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John Meyer
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Shadows, Shells, and Spain Kindle Edition

by John Meyer (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 37
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Lost and listless on the island of Mallorca, Jamie Draper searches for his estranged wife, Pam, who has left him without any explanation or warning. Exploring her last known location, Jamie stumbles upon an urgent letter from his missing wife promising full disclosure as to her sudden departure and her current whereabouts. There’s just one catch: her mysterious adventure is disclosed in a series of letters she’s left hidden along the ancient Camino trail across northern Spain. Now armed with a list of clues to track the letters down, Jamie retraces Pam’s footsteps, while being both entertained and challenged by the many colorful Camino characters he meets along the way—including the enchanting Brie, who harbors her own secrets that just might compromise Jamie’s intended reunion with his wife.
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  1. Print length
    314 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    November 11, 2017
  5. File size
    3753 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
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  8. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Literary Titan Book Award - Silver Award Winner

Reviewed by Publishers Weekly:"Meyer's redemptive tale combines elements of travelogue, epistolary novel, romance, and mystery... Meyer has successfully melded ruminations on one of Europe's most famous pilgrimages with a tender story of loss and healing, creating a lovely tale."
Reviewed by Canadian Company of Pilgrims:
"For those who have walked the Francés route, this book will revive memories and refresh some of the history that one has walked through. For those planning on walking, this book serves as a guide to "life on the Camino", blisters and all. A very enjoyable read."
Reviewed by The Confraternity of Saint James Quarterly:"This is an engaging take on Camino writing... He ensures a real sense of place with the combination of his travel guide sections and Jamie's own observations and reaction to the landscapes, towns and villages he passes through. He encapsulates, with much perceptive humour, the characters Jamie encounters--with a sharp eye for the absurd... This is a solid page-turning read--a lively book with bags of Camino atmosphere and some thought-provoking views of the complexities of being human."
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite: "...Shadows, Shells, and Spain stood out from the non fictional travel memoirs I've read about the Camino by virtue of it being a novel, rather than nonfiction... Meyer's own experiences on the Camino and his love of history combine to make this one of the more authentic Camino reads yet. I loved reading about the history of the Camino and each of the little towns Jamie walks through, and found myself sitting with a map of the Camino on my laptop, tracing his journey as I learned more about Spanish history than I thought possible... Shadows, Shells, and Spain is most highly recommended."

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0756JF632
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Summer Nomad Publications (November 11, 2017)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 11, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3753 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 314 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 37

About the author

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John Meyer

John Meyer

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Author John Meyer writes fictional travel memoirs—unique adventure stories that combine fun facts of history with present-day drama and humor. Always revolving around a fictitious love story and always based on his own thrilling journeys.

After he was robbed in Rome and then found his faith in humanity restored at the Palio festival in Siena, he was inspired to write "Bullets, Butterflies, and Italy." Chatelaine magazine selected it as a November Best Book! (…this is no Eat, Pray, Love. Instead it sets a fast and furious pace with destination unknown – but that’s the point. Chatelaine, November 2011 issue)

After he ran with the bulls in Pamplona and then came to the rescue of an injured fan at the Blur reunion concert in Hyde Park, he was encouraged to write "Bulls, Bands, and London."

And now after walking across Spain along the ancient Camino trail, he was inspired to write his latest fictional travel memoir, "Shadows, Shells, and Spain."

However, these books are more than travel memoirs. These are distinctive entries into the travel literary genre because they not only promise entertaining fictional drama, but they also provide accurate and amusing descriptions of the local people and places you will encounter in his adventures—which will hopefully inspire you all to embark on your own remarkable vacations!

For more information, please visit his website at www.johnmeyerbooks.com.

• • • •

John Meyer is also the studio writer for Entertainment Tonight Canada—and has been ever since the popular daily show launched back in 2005. That’s almost three thousand episodes now...and counting!

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
37 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Lilly's Book World
5.0 out of 5 stars A magnificent experience of Spain, of El Camino de Santiago
Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2018
Verified Purchase
”Shadows, Shells and Spain” – this title made my day. Even before I started reading the book this title made me curious and I spent some time guessing what this book would be about. Little did I know I was about to discover yet another interesting book. Around 6o% of the book I got to understand what the title was all about. And this completed my experience in such a beautiful way. Even the title is built in an interesting manner.

You get the main idea from the blurb, so let me get directly into my thoughts. Jamie Draper starts his journey in search of his wife on El Camino de Santiago. Everybody speaks of these incredible experiences they had during this trip. Everybody says it is a life changing excursion. Well, he doesn’t buy it. And he doesn’t care that much. All he is interested in is finding his wife and understanding what motivated her decision. He will find out truths that hurt and things his wife was afraid to mention. However, at some point, this trip becomes more to him than he is willing to admit. I don’t want to reveal more of the story, as this is something you will have to discover on your own.

The author has created an interesting character and has shown us his evolution in the most beautiful manner. We see him depressed, running from people, avoiding too crowded places. But later in his camino experience, he becomes social, he learns to appreciate people and their stories. We will understand that different characters, or different backgrounds and life stories can bind over the same trip to self-discovery. With all that, John Meyer has added a good amount of history about the places and cities on El Camino de Santiago. Most were very interesting facts!  The back and forth between Jamie’s marriage and his current plans, his relationship with Brie (his partner for most of the walk) and historical facts kept my interest.

And the title? I found out it starts with the end. And that’s all I’m telling you.

