I'm Off Then: Losing and Finding Myself on the Camino de Santiago

**Off We Go** The author embarks on a journey on foot along the historic pilgrims' path through Spain. At times both funny and poignant, he describes his fellow pilgrims and provides vivid details about the trail itself. His narrative flows freely, combining humor with irreverence. Faced with the challenging geology of the trail and inclement weather, the author perseveres, sharing a delightful story filled with memorable characters and rich historical context. As he completes his trek, there is a sense of bittersweetness for the reader, who is left wanting to hear more about his adventures.

The author is a popular German comedian yet the book isn't necessarily funny. It's a good read & certainly entertaining when he describes encounters with some kooky pilgrims on the Camino. Generally, each chapter profiles each day of his walk & what he experiences. He makes 2 solid friendships and that binds seems to sustain him as he walks. I enjoyed the descriptive journey, the author's humanity & the bond he forged with two particular pilgrims. I missed feeling more of a sense of any deeper spirituality he may have gained on his walk, something other authors seem to express more eloquently and devotedly.

This book is a mix of humor, self awareness and pilgrimage. As we are all looking to find out who we are, this is a good guide I found. I am grateful to Mr. Retelling for sharing his experience with us all. I recommend everyone to this book.

For anyone intrigued by a pilgrimage, or specifically by the Camino de Santiago, this immersive tale takes you right into the heart of it. Or if you have no knowledge of the pilgrimage at all, it's a great surprise. It has both serious & light elements, thoughtful & playful. Honestly a delightful read loaded with great characters.

This was the first in a series of (now) four books I read on the Camino de Santiago. It was a light, entertaining read emphasizing the more secular view of the Camino experience. If you're preparing for the pilgrimage (either spiritually or logistically), I'd look for a more informative work ("The Path is Made by Walking" or "A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino de Santiago" or "Walk in a Relaxed Manner"). I'd still recommend this work for anyone considering the pilgrimage or simply wanting to know a bit more about the Camino. The author is a professional comedian and brings that talent to his writing making it an enjoyable read.

Since it is unlikely that I will ever attempt something as bold as The Camino, I live vicariously by reading books by those who have. The first book I read on the topic was Shirley MacLaine's account. I love Shirley, but her recounting of her experience---hallucination?---was way too weird for my taste. Unlike some reviewers, I didn't find this book to be exceptionally humorous or a 'page-turner.' It is, however, a good account of one man's decision-making process about making the trek, coupled with his thoughts/experiences along the way. His style of building toward self-disclosure (and how this came about) was also nice. Like a lot of travel books, the author had a tendency to go into detail about mundane aspects of the trip. Still, I stayed with the book til the end. Similar to what others have portrayed, his experience of the Spanish locals wasn't always positive, which is sad. Because I read the book on Kindle, the picture quality was poor. I assume it's better in the print version. This was unfortunate, as it looked as though he included some nice shots in the book. Surprisingly, the book came to a sudden end. That is, he was (spoiler alert) at the end of the trek; he got his stamp; and then he was off to catch a flight. At least from the reader's perspective, it all happened too quickly, with little of the detail that was included in earlier parts of the book. I would have liked to read more retrospective analysis on his part, but perhaps that will be volume two. Tip: Have a map of Spain with you as you read the book. Many of the towns and villages aren't on most maps, but it still helps you to appreciate what an endeavor those who do The Camino embark upon. Read the book.

This is my favorite book so far this year. Perhaps because I wish I could have written it, perhaps because I've always wanted to be one of those pilgrims arriving in Santiago de Compostela after experiencing the long walk from the French Alps through Spain. This often arduous journey to the Shrine of St. James in Galicia, on a route that is 1,200 years old, is followed by over 100,000 people per year. And it is popular German TV comedian Hape (Hans Peter) who has paved our way. His road trip diary is engaging and hilarious - sore feet, sore knees, big angry dogs (or dogs that just look dangerous), blazing sun, filthy hostels, unusual encounters, breathtaking landscapes, and all. You get a feeling for what you might or might not do. Maybe you'll do what he did, treat yourself to special hotels on occasion, stay more than one night in one place, and every now and then take the train instead of walking. What matters, as he shares, is what you experience, what you learn about yourself, what you may or may not learn from meeting other pilgrims, how you bring yourself to the events, the feelings, your thoughts, your soul. He braved much to bring us his charming story. (Thanks Hape, I feel happy reading about you and your friends). You'll understand why this book is a bestseller in Germany (kudos by the way for the stellar translation by Shelley Frisch), how it won the Bruce Chatwin Prize for Best Travel Book of the Year, and how it has sold over 3 million copies. Highly recommended.

In “I’m Off Then,” Hape Kerkeling excels in describing the pilgrim experience on the Camino de Santiago. I read the book after I walked the Camino in May and June of this year. It brought back a plethora of memories—of a too heavy backpack, constantly aching feet, multiple rainy days of plodding through clay mud with boots that felt weighted with lead. And like Kerkeling, I eventually made two close friendships. We became inseparable, watching out for each other, sleeping in the same albergues, helping one another through the challenging times—and triumphantly walking together into the giant plaza in Santiago de Compostela. In August, 2015, the three of us plan to hike the Swiss Alps. There were moments when the pace of the book slowed, but that represents the reality of the pilgrimage for many people. Kerkeling didn’t have any life-changing spiritual epiphanies, and I dare say, many (perhaps most?) pilgrims today do not. He did have time to think deeply about some timeless topics (the meaning of Life and his own life, is there an afterlife, how he viewed God, etc.) and to journal about his experiences and thoughts. Again, typical of Camino pilgrims. He writes well, although I suspect some of his wit and charm were obscured in translation. I appreciated that Kerkeling came across as more than a celebrity. He opened up and expressed his shortcomings (examples: nonathletic couch potato, impatient with loud, opinionated people). The biggest caveat I would give a reader considering the Camino is that it has been thirteen years since Kerkeling made his pilgrimage. While much is unchanged, the number of pilgrims has more or less doubled. There are many more albergues and other accommodations and places to eat and buy food. A common remark I heard from repeat pilgrims was that even a few years ago, it was rare to find wi-fi on the Camino. Not anymore. If you’re considering the Camino, I highly recommend reading “I’m Off Then” before you take off.

Love the book. Lots of good info as I plan to do this pilgrimage with friends next year.

Traduction parfaite de l'allemand. J'ai lu ce livre dans sa version anglaise pour le proposer à mes étudiants. L'humour et la franchise de l'auteur sont parfaitement respectés, ce qui n'est pas toujours le cas dans la version française. Sans prétention, honnête, sans réserves, l'auteur se livre à une description inattendue de SON chemin vers Compostelle. Le cheminement d'une star allemande de la télévision, d'un homme qui se remet en question en quête vers l'essentiel. Qui trouve beaucoup plus qu'il ne le croit. Accessible en anglais avec un niveau B2.

Good Read. Well written, humorous and witty.

This is a wonderful book. It draws you in, the author has a strong honest presence in telling his story, you walk with him. That's not self-centred as some reviews suggest; it is a willingness to own up to who he is to give the story depth. Plenty of interesting and very funny things happen on his Camino journey, it's a great read.

This is by far the best rendition of the Camino de Santiago that I’ve read. Like others, this is not self indulgent or pompously gratifying, but more honest and humble. Additional humour is delightful, appropriate for a comedian to write.