Book Title: A Pilgrimage to Eternity. From Canterbury to Rome in Search of A Faith
Author: Timothy Egan
Promotional Blurb: “Tracing an ancient pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome, the bestselling and “virtuosic” (The Wall Street Journal) writer explores the past and future of Christianity.
Moved by his mother’s death and his Irish Catholic family’s complicated history with the church, Timothy Egan decided to follow in the footsteps of centuries of seekers to force a reckoning with his own beliefs. He embarked on a thousand-mile pilgrimage through the theological cradle of Christianity, exploring one of the biggest stories of our time: the collapse of religion in the world that it created. Egan sets out along the Via Francigena, once the major medieval trail leading the devout to Rome, and makes his way overland via the alpine peaks and small mountain towns of France, Switzerland and Italy.
Making his way through a landscape laced with some of the most important shrines to the faith, Egan finds a modern Canterbury Tale in the chapel where Queen Bertha introduced Christianity to pagan Britain; parses the supernatural in a French town built on miracles; and journeys to the oldest abbey in the Western world, founded in 515 and home to continuous prayer over the 1,500 years that have followed.
A thrilling journey, a family story, and a revealing history, A Pilgrimage to Eternity looks for our future in its search for God. Source
My Thoughts: This book was recommended to me due to my own experience of strolling along the Via Francigena. I took the easy way out though and only started halfway along this pilgrim’s path at Great Saint Bernard Pass on the border of Switzerland and Italy. The thought that I am only half-done, or incomplete, has sat in the back of my mind since wandering into Rome’s St Peter’s Square in September 2018. This book, and Egan’s own journey, has only confirmed those thoughts and a plan is bubbling away deep down in my subconscious. Time will tell whether it ever bubbles its way to the top.
So, back to Egan’s book…The book was recommended to me years ago, I purchased it years ago and it has sat in my To-Be-Read (TBR) bookcase ever since. I gave up on a simple TBR pile many moons ago and now have a dedicated bookcase…Yes, we all have our vices.
It took me a long while to crack open this book’s cover as it can come across as a bit intimidating. It does have a stunning image on the cover, but I bought the hardback and that makes for a solid, and sturdy tome. I shouldn’t have worried though as Egan uses a friendly and slightly self-deprecating tone that allows you to ease into his story and experience.
What I wasn’t expecting was his detailed research and discussion of faith, in its many and varied forms. If I had read the book’s title in more detail, it would have clarified that this book wasn’t just about walking a pilgrim path, it was all about the pilgrim pondering that goes along with it.
I am like many other pilgrims and do my fair share of philosophising as I walk. Unlike Egan, I don’t take it all seriously enough to carry out extensive historical research or visit every open church and religious relic within a 50km radius of the path. While that may be considered a little fanatical, in his book it came across as required reading/viewing as he edged ever closer to Rome, all the time analysing what his faith looked like or whether it existed at all.
I am not a religious person and normally I would find this sort of religious discussion a tad boring or leaning towards indoctrination. Yes, I would have preferred far more description about the path itself, particularly if my seed of an idea is ever to sprout, but Egan’s ruminations focussed on the incongruities of religion, the historical conflicts (God being on our side in the war, regardless of the side you are on) and interesting kings, queens, mystics, martyrs, saints, scientists, sinners and misfits. I learnt a lot!
I was a bit disappointed that Egan did not commit to walking all the way. He was happy to jump on buses and trains or hire cars to get him to where he wanted to be. There were times on my own journey when I was sorely tempted to do the same, but couldn’t justify it with real or feigned injuries, or looming time restrictions. I just kept plodding one foot in front of the other.
Egan has shown me a much deeper and more meaningful way to walk a pilgrim route. I doubt I will ever have similar religious leanings and yet I could see that his search for faith made him walk with more purpose and consequently, perhaps the quality of his experience was far more personally powerful.
I suspect that Egan never found all, or any, of the answers in his search of a faith. Towards the end of the book he says, “The Via Francigena is a trail of ideas, and it helps to walk with eyes open – otherwise you miss the bread crumbs of epiphany along the way”.
Any long distance walk I have completed has made me far more observant of the beauty that surrounds me and maybe that is my church. It is in the breathtaking sunrises, the rolling hills and that perfect cooling breeze when I need it most.
This is an entertaining and thought-provoking read with a realistic dose of blisters, sore muscles and exhaustion, balanced by unlimited gorgeous scenery and interesting conversations with colourful characters. I gave it 7/10.
Author Bio: Timothy Egan is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and the author of eight books, most recently The Immortal Irishman, a New York Times bestseller. His book on the Dust Bowl, The Worst Hard Time, won a National Book Award for nonfiction and was named a New York Times Editors’ Choice, a New York Times Notable Book, a Washington State Book Award winner, and a Book Sense Book of the Year Honor Book. He writes a weekly opinion column for The New York Times. Source.
Author Blog or Website: https://www.timothyeganbooks.com/
Pages: 384
Publisher: Penguin
Published In: 2020
Available from: All good book stores.
