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Summary: A walk worth taking
Review: Some people search for deep truths in church, some in books and some in meditation. Jerry Ellis seeks his truths on foot, on long, mostly solitary walks on trails laden with personal and historical meaning. In his 1991 book _Walking the Trail: One Man's Journey Along the Cherokee Trail of Tears_, he traced the deadly march that his Cherokee ancestors were forced to make, and in the process deepened his connection with them and their world. In his newest book, _Walking to Canterbury_, he sets off to rediscover his English roots by retracing the 60-mile path from London to Canterbury walked by thousands of pilgrims in medieval times, and immortalized in Chaucer's _Canterbury Tales_.I found _Walking to Canterbury_ captivating. From the start, it's clear that Ellis' quest is both personal and spiritual. Through his eyes, the English landscape becomes vividly alive, small events such as finding a scallop shell lost by some long-dead pilgrim take on deep significance, and every encounter is charged with psychological depth and spiritual meaning. Anyone who seeks or has experienced moments of great clarity and connectedness will recognize the place Ellis writes from, and admire his ability to snare some of that ineffable and evanescent magic and share it with his readers. Ellis also does a seamless job of weaving a great deal of history into his narrative. Along the way we not only learn a lot about Ellis and the people who share bits and pieces of his journey with him, but many fascinating details about how people in medieval England lived, loved, and saw the world a millenium ago. As storytellers have known at least since Homer's time, a journey is a ripping good way to tell a story, and a natural, perhaps primal metaphor for life itself. In _Walking to Canterbury_, Ellis proves himself both a gifted storyteller and a worthy guide. Robert Adler, author of _Science Firsts: From the Creation of Science to the Science of Creation_ (John Wiley & Sons, September 2002).
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Summary: Outstanding Read!
Review: This is a beautifully written book, filled with insights, tenderness and a great love of life. What a wonderful way to learn about English history, a genre that is so often as dull as midnight.
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Summary: GIVE ME MORE!
Review: This is a fun and exciting read about modern and medieval life in England. I did not know history could be so inviting! Check it out.
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Summary: Chaucer Meets Jack Kerouac on the Road
Review: This is a fun little book, which reminds me of On the Road by Jack Kerouac in an odd sort of way. Laced with detailed history of the Middle Ages in England, as well as modern characters with compelling stories, ranging from sacred to sexual, this journey delighted me with the very first step out of London. Ellis has an keen ear for language and a better ear for irony and humor. Most of all, the book is a unique way to look at the past while embracing the present. I suspect this will begin to appear on many required reading lists for high schools and colleges. Highly recommended.
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Summary: A Beautiful Book!
Review: Walking to Canterbury is a lyrical journey by foot from London to Canterbury. The marriage of history, adventure and soul in this book, spiced with medieval illustrations, is a delight from the first page. I read it for my book club and the discussion that followed among ten of us was a treasure.
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Summary: Literary and spiritual Adventure
Review: Walking to Canterbury is a rousing mix of literature, medieval history and spirituality. I read it in conjunction with a book club that meets every Sunday for brunch to discuss a new book. Several years ago we read the author's first book about the Cherokee Trail of Tears and we were moved to tears by it. Walking to Canterbury doesn't carrry the same emotional punch, but it delivers insights on a more mature level than the first book. Highly recommended.
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Summary: This Horse Has Legs
Review: Walking to Canterbury is one of the most unusual books I have ever read, combining adventure, history, literature and spirituality into a compelling and reflective look at medieval and modern England. Couldn't put it down, which is most rare for me...a very picky London reader.
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Summary: A Seductive Journey, Read
Review: Walking to Canterbury seduces readers with its charm, wit and insight about history and human nature. The DAILY MAIL in London said it best. "Ellis is an original Shakespearean fool with pithy wisdom."
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Summary: What a trip!
Review: Walking to Canterbury took me down a historical road I didn't know existed. I had avoided Chaucer in college, thinking that his tales were totally fiction. It turns out, however, that he based his stories on real pilgrims. Chaucer had lived in Kent, where Ellis' journey takes his readers. The book and adventure sparkle with interesting characters and Ellis has a way of making them leap off the pages. One jumped right into my lap and...well, that's another tale. If you like history, adventure, people and want to forget the routine of the modern world for a while, read this book.
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