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The Camino: A Journey of the Spirit
by
It has been nearly three decades since Shirley MacLaine commenced her brave and public commitment to chronicling her personal quest for spiritual understanding. In testament to the endurance and vitality of her message, each of her eight legendary bestsellers — from Don't Fall Off the Mountain to My Lucky Stars — continues today to attract, dazzle, and transform countless
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Audio Cassette, Abridged, 0 pages
Published
May 1st 2000
by Simon & Schuster Audio
(first published January 1st 2000)
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Start your review of The Camino: A Journey of the Spirit
Yes, we do judge a book by its cover. This one says The Camino, and I was hoping to read about the El Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. I had read half a dozen books about the Camino before I went and did it myself, so when i returned home I thought I better read this Spiritual Book of Shirley MacLaine's.
Little could've prepared me for the depth of spirituality of this book. I really enjoyed the bits where she was actually on the trail, but 90% of this book is about an imaginary world. Sure it is ...more
Little could've prepared me for the depth of spirituality of this book. I really enjoyed the bits where she was actually on the trail, but 90% of this book is about an imaginary world. Sure it is ...more
I read Shirley MacLaine's The Camino several years ago and it touched me in subtle ways as did her previous book, Out on a Limb. This review is from rereading it and trying to find that point of connection that had moved me so. Or maybe points of connection, for there are many.
First, Shirley MacLaine is no ordinary "movie star. " She is a capable writer, able to tell her story in engaging and intelligent prose, even when the subject matter is strange. She is aware of her privileged position tha ...more
First, Shirley MacLaine is no ordinary "movie star. " She is a capable writer, able to tell her story in engaging and intelligent prose, even when the subject matter is strange. She is aware of her privileged position tha ...more
I heard about this book before walking the Camino myself in 2010, and now, nearly two years later, I've actually gotten around to reading it. What can I say - a celebrity walks the Camino. This wasn't so much a book about walking the Camino as it was an opportunity for Shirley MacLaine to talk about herself and describe in lurid detail the dreams she had along the way. However, it did illustrate to me just how much the Camino infrastructure and signage has improved since the 1990s, for which I a
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Aug 20, 2010
Anja
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
travelstory-reisverhaal,
biographical
The parts about the travelling I liked to read, but the story about spiritual experience I found very vague and strange and not interesting and the story about the press following her I found very irritating: she thinks she is a very, very important person.
Although I liked the premise of this book it was... odd. That is the only word I can use to describe it. Very odd. I picked it up because, as a fellow Camino traveler, I was interested to see what someone else had to say about a journey that was very pivotal in my own life.
While I really appreciated much of what Ms. MacLaine had to say regarding the spiritual nature of the Camino, and the way in which people are drawn to it, and find meaning from it she really dismissed and failed to account fo ...more
While I really appreciated much of what Ms. MacLaine had to say regarding the spiritual nature of the Camino, and the way in which people are drawn to it, and find meaning from it she really dismissed and failed to account fo ...more
What a load of self-serving, rambling BS. I don't know what I found the most implausible - her dream visions, or her RUNNING 15 kms whilst still talking. And where are all these photos the press supposedly took of her? Also lost with the "precious" rolls of film she had posted back to the US? So glad I didn't spend any money on this book and merely borrowed it.
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Jun 04, 2016
Marlene French
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
biographical
I have read almost all of Shirley Maclaine's books. I love them so much and they really fill my mind wondering void! This one was no different! The people who walk the Camino are heroes to me and I was right there with her as she told her experiences she had during her walk. You must read this book with an open mind for without that you probably won't finish it. She is so brave, as always, to say what she really thinks and believes and I give her kudos for that. I agree with her that there is so
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I first read The Camino: A Journey of the Spirit by Shirley MacLaine more than ten years ago; I could not understand why a sexagenarian, especially such a famous one, would want to walk 500 miles with belongings limited to a backpack. Though Ms. MacLaine tried to do the pilgrimage incognito, she was hounded by the press, and she recounts what she had to do to elude them. As renown as she is, the story has little to do with her acclaim and more to do with her spiritual journey. At the time, I lov
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This memoir by Shirley MacLaine is about her pilgrimage along the Santiago de Compostela Camino in Spain. It is a beautifully written account of one woman’s incredible experiences along the centuries old trail that has inspired the likes of Saint Paul, Charlemagne, Dante, St. Francis of Assisi, and even Chaucer. The trek is 500 miles over mountains and valleys with stops along the way catering specifically to pilgrims in search of spiritual awakenings. MacLaine was in her 60’s when she hiked the
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I thought about giving it zero stars but I did muddle through the book so I guess it deserves one star. I quickly grew tired of the dream-visions so I skipped pages. Incredibly weird book written by a tiresome, self-centered author. Very little about the Camino experience. I'm not sure why I kept reading - maybe like gawking at a disaster or maybe I was hoping to learn more about the Camino. Ranks right up there as one of the worst books I've read.
