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Here Paulo Coelho details his journey across Spain along the legendaryroad of San Tiago, which pilgrims have travelled since Middle Ages. On this contemporary quest, he encounters a Chaucerian variety of mysterious guides and devilish opponents and learns to understand the nature of truth through the simplicity of life. The Pilgrimage holds an important place in Paulo Coelho's literary canon. His first book, it not only paved the way for his phenomenal novel The Alchemist , but it also fully expresses his humanist philosophy and the depth of his unique search for meaning.

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Source of inspiration

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This book does not necessarily contain any "answers", apart from the author's own personal revelations. What it DID do, for me, was to plant a seed. While I didn't agree with all of the religious content, I did appreciate the undertaking of a spiritual journey. This book opened my eyes to the incredible value of the self-discovery that comes from making such a trek. Two years after my first reading, I followed in the footsteps of Paulo Coelho and so many millions of other pilgrims, and made the same journey myself! This is not a book about the Camino de Santiago, as much as it is a story about the power and importance of self-discovery. And while I wouldn't consider it a very useful guidebook for the Road to Santiago, I certainly have found it to be a great source of inspiration on the Road of Life. To anyone else who, after reading this book, is thinking about walking the road to Santiago, ¡Ultréa, y buen camino!

Intense & Awesome Read

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I have read a number of Coelho's books now and I still think this one is the best (with the Alchemist and Fifth Mountain tied at a close 2nd). This book touched me deeply because I could easily see myself in Coehlo's struggles. It inspired me to resist evil/worldly forces and open myself to the divine purpose for my life. I really feel like reading this book gave me clarity that I never had before. I couldn't figure out why I kept getting "stuck" and felt so unfulfilled. I really felt like life was living me instead of the other way around. I found this book to be an incredibly powerful eye opening experience. I was blessed with a level of discernment that I desperately needed. The story is beautifully told in Coehlo's unassuming, intriguing style. It remains among my favorite reads of all time.

Paulo's own pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

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In this book Paulo Coelho narrates his journey to Santiago de Compostella, the book starts at Paulo's failed attempt to earn his Magus's sword, so his Master sends him to Europe to make this Pilgrimage that starts in France and ends in Spain in Santiago de Compostella, as a second chance to earn his sword. He is asigned a guide to go with him. In the beginning and for most of his journey, all that Paulo wanted was his sword, but then he realizes he is missing the point, that there are more lessons to be learned!!! This is an amazing book, not only is entertaining, but for the one in the Spiritual journey there are many lessons here, much wisdom! This story although it was a real trip for Paulo, for us is like a methaphore whose lessons we can apply in our every day life. The path follow by this Pilgrimage is said to be aligned with the Milky way and many people in the spiritual path make this pilgrimage, in order to gain more insights, more wisdom!

The Camino - a test of body and character

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I read The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho soon after completing my own 800 km pilgrimage from St Jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago in the north-west of Spain. Readers who are looking for a factual, chronological, "travel book" of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela will be disappointed. There is only the vaguest chronology in the book. A few towns and important pilgrimage sites are mentioned. There is only a sketchy picture drawn of the terrain and countryside. But that is quite irrelevant. The Pilgrimage is a much more sophisticated account of the psychological and spiritual aspects of pilgrimage. In fact, the physical vagueness in the book complements the inner struggles of the pilgrim. The pilgrim in Coelho's book is on a quest for his sword so that he can complete his apprenticeship in the Tradition and be able to perform the deeds of his Master. The quest takes place on the road to Santiago and the pilgrim (with his spiritual guide) encounters magical tests that expand his psychological horizons. This resonated with me in the sense that the Camino finds the weak points in our bodies and characters and tests them. Reflective pilgrims gain personal insights, and, for many, their lives change in significant ways after completing the Camino. Coelho makes the same points by his use of magic to illustrate the inner transformation of his pilgrim. The book also includes meditative exercises that the pilgrim performed at critical times on his journey. While some of the exercises are a little unrealistic, such as the Cruelty Exercise of self-mortification, most of them can be performed by anyone, with resulting benefit. I wish I had read the book before my own pilgrimage so I could have done more in this respect. This was Coelho's first book and it shows to a large extent. It is uneven in quality and lacks the tightness of his later work, such as The Alchemist - which it resembles in its basic structure of an individual's quest for meaning.

Not better than 'The Alchemist'	Customer Rating:
This is the most esoteric work by Coelho. It is easy read and a plesent one. It reminds me a lot of 'Teachings of Don Juan' by Castaneda, although Coelho's novel is rooted in christian religion. If you didn't read Castaneda, you will love this one. If you did, you will like it :)