100 Journeys for the Spirit: Sacred, Inspiring, Mysterious, Enlightening

Sacred grounds and even simple landscapes can put us in direct touch with the spirit. From the prehistoric megaliths of Carnac in Brittany to the Shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad, Iran, to the giant medicine wheel at Bighorn, Wyoming, 100 Journeys for the Spirit reveals the mysticism enveloped in these tranquil settings. Accompanying the superb photographs are descriptions of each place, including 25 personal responses from esteemed writers and poets. Plus, a gazetteer provides key facts for those wishing to visit the locations themselves.

Sacred grounds and even simple landscapes can put us in direct touch with the spirit. From the prehistoric megaliths of Carnac in Brittany to the Shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad, Iran, to the giant medicine wheel at Bighorn, Wyoming, 100 Journeys for the Spirit reveals the mysticism enveloped in these tranquil settings. Accompanying the superb photographs are descriptions of each place, including 25 personal responses from esteemed writers and poets. Plus, a gazetteer provides key facts for those wishing to visit the locations themselves.

Library Journal

This is another title in the realm of spiritual travel publications, following, e.g., National Geographic's Sacred Places of a Lifetime and Anthony Taylor's The Sacred Sites Bible. The 100 entries in this book consist of two-page narratives with color photographs and include a mix of well-known and lesser-known locations from around the world, such as the Hagia Sophia in Turkey and Croagh Patrick in Ireland. Disappointingly, only 25 of the entries are written by notable writers Pico Iyer, Joseph Marshall III, Jan Morris, Andrew Motion, Alexander McCall Smith, Mark Tully, Michael Ondaatje, and Paul Theroux. The other entries have no byline and, by comparison to the rich writing of the established authors, may be less interesting to readers. At the back of the book is a brief gazetteer with weather data and nearby airports, but it is not useful for serious travel planning. VERDICT Overall, an average but interesting to browse coffee-table book, suitable for travelers and armchair travel enthusiasts.—Louise Feldmann, Colorado State Univ. Lib., Fort Collins

Michael Ondaatje

Michael Ondaatje is a novelist and poet who lives in Toronto, Canada. He is the author of In The Skin of a Lion, Coming Through Slaughter, and The Collected Works of Billy the Kid; two collections of poems, The Cinnamon Peeler, There's a Trick with a Knife I'm Learning to Do; and a memoir, Running in the Family. He received the Booker Prize and the Governor General's Award in Canada for The English Patient.