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Reviews
I loved ‘My Camino’ very much. You have revealed both your personality and your heart. This is a special gift to the reader. Your love for Jacob (and all your other grandchildren) comes through loud and clear. On p. 54 you write, ‘I would have walked twice as far to learn what I learned about Jacob.’ What a strong bond you now have with Jacob but I suspect it was there long before your 6 weeks together. Your grandson is easy to like. It is also apparent that you and your wife Karin have a special love for each other. You write of her many times, citing the support and love she gave to you during and after your Camino adventure. The beautiful poem you wrote (p.168) to her and your life together is very special.
Your book is well written and in my mind is a best seller. Here are some of the reasons I liked it so much. Short chapters allow for a change of pace and topic so I had the feeling that I was also there with you and Jacob. You had fun playing with words. On p.110 the playful use of the rhyming words Spain, brain, drain etc. is a clever sense of silly.On p.114 we ‘hear’ you walking to the rhythm of the words, meditate, contemplate, postulate, gravitate and speculate.These words put me in mind of the repetition of putting one foot in front of the other ad nauseum. Then on p.143 you had a relatively easy walk which allowed for Edith Piaf’s ‘La Vie en Rose’ to accompany you on your journey. One of the best descriptions is when you write about the terrain. The 7.5% incline is ‘runaway-truck territory’.It draws a perfect picture for anyone who has traversed mountain areas in their travels. Not only were the chapters short but they varied in content and style.
There is no chance to get bogged down with your story. Some were personal stories like the little black pillow on p.68 Some were about the many people you and Jacob met and how you would most often reconnect. Never once did these people bore me. Some were about the differences between you and Jacob. I liked the old guy/young guy comparison in the last chapter of p.149. I also liked the ‘Camino Shorts’ in chapter 46. It was a different pace once again. And…it was refreshing to hear a rant in chapter 47. You are human! Chapter 50 made me tear up. It is beautiful. Chapter 56 is all about the history of the area. again a nice change of pace for the reader.Chapter 64 is an education on the word sublimity. I love learning something new. I liked as well that most chapters ended with some suspense as on p.147, ‘you’ll have to wait to find out what’. And finally the chapter on Camino Blues was unexpected. I am sorry that it was part of yours and Karin’s journey. Thanks for writing such a lovely book. – Most sincerely, Jo Anne Herold ______________________________________________________________________________________________
My Camino – Things I Learned Walking with Our Grandson by F.C. Dawkins is a love story on many levels. Love between a grandfather and grandson as they walked a million steps together; love of setting a goal and doggedly pursuing it; love of history, architecture and nature; and love of a woman waiting at home after the grand adventure. Further, it subtly prompts the reader to think of his/her own journeys and the people he/she has met along the way. All this and more wrapped in a weekend read that I am confident you will enjoy.
Pauline Curtis ___________________________________________________________________________________________
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this life altering experience on The Camino Way. The short chapters carried me forward in anticipation of who I might meet or what was around the next bend. This was a once in a lifetime adventure for the author and his grandson. I read the book visualizing the way and when I finished it, I watched the movie The Way with Martin Sheen on Prime. These two Camino treks were profoundly enjoyed. – Dr. Bruce Cameron ____________________________________________________________________________________________
A SPECIAL READ
I loved reading ‘My Camino’ by Fred Dawkins. It is a beautifully written book about a grandfather and grandson walking the 800 km. Camino. The short and varied chapters allowed me to feel as though I was there with Fred and Jacob.
Mr. Dawkins has a rhyming and rhythmic way with words that added much enjoyment to this book that has lots of heart.
I highly recommend it. – An Amazon reader ____________________________________________________________________________________________
I met an interesting guy a couple weeks ago. He was very bright and especially out-going. From comments from a variety of sources, he was very helpful to friends, and strangers who quickly became friends. Many spoke very highly of him. This seemed to stem from his respect for others. He seemed full of positive energy and used that to support others who needed it, due to the ravages of age. He was very empathetic towards seniors. His “buddy” called him JACOB. I now know him very well. The power of the printed word is well demonstrated. I thoroughly enjoyed My Camino. The personal relationship was well presented, as expressed above. That could only happen if expertly presented. The actual physical trip is secondary. Roy McMillan, Educator _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
I loved every word of this book. It made me feel like I was there in Spain walking along with the author, every step of the way. It is a pilgrimage that I would love to make, encouraged to do so more than ever.” – Don MacEwen, Retired Professor, University of PEI – aspiring pilgrim _______________________________________________________________________________________________________
This book allows the reader to experience both the history and present-day nature of the Camino challenge through amazing insight and sensitivity toward the region and its people. The stories are both heart warming and humorous. It makes you want to plan your own Camino or a different challenging project to reach out to younger family members. – Allan C. Green P. Eng, FEC, President Sugar Loaf Management ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Reading this book brought back so many vivid memories. Page by page, I could feel the deep relationship developing between the author and his grandson. A great read for anyone who has any interest in the Camino or is dealing with intergenerational issues. -Norma Coole, Camino Alumnus 2006 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This impressive read is an emotional journey of love, courage and strength, as well as a good review of ancient historical context.
Short chapters reflect daily challenges, as well as insightful and memorable times with people from all over the world with whom shared experiences can bring precious life-giving imprints to both Grandfather and Grandson.
This book is a ‘must read‘ for anyone considering making this journey, or, for developing a bond with someone special.”
Joan Conrad (Retired Educator) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________What a great book! I thoroughly enjoyed it and felt I was walking the walk alongside the author. The story certainly brought an incredible experience to life as we shared all the ups and downs of the adventure. I’m not sure I ever would have had that level of endurance even if I attempted it several years younger. Jacob has a remarkable memory to look back on for the rest of his life – definitely not your typical weekend with grandad! – Susan Parent _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ If I were twenty years younger I’d board the next plane to Spain. What a wonderful book and what an adventure. The book is mesmerising. Needless to say I couldn’t put it down. It’s a “must buy” for all travellers. – Joy Byrnes
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