Thoughts Along the Way of Saint James
Memoir
Date Published: November 6, 2024
The Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, The Way of Saint James, is centuries old
and has seen an explosion of interest in recent years. In A Funny Thing
Happened Walking Lost on the Camino de Santiago: Thoughts Along the Way of
Saint James, the author takes you along on his ups and downs of the
thirty-six day journey from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, to Santiago de
Compostela, Spain, on the Camino Frances trail. He shares not only the
physical and mental challenges of the five-hundred mile walk for someone in
their seventies, but his thoughts along "The Way." Among those
thoughts, uninterrupted by any news, music, podcasts, or other technological
distractions, are his struggles with his Church and Catholic faith. He
describes his times being lost both geographically and spiritually and
introduces you to the wonderful people from all over the world, including
some Camino Angels, who made his journey special. Tutty takes a serious look
at the life-changing potential of the Camino pilgrimage but with a more
humorous, self-deprecating approach to himself as a pilgrim.
For those considering walking the Camino de Santiago or just interested in
learning more about it, the author shares what led him to his pilgrimage,
his initial concerns, the preparation and experiences while walking, the
time and financial investment, and his reflections after the walk. He offers
a look at the Camino journey that begins before you take your first step and
does not end even after your last.
INTERVIEW
INTRODUCTION:
I am a retired Superintendent of Schools. I graduated from the State University of New York at Oneonta in 1971 and completed my master’s degree in 1978. I taught middle school and high school English for eight years and then left education to become a medical sales representative, primarily for financial reasons. I eventually worked my way up to trainer for a Region, then an Area, and finally the Director of Training for the entire country. I was then promoted to Regional Management. After ten years in the business sector, I earned my administration certification and returned to education as a dean of students, principal, and a superintendent of schools in various school districts. After eleven years as a school superintendent, I retired. During part of my retirement I served as an interim superintendent in five different school districts, as they searched for a permanent superintendent.
MY WRITING JOURNEY:
As an English teacher, I have always been fascinated by the craft of writing. Being an avid reader, I studied the styles of fiction and non-fiction writers. When I returned to education as a school administrator and into retirement, I taught a few freshman writing courses as an adjunct at a local university and community college. Having spent some of my years in business helping some of the top executives with their communications and speeches, I realized that many of even the most successful college graduates were not effective in their writing.
During the seventies, while an English teacher, I co-authored guides on teaching Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and using an inductive approach in teaching short stories. While working in business, I spent some of my spare time writing a mystery novel. When I retired, I decided to finish it and get it published. The Sins of Father Riley is the story of a priest with celibacy issues, who is then accused of murdering two of the women with which he was involved.
A few years later, turned off by the new breed of “holy” conservative politicians, I wrote a satire entitled The Discovery of the Secret Gospel of the Rich and Powerful: the Gospel of Saint Avarice. The book is critical of those men and women who espouse hate in the name of their Christian faith. I re-create many New Testament stories that introduce the reader to a very different Jesus Christ and attempts to answer the question, “ From just what gospel are our political leaders, who proudly proclaim they are devout Christians, getting their inspiration when they espouse hate and intolerance and seek revenge on anyone who disagrees with them; or, devout Christian business leaders who work hard for increased profits by suppressing workers’ wages and eliminating their benefits; and, finally, those fiery evangelicals who are complicit in the actions of these leaders by their avid support or even their silence. I later produced some satirical YouTube videos with the same theme.
MY PRESENT BOOK:
A Funny Thing Happened Walking Lost on the Camino de Santiago: Thoughts Along the Way of Saint James
In May of 2023 I decided to walk the entire 500 mile trail of the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain. At first, I did not desire to write about it. In preparing for the pilgrimage, I had seen many excellent videos and read much material on previous pilgrims’ journeys that proved to me that one more account would not be that important. However, after I returned I shared some of my adventures and a few people encouraged me to share my journey, physically, mentally, and spiritually. My book is not a journal of my daily adventures. The first section talks about the decision to make the pilgrimage and the preparation. The second is about the highlights and sometime travails of my daily walks, as well as my thoughts along the way. In the third part I reflect on my journey and share some practical information on things like cost and choice of accommodation.
One of my main themes is “getting lost,” as it was a common occurrence, both geographically and spiritually. One of my goals was to re-discover my Faith, yet in that discovery process I found myself more detached from it. It was not an easy journey of five weeks, but it was a rewarding one. As I mention at the end of the book, I considered it a gift.
MESSAGE TO THE READERS:
The pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago is for all ages and can be a religious or spiritual adventure. It can just be strictly a hiking adventure or a challenge you want to undertake, as well. Your Camino is just that, your Camino. People do it to reflect on their life and/or their future or a particular decision they have to make. Others do it in honor of someone with whom they are close who is ill, dying, or has passed away. Some do it alone, with a partner, or with a group,
You can do the entire 500 miles of the Camino Frances or you can do the last 100 k from Sarria, which is most common, or any other city along the route. You take one of the other Camino routes on the northern coast or through Portugal. You can take as many days as you need or have available and can afford. Some do a certain length in multiple years.
About the Author
Gary Tutty is a retired Superintendent of Schools. He was named a
Distinguished Alumni at the State University of New York at Oneonta, from
which he earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English
Education. Between his years as a teacher and school administrator, he
worked for a major medical company in sales, sales training, and sales
management. In addition to his book, A Funny Thing Happened Walking Lost on
the Camino de Santiago: Thoughts Along the Way of Saint James, he has
written two novels, The Discovery of the Secret Gospel of the Rich and
Powerful: The Gospel of St. Avarice and The Sins of Father Riley. He lives
in Great Island, Pinehills, Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Contact Link
Website
Purchase Link
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