A magnificent experience of Spain, of El Camino de Santiago, an excellent story that will take you through a bit of Spanish history. Enjoy :)
2 people found this helpful
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J. E. Breen
4.0 out of 5 stars A Camino Sampler
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2018
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This is a nice reminder of the Camino for those who have hiked it and an interesting capsule preview for those interested.
The story was interesting and the book easy to read. It made me want to continue to the end.
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nancy furse
5.0 out of 5 stars Keeps you captivated, wanting more.
Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2019
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Loved, loved, loved this book. I chose this book for our local Chapter
KC-MO American Pilgrims On The Camino Book Club. This book is a different take on any Camino book I have read before. And I have read a lot of them. I wanted something different & boy did this book meet my expectations.
The author weaves the mysterious storyline along the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain. With history & details of each location. It keeps you captivated. Wanting more.
If you have walked the Camino , it will bring back fond memories . If you have not walked or are getting ready to walk it is great representation of the Camino journey. It’s, it’s own guide book! Highly recommend this book.
Read & enjoy.
2 people found this helpful
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Runner girl
4.0 out of 5 stars Novel that is also a travel guide!
Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2018
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Interesting book about the Camino de Santiago. It was a travel guide in the guise of a novel. Entertaining & easy read. Makes me want to walk the Camino!
2 people found this helpful
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Keith Hammond
5.0 out of 5 stars Camino lovers rejoice!
Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2018
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For people who are lovers of the Camino this book is a great work of fiction that includes places you love. I was compelled to keep reading beyond my bedtime several nights in a row. My productivity was a bit lower that week.
2 people found this helpful
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Pamela King
5.0 out of 5 stars Travel, History and Drama
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2017
If you love travel and history with plenty of drama told with a twist of humour then this book is for you.
John Meyer takes the reader on a long, but never boring, walk with characters that you will love, be irritated by and laugh at.
Jamie Draper has travelled to Mallorca to try to find his estranged wife, Pam. He receives a letter from her telling him if he wants to understand her and her reasons for leaving he needs to walk the Camino. As he walks the trail he follows her clues to find further letters.
The Camino de Santiago in Spain is a walking trail followed by pilgrims for over a thousand years. It is a spiritual journey for those seeking inner strength and wisdom.
I loved both of the main characters, Jamie and Brie, who he meets on the trail and has her own issues and reasons for walking the Camino. Early in the book I thought Pam’s reasons for leaving Jamie were selfish ones. My attitude to her as the story progresses becomes softer and I become more in sympathy with her.
Meyer’s descriptive writing gives the reader clear images of the Camino scenery as well as the historic buildings and monuments. You will also feel the pain, the joy and the camaraderie of the Peregrinos (those who walk the Camino) along the route.
The journey by Jamie, Brie and the other Peregrinos is interspersed with history, legends and travel snippets - a kind of early history meets modern tourism. If you are not into history don’t worry, it is told with humour and, at times, healthy scepticism.
Brie has to get Jamie’s story in slices, along with finding accommodation, food and sightseeing, and so does the reader. The last 100 pages or so, as Jamie starts to find out what happened with Pam really push the reader on to finish. The story alternates between Jamie’s revelations, descriptions of the trail and the history snippets. It was a book I just had to get to the end. My apologies to family and friends I was rude to telling them to go away so I could finish the book.
Shadows, Shells, and Spain is the second of Meyer’s fictional travel memoirs I have read. The other one was Bulls, Bands and London that I gave 4*. I think this is better and that is why it gets 5* from me.
One person found this helpful
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Jewn28
5.0 out of 5 stars Walk The Camino, Without Walking the Camino
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2017
If your passport isn't up to date, that's ok. John Meyer's Shadows, Shells, and Spain takes you on a vivid and memorable trip to Spain in the comfort of your own home. He has written a captivating story that grips you and does not let go! Apart from getting to know Jamie Draper and his dramatic tale, you are taken through the scenic and pretty countryside while vicariously walking the Camino De Santiago.

This was a book that I read in >48 hours because I COULD NOT put it down. Thank you John for the adventure!
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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Work
Reviewed in Canada on August 10, 2019
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Beautifully written book, I’ve never been to Spain but the description John adds in of little details about the world around his characters brings everything alive in vivid detail in your minds eye.

The characters themselves are each unique and quirky in their own unique ways, I particularly love the way that the minor characters are described through Jamie’s point of view, often referred to based on a distinguishing feature, clothing item, or job rather than a name, it’s so relatable because we all do it when thinking in passing of people we see in public, you don’t know their names so you mentally refer to them by something you see.

The entire story is filled with little gems of detail like that, accompanying and enriching the larger overarching story. Highly recommend!
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Helen M Wallis
4.0 out of 5 stars Camino Memories
Reviewed in Australia on July 8, 2018
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What a great read. Lots of twists and turns in this terrific novel. Although fiction it brought back lots of memories of my Camino journey in 2014. Memories of the places I went and the characters I met along the way. Not to give the plot away but it’s a love story. Love of the Camino and the love that it gives back. The love of History as this tale incorporates the history of the Camino throughout the book. Love of people and how they support and share their lives as they walk the Camino. Lastly the love of a good read and the excitement and adventure it brings to the reader.
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Philippa Denby
4.0 out of 5 stars Hard to put down
Reviewed in Australia on July 25, 2019
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I’ve been reading a lot of Camino books in anticipation of my own Camino next year, but being in novel form made this one refreshingly different. I really enjoyed the emotional tale as well as the history and the sights. I would recommend this to those who can’t get enough of everything Camino, but are also ready for something a bit different.
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Robert S.
1.0 out of 5 stars One star
Reviewed in Canada on March 4, 2019
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It has a nice cover picture so this book gets one star for the cover.
All the pages after the cover are a complete waste of time to read.
Poorly written and ill concieved story line.
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