A Thousand Miles to Santiago: Moments and Mediations along Europe’s Great Pilgrimage

Believing a more fulfilling future awaits him elsewhere, Shawn leaves his career in Washington, DC, and embarks on a year-long adventure. On the final leg of his journey, he travels to Europe and spends months walking a thousand miles across France and Spain, following the ancient pilgrimage road known as the Camino. Part memoir and part travelogue, in this book Shawn vividly describes some of Europe’s most spectacular landscapes, and shares the challenges he encounters with language barriers, foreign customs, and the physical hardships of life as a pilgrim. Travelling in the centuries-old footsteps of the pilgrims who’ve gone before him, he seeks to uncover the true meaning of a pilgrimage. As he adjusts to the day-to-day rigors of such a long journey, Shawn sees the Camino’s rich connection to history. He delves into the lives and legacies of the figures associated with some of the milestones along his walk, revisiting the folklore surrounding the lives of Sainte Foy and the rise of Christianity, Roland and the advent of chivalry, and El Cid and the fate of the Reconquista. Sharing tales of thieving monks, savage priests, and banished knights, Shawn brings Europe’s colorful past to life. While sifting through fact and legend, he provides a sweeping narrative of the medieval ages as it relates to Europe, Christianity, and this pilgrimage. As his own journey unfolds, Shawn finds humor and wisdom in each misstep. He shares the insights that come to him as he faces the obstacles between him and his goal. Walking over mountains, across plains, and through storms, Shawn embraces the commitment required to fulfill his dream. Through this journey of self-discovery, Shawn learns what it truly means to be a pilgrim, and finds what we all seek-a life of meaning and purpose. Pick up your copy of A Thousand Miles to Santiago and start the adventure today!