PILGRIM: FINDING A NEW WAY ON THE CAMINO DE SANTIAGO

I have eagerly read several Camino memoirs over the years, but Kari’s writing style is so eloquent, humorous, honest, and open-hearted, with such beautifully vivid descriptions of the landscape, settings and people along The Way, I felt like I was among friends, walking with them, more than any other I’ve read. I laughed out loud many times, and cried when they reached Santiago. Kari writes with the heart and hand of a lover of language and literature, and draws you in with her sense of wonder and intimacy by sharing her inner thoughts. I am looking forward to reading more of the Sturdy Girls adventures, and definitely want my own Juanita pocket doll!

Charming, loving and inspiring camino memoir. I’ve walked a portion of the camino and this book inspired me to walk the entire Francés.

Having walked the Camino I found the story poignant and reminiscent of my own feelings and emotions. The quotes were well placed and I thoroughly enjoyed

Well written; at different times spiritual, funny, entertaining. I enjoyed it immensely, found it inspiring. Great characters, great journey! Brava!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this daily journal of the Camino. I loved the descriptions of the various pilgrims along the way, loved the meeting of friends from home along the way… I cried as you arrived in Santiago…wondering how much I will be crying as I actually enter Santiago💙💙💙

Carolyn is exhausted before she begins her pilgrimage. Her mother is quite ill and their relationship has deep wounds. Her teaching career has left her drained and unsure about the rest of her life. Walking with a few supportive friends, Carolyn discovers that the journey is far more important than the destination. Written in a warm, convivial style, this is a book to share with others. Among the best of the Camino books.

I have a sincere fascination with walking the Way. I’m not sure I will ever achieve this dream but this book certainly made me feel what the pilgrims feel during this spiritual travel. Loved the book, loved the friendships and people met along the Way. Thank you for this beautiful book. I’m going to keep dreaming and maybe some day.

There are parts of this book that touches on the spiritual but you have to endure her endless trivial stories to find it. Each chapter ends with a journal entry. This becomes repetitive and irritating and add nothing to the book. I endured but it was a disappointing journey.

In an attempt to prepare myself for a planned Camino Frances trek in 2024, I’ve been slowly making my way through the variety of “recommended” books one encounters on a typical Google search. Pilgrim is a bit of a hidden gem, in my opinion. As a woman in her 40’s, I found this book a refreshing tribute not only to taking time for ourselves, but also for honouring the bonds of friendship and their importance in our lives.I savoured this book when I could’ve burned through it - a lesson I’ll have to remember when I embark on The Way.

For many years I’ve been fascinated by the Camino and reading this book is like walking it with a friend. It is inspiring not just for the physical act , but because of the light of faith that burns so strongly. Pilgrim is both entertaining and deeply reflective, making me think about my own decisions, loses and faith. A wonderful book .

From the first page of this wonderful book, the like-ability of the narrator shines out. She is doing something challenging, out-of-the-ordinary, but as a reader one feels totally included in the experience and empathises with her because she is a 'normal' human being, full of doubts and contradictions and limitations, but also full of warmth, honesty and humour. Yes, she is on a path of spiritual learning and healing on this pilgrimage, but she doesn't 'tout' her religious convictions - her spirituality is inclusive and accepting of all faiths, including none. I read the book slowly, partly because I wanted to take a chapter at a time and think about the ideas she expresses in between. Her style is so easy to read and fluent, her descriptions of the natural world so beautiful, that I wanted to savour them before moving on. The book is perfectly balanced between internal and external reflections, the narrator's own back story intertwined with the stories of the motley crew of pilgrims - both the friends and family she walks with and the people she meets on the way - and between the sublime aspects of the Camino and the ridiculous. We follow her journey, one foot in front of another, but for me the secret of this book's appeal is the silences she interweaves so skilfully into the narrative, because like all good memoirs, her story makes you think about your own. This would make a fantastic audio book, and work well in excerpts for radio. Highly recommended.

The narrative of this book is so real and having walked part of the Camino, it invokes very powerful emotions.

Carolyn Gillespie is a brilliant author. I am also a pilgrim who loves reading stories about the Camino. Here on the Camino Frances, I felt I was almost walking with her and her friends. I truly admire her honesty in telling the facts of her Camino life. PILGRIM is one of the best book I have read about the Camino and I have read many over the last few years. I am looking forward to read it again and will certainly learn from her pilgrim experience. Thanks, Carolyn for sharing this unique adventure and congratulations on your success as a writer.