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Drivel. Absolute drivel. It only gets one star because I managed to finish it, and I couldn’t wait to leave a review. For the crazies out there this book has everything: Atlantis, archangels, androgyny, Charlemagne, past lives, time travel, crystals, extraterrestrials, theories about original sin based on her travel to Lemuria (a magic kingdom). I don’t care that this is a spoiler because it makes no sense anyway. So you will have to experience it for yourself. Or don’t. It’s just ridiculous.
Shirley, you jest. Much as I am charmed by your voice I am going to have to play the cynic with this one. Rather than saying nothing much really happened on your grueling spiritual pilgrimage, you and your fabulous imagination cooked up some flights of fancy once again involving reincarnation and former lives you have lived. Surprise, and...
Balderdash!
The book mostly works as an unintentionally campy journal of a wealthy, privileged Hollywood star who has so much time on her hands she can whi ...more
Balderdash!
The book mostly works as an unintentionally campy journal of a wealthy, privileged Hollywood star who has so much time on her hands she can whi ...more
The Camino: A Journey of the Spirit
Years ago, I read "Out on a Limb" by Shirley Maclaine, so knew to expect the unexpected from her.
The first three quarters of the book describe how she heard about the Camino, the journey itself, the people she met along the way, past life regressions she experienced during her quiet times....so far, very interesting, and I enjoyed following her walking travels through the sacred trail.
The last few chapters rattled me. This was where I reached "the unexpected" ...more
Years ago, I read "Out on a Limb" by Shirley Maclaine, so knew to expect the unexpected from her.
The first three quarters of the book describe how she heard about the Camino, the journey itself, the people she met along the way, past life regressions she experienced during her quiet times....so far, very interesting, and I enjoyed following her walking travels through the sacred trail.
The last few chapters rattled me. This was where I reached "the unexpected" ...more
Shirley Maclaine's travels are always "out of this world" and interesting to me, and this book was no exception.
The Camino meaning "the way" is about a difficult 500 mile pilgrimage along the Santiago de Compostela Camino in northern Spain. The trail is ancient and allegedly enchanted and walked by St. Francis of Assisi, Charlemagne, Ferdinand and Isabella, Dante and Chaucer, among many others.
I especially liked the book's definition of 'karma': all energy always returns to itself. However, SOME ...more
The Camino meaning "the way" is about a difficult 500 mile pilgrimage along the Santiago de Compostela Camino in northern Spain. The trail is ancient and allegedly enchanted and walked by St. Francis of Assisi, Charlemagne, Ferdinand and Isabella, Dante and Chaucer, among many others.
I especially liked the book's definition of 'karma': all energy always returns to itself. However, SOME ...more
I really loved this book. I found it at a second hand book sale for $2 and promptly took it home and begun reading. A good friend of mine had recommended it months and months prior. Aside from the author sharing similar traits to myself (taurus) I loved the surprise of all her visions and insights while on the trail. They were fantastic. I would certainly read this book again!
The reason I gave this book 4 stars is not for its literary brilliance, but for its unique content and the fast pace at which it moves. Some things in the book are a bit "out there." However, anyone who has heard of Shirley MaClaine's beliefs and writing should expect this. I was caught up in the actual concept of this journey and the transformational possibilities.
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My Mom left this book at my home one vacation and I read it in two days...fascinating journey!
Worthwhile. Found access when I thought in myths and parables.
Shirley MacLaine feels compelled to walk the Camino through Spain. It's a walk that is reputed to enhance the emotions. Along the way, she meets interesting characters and experiences a contrast of ups and downs. She dodges a rabid press and has visions and dreams that send her back to previous lives. Her revelations are astounding and seem a stretch, but I can't dismiss them as wild imaginings. Not when I've had spiritual experiences that have knocked my skepticism off the fence into acceptance
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I have read several of Shirley MacLaine's novels, and this one appealed to me as a hiker. I have read much about the Camino, and I will one day walk the famed trail.
Her perspective is unique as everyone has many different viewpoints on religion and spirituality. Her views are detailed and for me inspiring as she treks along the Camino.
I loved the novel as it delves into her reasoning for her pilgrimage while being haunted by her celebrity status. Personal reflection is a most important endeavo ...more
Her perspective is unique as everyone has many different viewpoints on religion and spirituality. Her views are detailed and for me inspiring as she treks along the Camino.
I loved the novel as it delves into her reasoning for her pilgrimage while being haunted by her celebrity status. Personal reflection is a most important endeavo ...more
I found the references to the transformation from an androgynous being to male and female beings interesting. It feels right that we were once "one" with both the yin and yang within us. This would have been our greatest separation from a divine being.
