Pilgrim bibliography/ Bibliography

Since the rebirth of interest in the Camino de Santiago in the early 1990s literally hundreds of books about the pilgrimage have appeared, ranging from walkers'' and cyclists'' guides and scholarly studies of the Camino's history to personal accounts by pilgrims who have walked the route. As a result, anything even remotely resembling a comprehensive bibliography is impossible to compile. Below are a few recommendations for those who wish to read more about the Camino before setting off on their own pilgrimage.

1. The Pilgrimage Road To Santiago: The Complete Cultural Handbook

by David M. Gitlitz and Linda Kay Davidson
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (July 2000)
ISBN-13: 978-0312254162
Language: English


An excellent, scholarly guide to the cultural history of the Road, organized by region. It includes a wealth of information on history, the cities and towns along the route, monuments, local saints and pilgrim legends.

2. Pilgrim Stories: On and Off the Road to Santiago, Journeys Along an Ancient Way in Modern Spain by Nancy Frey
Publisher: University of California Press (1998)
ISBN-13: 978-0520217515
Language: English.


An anthropological study of the revival of interest in the Camino since the 1980s. Dr. Frey's book is excellent, though perhaps a bit academic for many pilgrims. It is nonetheless an accurate reflection of the broad spectrum of motivations, preoccupations and joys one encounters on the contemporary pilgrimage.

3. Road of Stars to Santiago By Edward F. Stanton
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky (1994)
ISBN-13: 978-0813118710
Language: English


Not a scholarly study, this is Professor Stanton's account of his own journey along the Camino de Santiago in the early 1990s. Much has changed along the Camino since then, but much also remains the same. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

4. El Camino de Santiago: Guía Práctica del Peregrino por Millán Bravo Lozano
Editorial: EDITORIAL EVEREST, S.A. (1999)
ISBN: 9788424139070
Language: Spanish, English and various other languages.


One of the most respected and venerable guides to the Camino de Santiago available, written by Millán Bravo Lozano, who was the head of the Department of Latin at the University of Valldolid, Spain. He was also the founder of the Center for the Study of the Camino de Santiago in 1989. Dr. Bravo Lozano died in 1997, and although his guide doesn't seem to have been updated since then, the real value of this guide continues to be the abundance of information that it contains about the route, its history and its traditions that it contains. Every scholar and or author who has undertaken to write a guide to Camino since this one was first published acknowledges their debt to Dr. Lozano's thorough research. Excellent.

5. El Camino de Santiago a Pie por Paco Nadal
Editorial: Aguilar, S.A. de Ediciones-Grupo Santillana (2006)
ISBN: 9788403504264
Language: Spanish only


This is probably the single, most useful guide available at present, though it is available only in Spanish. Its maps, the descriptions of the route, daily distances, and the altitudes reached on each stage of the journey are carefully researched and updated on an average of every two years or so. The historical information and the descriptions of the monuments found along the way are not as complete as those found in Professor Bravo Lozano's guide, but this is probably the guide most used by contemporary pilgrims nevertheless.