Wow! eBook
The Extra Mile: A 21st Century Pilgrimage Reprint Edition
Author(s): Peter Stanford (Author)
- Publisher: Continuum
- Publication Date: 1 April 2011
- Edition: Reprint
- Language: English
- Print length: 218 pages
- ISBN-10: 1441167358
- ISBN-13: 9781441167354
Book Description
Writer, journalist and broadcaster Peter Stanford makes a modern-day pilgrimage around some of the most ancient religious sites in Britain, to take the spiritual temperature of an age often described as secular and sceptical. Each of his chosen destinations has a long association with belief and an intriguing, controversial and often colourful story. Do the present-day pilgrims he meets en route go simply in search of that history, or does their journey have a deeper significance, a reaction to the unholy times in which we live now? And are their numbers growing as more conventional church-going declines? As he walks between Neolithic stones, ruined abbeys and miracle wells, Stanford explores the link between past and present belief and reflects on the spiritual state we are in.
Editorial Reviews
Review
"Eight pilgrimages which are in turn entertaining, down to earth, amusing and informative make this a fascinating read." (The Bookseller) "[Stanford] is a wholly open-minded companion as he probes the growing desire for a greater connection to landscape, history and place in this timely investigation into what religion can be." (The Metro) "[A] humorous account of these evocative places, and of the present-day pilgrims who visit them, comprises an intriguing investigation of what faith might mean in our apparently secular age." (London Review of Books) "Stanford sees the story of religion in the British Isles as the ebbing and flowing of spirituality - in communities, landscapes, and popular consciousness." (Financial Times) "In this highly illuminating study of 21st century pilgrimage, Peter Stanford examines why people travel to sacred spots, often despite discomfort and hardship." (The Independent) "Please read Stanford's wonderful book. It will teach you things you never knew and it will remind you that pilgrimage is not about leisurely strolls and picnic baskets." The Catholic Herald --The Catholic Herald
'He writes movingly about the pull of the past, recognising that in hard times, the path of enlightenment becomes an appealing road-trip' --The Guardian
'This excellent little book from journalist Peter Stanford has him travelling around the country on a modern day pilgrimage. He is always an entertaining an informative writer and this is one of his best works... An essential and thought provoking book.' --The Catholic Herald
[Stanford] has done [his] homework and [is] able to report on the nature of pilgrimage with care and most importantly of all, love. --The Pastoral Review
About the Author
Peter Stanford is a writer, broadcaster and biographer, whose books include biographies of Lord Longford, C Day-Lewis, Cardinal Hume and The Devil as well as The Extra Mile. A former editor of the Catholic Herald, he makes and presents TV and radio programmes, some based on his books. He is a regular contributor to The Daily Telegraph, The Independent on Sunday and The Observer and has a regular column in The Tablet. http://www.peterstanford.co.uk
