Discovering the Camino de Santiago: A Priest's Journey to the Tomb of Saint James

People will go to great lengths for spiritual fulfillment. How about attempting an almost 500-mile trek to a saint's tomb as part of your summer vacation? This is exactly what Markey, a Roman Catholic priest and pastor of a Connecticut parish, did during a summer sabbatical in 2009. Since he wrote from Internet cafes along the way, his travelogue is fresh and descriptive. The first chapter offers a fascinating historical account of the Camino de Santiago and explains the reasons for its popularity among spiritual seekers and religious pilgrims. The author clearly practices his faith with vigor and finds the journey to be both spiritually and physically demanding. His passion for Catholicism, however, comes across at times as a off-putting, especially during encounters with a Muslim and a female Episcopal priest. Aside from these distractions, anyone curious about testing both faith and body with a spiritual pilgrimage may be intrigued by this short but often compelling story. (Aug. 15)