Spanish Steps

Description

Being larger than a cat, the donkey is the kind of animal Tim Moore is slightly scared of. Yet intrigued by epic accounts of a pilgrimage undertaken by one in three medieval Europeans, and committed to historical authenticity, he finds himself leading a Pyrenean ass named Shinto into Spain, headed for Santiago de Compostela. The two bring smiles to every local face they meet, and not all of brazen derision. Over 500 miles of extreme weather and agonising bestial sloth, it becomes memorably apparent that for the multinational band of eccentrics who keep the Santiagan flame alive, the pilgrimage has evolved from a purely devotional undertaking into a mobile therapist's couch. Ludicrous, heart-warming and improbably inspirational, Spanish Steps is the story of what happens when a rather silly man tries to walk all the way across a very large country, with a very large animal who doesn't really want to.

Tim Moore's books include French Revolutions, Do Not Pass Go, Spanish Steps, Nul Points, I Believe in Yesterday and You Are Awful (But I Like You). He lives in London.

"He is a rare comic talent" The Times "A very funny writer, oozing with comic ideas" Daily Mail "An absolutely cracking idea for a book; it's got history, eccentric characters, personal growth - and plenty of really good jokes" Time Out "One of the classier writers of the humorous travel book... A very entertaining read" Observer "At last, a travel book that makes you think but also makes you laugh out loud" Guardian