#travelreads #walkinginItaly #travelinspo #thegreatoutdoors #armchairtravel #bookreview #walkinginFrance #viafrancigena #epicadventure #pilgrimage #pilgrimpath #fromCanterburytoRome #DestinationRome #WalkinginSwitzerland
Life...one big adventure 
This book sits on my half read pile. To be returned to at some time. Its above a book that I started reading in 2010.
My brother has suggested we do the VF hijacking my idea to cycle it. He wants to start half way as he is busy being retired. His reason is a TV serries that ran in the UK where celebrities walked some of the VF. I just want to do the challenge, so I will walk with him and then return to cycle the full route after a quick top to toe jaunt in New Zealand. I have walked and cycled the VF vicariously many times and the challenge is to get out of my armchair buckle on my boots and go do it. I am slightly worried that the detail and spreadsheet my brother doers every thing with may stifle the spontaneity that makes my idea of a trip worth doing. However, except what you cant change.
I must get to the end of this book, because its left me hanging, did he meet the pope?. For this reason I’ve only read half your post just in case it has a spoiler.
I do love a ramble!
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A ramble is a good way to describe this book! He dives off the path many times to pursue some esoteric strand of Catholicism, but eventually gets back on track. Either walking or cycling is a good way to enjoy the Via. There are some SERIOUS mountains that I would not enjoy tackling on a bike…unless it was an e-bike! 🙂 A very beautiful walk, but you may have to plan ahead a little to ensure you have a bed and something to eat. So many places were closed when I walked – everyone was on their Summer holiday. Happy reading, cycling and walking. Mel
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I have a confession but not in a Catholic sense.
I started a spreadsheet some years ago mapping the journey of others, where they stayed and the route they took.
I’m minded to transfer it to my brother so he can embellish it. Safe to say your route and details from your blog make up one of the columns.
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🙂 I bet it has all changed quite a bit since I walked it in 2018. Maybe Covid sorted things out like it did with the accommodation providers on various caminos in Spain. Seize the day and all that!
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If i had my way i would take a fly sheet and a bivvy and lay my hat where i found myself at night. All that you cant do this or that appears frustrating to the core goal of just getting there. Being a trifle scared has to make up some of the memory of any good trip.
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Whatever works. Thankfully we all travel differently. And I am doing my best to change my focus of ‘just getting there’ to enjoying more of the journey along the way. Often, I fail miserably! 😉
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Enjoy NZ.
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How could he not?
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The beauty that sounds us while out walking is certainly my religion. This walk has really got me interested and it appeals to me more than traipsing to places we have already explored in Spain. Might have to do more research and of course read your post. Thanks, Mel for this very interesting distraction.
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Happy to lead you astray, anytime! 🙂
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I still think you could lead a group of women on a camino. Just a thought 😉
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Are you signing on? 🙂 How about a stroll through France on the via Podiensis next year?
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Very tempting, and yes, I would sign up. Just had a look at it. See how things go. I will need to have something to focus on as time goes on.
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I’ll keep you posted….
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That would be great.
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🙂
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Although we have not hiked the Caminos in Spain and Portugal solely for religious reasons, we are believers and the time spent on these routes (also on local and shorter hikes) always makes me think deeply about my relationship with God. But if I walk very far, I won’t walk miles just to visit a church (like Egan) … my feet never allow me to do that anyway. I’ve read a lot about the Via Francigena … who knows, maybe one day?
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I think that is one of the true benefits of walking, it stops the endless whirl in your brain, slows you down and gives you the opportunity to consider the really important things. I like the space it provides to just let your mind roam free and go down a million rabbit holes of ‘what if’s’ and life in general. Have a happy weekend. Mel
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My mind wanders and goes down a million rabbit holes when I’m just lying in bed, Mel. I walk to escape that! How long is the French walk you’re planning? I’m no serious walker these days but I’m always interested.
Sounds like a very enjoyable book. Remember Cathy did the Francigena too? And used transport a couple of times, I think, but can’t be sure. At the end of the day, it has to be enjoyable.
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Doing the camino from Le Puy en Velay to St Jean Pied de Port. I think it is about 780km. If you say it quickly, it doesn’t hurt at all! 🙂
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May/June?
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Yup – should start walking about 30 April. I know I will meet all kinds of weather at that time of year, but I am sure it still will be gorgeous…
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I’m glad I’m not the only one with unread books purchased years ago – haha. Sounds like this book was worth the time spent reading it. I am curious to see whether this idea of yours bubbles up to the surface…
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I didn’t share my little secret when you were here… I have a To-Be-Read book shelf not a measly TBR pile! 🙂 And Yep, lots of adventures on the drawing board. Have a good weekend. Mel
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Thanks for this review, we hadn’t seen this book before and now have just ordered a copy. Two years after completing the Via Francigena we’re still lapping up every morsel we can find (which isn’t very much).
The walk to St Bernards Pass is quite different from the second half with it’s own joys, tribulations and highlights – well worth doing. Hopefully you’ll walk down to Aosta again and, with a thousand kilometres underfoot, find it a walk in the park.
Bon camino
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It is really tempting to set out on the Via again, but so many other adventures in the queue before that. A wonderful First World Problem to have! Thanks for joining me on my stroll through Italy. Mel (P.S. your Japanese temple odyssey looked/s amazing!)
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