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Usually ships in 1 business days | | Only 2 left in stock, order soon! | | | | | | Roads to Santiago is an evocative travelogue through the sights, sounds, and smells of a little known Spain-its architecture, art, history, landscapes, villages, and people. And as much as it is the story of his travels, it is an elegant and detailed chronicle of Cees Nooteboom's thirty-five-year love affair with his adopted second country. He presents a world not visible to the casual tourist, by invoking the great spirits of Spain's past-El Cid, Cervantes, Alfonso the Chaste and Alfonso the Wise, the ill-fated Hapsburgs, and Velázquez. Be it a discussion of his trip to the magnificent Prado Museum or his visit to the shrine of the Black Madonna of Guadalupe, Nooteboom writes with the depth and intelligence of an historian, the bravado of an adventurer, and the passion of a poet. Reminiscent of Robert Hughes's Barcelona, Roads to Santiago is the consummate portrait of Spain for all readers.
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| | Product Details | | Author: | Cees Nooteboom | | Paperback: | 368 pages | | Publisher: | Mariner Books | | Publication Date: | February 21, 2000 | | Language: | Dutch | | ISBN: | 0156011581 | | Product Length: | 9.0 inches | | Product Width: | 6.05 inches | | Product Height: | 1.0 inches | | Product Weight: | 1.11 pounds | | Package Length: | 9.0 inches | | Package Width: | 6.05 inches | | Package Height: | 1.0 inches | | Package Weight: | 1.15 pounds | | Average Customer Rating: |  based on 7 reviews |
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| | Customer Reviews | Average Customer Review: ( 7 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 found the following review helpful:
 Interesting essay on Spain Dec 13, 1996
Cees Nooteboom is a well-known Dutch novelist and travel-author.
Spain is his favourite country (like mine), he lives partly on
the Spanish island Menorca. This book of essays was published in
Dutch in 1992 and includes articles written between 1979 and 1991.
Nooteboom is a traveller who has a great interest in the history of
a country : i.e. in the of case Spain the historical relations between
christians, jews and moors. He also has a particalur interest
in medieval (roman) architecture. His 'route' is somewhat unsystematic :
he does not follow one road, but his travels are full of 'detours'
(time and again he is attracted by unwellknown placenames). Nooteboom
certainly doesn't limit himself to the typical must-sights'.
Sometimes Nooteboom seems to be travelling more in the past than in the present,
but his comments on the places he visits are always personal, original,(he avoids 'clichés')
proving a deep insight in the roots of Spanish culture. Therefore
"The roads to Santiago" is not an easy travel-guide but rather an
interesting book to take with you when touring through this country :
it's revelation to visit places and read Nooteboom's comments at the
same time.
11 of 11 found the following review helpful:
Great context if you're planning to take the pilgrimage Oct 28, 2003
This is a spectacular book, written by the best kind of travel writer. Mr. Nooteboom's passion for Spain, Spanish art, and Spanish architecture is infectious. I did the pilgrimage to Santiago in September of 2003, and understanding the Camino in the larger context of Spanish history (which Mr. Nooteboom limns so admirably) was invaluable. I don't believe I would have looked for, much less appreciated the Romanesque architecture I saw along the way. Coincidentally, his love of the great Spanish painters Zurbaran and Velazquez inspired me to visit New York for the Velazquez to Manet exhibit. I consider this one of the essential books to read before you set out for Santiago de Compostela. Guide books will get you from A to B. This book will help you understand the importance of A, B, and all the points in between.
7 of 9 found the following review helpful:
EVER WONDERED HOW TO TRAVEL? Aug 29, 2002
first of all, cees nooteboom is a shining oasis in the arid intellectual desert of contemporary travel writing, and secondly, you should let go of everything that makes you unhappy, and set sail tomorrow. the sheer profundity and wit of nooteboom's observations left me, for one, in like total dumbstruck awe, and his seemingly divine ability to translate the most visceral of emotions into words (a medium of communication i had always, up till now, considered inferior) made me feel a little bit the same way i felt the first time i went skydiving. folks, this here is a man who knows how to travel, as well as being a freakin miracle of a writer--and anyone who is capable of firing a sincere philosophic-type synapse will LOVE HIM. also read "the following story," all you existential types out there--he's like a dreamy, colorful Camus, and his prose will make your eyes feel clean for the first time in years.
A wonderful book, a brilliant translation Jan 22, 2010
By sdk
I agree with the other 5-star reviews, and would only add that Ina Rilke's translation is masterful. (I will read just about anything she translates from Dutch into English.)
5 of 10 found the following review helpful:
Superb Mar 07, 1999
Very interesting view of selected Spanish history and culture. Superbly written. I have been reading lots of books from Spain and about Spain in the last 10 years, but this is certainly one of the best.
See all 7 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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