jack Quinn’s book includes descriptions of many of the pilgrims' hostels where he stayed (and advice on some to avoid) and tips on essentials, from what to pack to buying French and Spanish train tickets. Each stage is illustrated with photographs of what to see and spiced with anecdotes of the author’s interaction with locals and other pilgrims.
Read the book before you plan, and carry it with you on the Kindle app of your tablet or cell phone to read about what to expect on the next day’s stage. You will not only enjoy the entertaining writing style, you will refer to it the book every day to mine its trove of information. If there is one book you should read before starting the Camino, this is it. If you have already done the Camino, this book will bring back memories.
Mr. Quinn spent several days in the major cities along the Camino including Pamplona, Leon, Burgos, and Santiago itself, so those cities are covered in more depth. Additionally, it contains journal entries and photographs of the days the author spent in Madrid after the Camino and of several cities in Southern France where he stayed while preparing to hike as well as some remarks about his preparation in Phoenix before leaving for France plus the extended “United Airlines trip from hell” on the way from Phoenix to Toulouse.