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A Pilgrimage to Eternity
- From Canterbury to Rome in Search of a Faith
- Narrated by: Timothy Egan
- Length: 12 hrs and 42 mins
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A Pilgrimage to Eternity
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Summary
From "the world's greatest tour guide," a deeply researched, captivating journey through the rich history of Christianity and the winding paths of the French and Italian countryside that will feed mind, body, and soul (New York Times).
"What a wondrous work! This beautifully written and totally clear-eyed account of his pilgrimage will have you wondering whether we should all embark on such a journey, either of the body, the soul or, as in Egan's case, both." (Cokie Roberts)
"Egan draws us in, making us feel frozen in the snow-covered Alps, joyful in valleys of trees with low-hanging fruit, skeptical of the relics of embalmed saints and hopeful for the healing of his encrusted toes, so worn and weathered from their walk." (The Washington Post)
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 to explore the 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 travels overland via the alpine peaks and small mountain towns of France, Switzerland, and Italy, accompanied by a quirky cast of fellow pilgrims and by some of the towering figures of the faith - Joan of Arc, Henry VIII, Martin Luther. The goal: walking to St. Peter's Square, in hopes of meeting the galvanizing pope who is struggling to hold together the church through the worst crisis in half a millennium.
A thrilling journey, a family story, and a revealing history, A Pilgrimage to Eternity looks for our future in its search for God.
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Critic reviews
One of Oprah's Must-Read Books of Fall 2019
“A glorious, laugh-out-loud, wipe-away-tears, blister-riddled, often rain-soaked, sometimes bone-chilled, desolate and desperate, quietly triumphant walk through church history - every last footfall in search of an elusive modern-day spiritual certitude.... Egan aimed high, and he reached it.” (The Chicago Tribune)
“One of Egan’s best books, a moving combination of history and memoir, travelogue and soul-searching, buoyed by Egan’s strengths as a writer: color and humor, a sense of wonder and a gift for getting to the point." (Seattle Times)
“If this book doesn’t quite settle the question of belief for you, it will at least fortify your faith in scrupulous reporting and captivating storytelling.... Egan is so well informed, he starts to seem like the world’s greatest tour guide.... Reading it, you feel yourself in the presence of goodness - the kind you might simply have to decide to believe in.” (The New York Times)
What listeners say about A Pilgrimage to Eternity
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- M E Clarkson
- 05-04-23
Informative, thoughtful and beautifully read
Egan's writing about the pilgrimage from Canterbury to Rome is a delight to listen to. This book is not a travel guide, he doesn't walk every step of the way, but states clearly at the outset that this is not what he intends to do. He does not describe all of the terrain, places and encounters, nor does he complain of various aches and pains, nor discuss clothing and equipment. Instead he interweaves his own beliefs, experiences and hopes with the history of each place he passes through. He is reflective, but avoids the gushing emotional incontinence of so many American writers, his narration is gentle, comforting and, ultimately, hopeful. Throughout his journey he considers his creaking faith, life's purpose, suffering, forgiveness, and mortality. There are no moments of enlightenment, revelations or strikingly clear answers, he does not find answers to all of his questions, but does find acceptance, which is perhaps as much as any of us can hope for. I have not yet walked the Via Francigena, I hope and plan to. As I do, I will be listening to this book, undoubtedly the best piece of writing about the VF, and about pilgrimage in general, that I have read.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Brian Hansen
- 03-02-22
Not what I expected.
it unfortunately not a documented journey of the long hike, but instead almost purely small historical and religious stories. It does get somewhat better nearer the end. Not recommended if expecting og story on the Journey of the Via Francigena.
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1 person found this helpful