Description
Book SynopsisAn offbeat and entertaining account of a journey through Spain â staying only in ancient monasteries.
Trade Review"The authors' use of immersion journalism provides unique insight into the inner sanctum of the monasteries, as they describe glimpses of a variety of treasures, including relics, artifacts and art. Better still is their shared insight into the psychology behind a life dedicated to God. Upon entering one monastery's refectory, the writers wondered, 'Could I eat here? Three times a day in silence? With the same group of people? For fifty years or more?' These questions, while rhetorical for the authors, undoubtedly had real-world ramifications for those who decided to engage in the monastic life." -- Kirkus Reviews"Although there are hundreds of Spanish monasteries where travelers might stay, Starks and Murcutt select seven on their journey from Barcelona to the southern Mediterranean coast, offering readers a captivating tour of these edifices of spirituality, piety, and community—places embodying values so different from the rest of the world. At El Real Monasterio de Santo Tomás, for example, the writers discover porcelain plates that depict a "Chinese Jesus—with sloping eyes, a drooping Fu Manchu mustache, and long thin black hair that he's tied into a topknot." The writers so enjoyed their own experience that they offer advice on choosing a monastery, making a reservation, and getting along with the hosts."-- ForeWord Reviews
