Virgin Trails: A secular Pilgrimage - Robert Ward - 1st HC (2002)

Virgin Trails: A secular Pilgrimage

Author: Robert Ward
Publisher: Key Porter Books, Toronto
Edition: 1st Edition HC (2002)
Condition: NF in VG unclipped DJ
ISBN: 1-55263-374-8

Description: An Agnostic's Quest: Ward, a self-described atheist with an academic background in religion, sets out across France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal to understand the enduring cultural and spiritual pull of the Virgin Mary.   European Shrines & Routes: His travels take him from Paris and Lourdes to the Camino de Santiago, Finisterre, Loreto, and Fatima—blending history and art lore (such as medieval madonnari, or street Madonna painters) with wry, firsthand observations of modern pilgrims.Focus on Human Experience: Rather than a strictly devotional book, it reads like a character-driven travelogue exploring why people walk ancient routes and what faith, doubt, and ritual look like up close.