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Pilgrims have been drawn to the 500-mile Santiago de Compostela Camino across northern Spain for many centuries in search of spiritual and psychological growth. After being instructed by an anonymous person via two letters to make the walk, MacLaine, in her sixties, decides to heed the call. This book is the recounting of both the physical and spiritual journey she made.
MacLaine is well-known as a spiritual seeker through her other books and public speeches. I bought the book primarily out of cu ...more
MacLaine is well-known as a spiritual seeker through her other books and public speeches. I bought the book primarily out of cu ...more
I picked this book up in a second hand store as I have a friend who is talking about doing the Camino. I decided to read it myself. I suspect it is the sort of book you will either really take to or consider it a load of new age twaddle. On the positive side it does give you a sense of walking the Camino, the experience of meeting lots of diverse people and an insight into her own inner journey. To be honest I'm not sure if MacLaine simply has a rich imagination and her reveries are wishful day
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Dec 18, 2013
Jill
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2013-read,
non-fiction
I really found this book by accident at the local library. A local book club selection was supposed to be in the biography section. It wasn't. So perusing the shelf, I came across Miss MacLaine's book. I had just watched a movie, "The Way" by Emilio Esteves about the Santiago de Compostela Camino. It was a good movie, fiction. So I was interested in a real life account of a person's spiritual and physical journey of this well travelled path. Traveled by St Francis of Assisi, Dante, Chaucer, Cha
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I selected this book because I hiked the Camino last year and my memories of the experience were recently heightened by some inspirational text messages from friends that I had met along the way. Perusing the photography I had accumulated from the Camino, I sought out a book to read about someone else’s experience. I had vague collections of the media hoopla about McClain’s walk, but really no concept of what it had all been about. So, I decided to read this quick little book to find out; and to
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Shirley MacLaine’s The Camino: A journey of the Spirit is about relationship, a celebration of what is possible. It’s about reincarnation, Karma, and the illusions of linear time and our separateness. We are fundamentally soul beings having a physical experience. This book is about how materialism has caused a spiritual lethargy in us.
The context within which Shirley MacLaine chronicles her personal quest for spiritual understanding is a difficult 500 mile, 30 day pilgrimage in Spain. Unlike an ...more
The context within which Shirley MacLaine chronicles her personal quest for spiritual understanding is a difficult 500 mile, 30 day pilgrimage in Spain. Unlike an ...more
Like many others who've read & reviewed this book, I bought it to read about Ms. Maclaine's experience on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela which is enjoying newfound popularity following the film, The Way.
While I admire the author's ability to power through the 500 miles of the Camino in 30 days (if her timetable is to be trusted), I felt there simply wasn't enough of the actual journey for me. I hoped to read about the geography of the route, the camaraderie of the fellow pilgrima and the ...more
While I admire the author's ability to power through the 500 miles of the Camino in 30 days (if her timetable is to be trusted), I felt there simply wasn't enough of the actual journey for me. I hoped to read about the geography of the route, the camaraderie of the fellow pilgrima and the ...more
This is pure, unadulterated Shirley MacLaine and I have to admire her for that. She is truly wed to her authenticity, unfortunately sometimes to the detriment of the story. This is not really a book for people who are intending to embark on a pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela and want to take notes about the route. It's a book about Shirley's personal journey to discover more about herself and what lies behind her time here in the physical plane.
However, I did glean facts and a ...more
However, I did glean facts and a ...more
I have owned this book for a number of years.
While I enjoyed this book for the most part, I would have liked to hear more about Shirley Maclaine's actual trek than the dream sequences that she experienced along the way. It leaves me wanting to read more about others' experiences along the Camino trail and about the historical sites along the way.
I did take some things from the book that I will think about and contemplate more in the days to come. I especially liked her referrals to facing her f ...more
While I enjoyed this book for the most part, I would have liked to hear more about Shirley Maclaine's actual trek than the dream sequences that she experienced along the way. It leaves me wanting to read more about others' experiences along the Camino trail and about the historical sites along the way.
I did take some things from the book that I will think about and contemplate more in the days to come. I especially liked her referrals to facing her f ...more
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Shirley MacLaine is an Academy Award-winning American film and theatre actress, well-known not only for her acting, but for her devotion to her belief in reincarnation. She is also the writer of a large number of autobiographical works, many dealing with her new age beliefs, such as solipsism, as well as her Hollywood career. She is the older sister of Warren Beatty.
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“One drop of joy plus courage becomes passion, which enables you to take effective action without thought. One drop of joy plus discipline becomes empathy, the ability to know that your emotions are real and all those around you are real, which then restores your God-consciousness.”
—
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