In2013,anAustralianmanafewmonthsshyofturning60decidedtowalktheCaminodeSantiago–an800kmpilgrimagetrailacrossthetopofSpain.Hehadnoknownreligion,andabsolutelynoideawhyhefeltsodeeplycompelledtodothistorturouswalk. Butcompelled,hewas. Hecompletedthewalk,battlinga“triumvirateofpain”-akneethathelaterdiscoveredlackedanymeaningfulcartilage,ablisterthesightofwhichwouldmakeagrownmanweep,andshin-sorenessthatfeltlikehislowerlimbhadbeensplitwithamountainaxewieldedbyadementedtroll. ArrivingattheendoftheCamino,themajesticcathedralinSantiagodeCompostela,heexpectedanepiphany–ananswertothequestionhe’dbeenaskinghimselfeveryday:WhyamIdoingthis? Butnoanswercame. Sowhenhegothomehewroteabook,hopingtheanswerwouldrevealitselfinhisscribblings.TheresultwasTheWay,MyWay,ahumourousandself-deprecatingbookthatmanyconsiderthebestmemoireverwrittenonwalkingtheCamino. Thebookhasnowbeenmadeintoafilm,andit’sanextraordinaryaccountofamanatapivotalpointinhislife,searchingformeaningandfindinghimselfundergoingafundamentaltransformationsoprofoundthathenowdivideshislifeinto“BeforetheCamino”and“AftertheCamino.” It’sastoryparticulartooneman,yetofappealtoanyoneseekingagreatermeaningfromlife.
