Derry Brabbs

Wowwwww, this book is a stunner! I loved nearly everything about it--only "nearly" because I discovered with this read that twentieth-century church architecture styles are not typically my jam, LOL. (And the Christian Scientist church seemed a bit out of place with the rest, as well--but just my two cents.)

The entire book is brilliantly photographed (There were pictures! In the eARC! Yay! :D), with plenty of photos per location--another nice bonus. And the captions and text were super show more helpful; I spent almost as much time reading those and learning about the locations as I did looking at the pictures.

I also loved that I didn't know about most of these places--only recognized one or two--so I really could dive in without any preconceived notions and just be ready to learn and enjoy.

Churches and London are two of my favorite topics, and I can see myself revisiting this book again and again down the line. It's so very pretty, and informative--a wonderful combination.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. show less

Great Pilgrimage Sites of Europe by Derry Brabbs is a visually stunning volume but I am only able to comment on some of the text because my digital review copy still had lorem ipsum as placeholders for many of the entries and even many of the photo captions. I will update my review if/when I see a complete volume.

I did not penalize very much for being unable to read a large portion of the book because I am familiar with other books from this publisher and trust that what I couldn't read was show more on a par with what I was able to read.

The pictures offer a nice mix of wide views as well as some details in a closer view. In the entries I was able to read the discussion covered a bit of history, which means theology as well, and why the site either is still or has become a major pilgrimage site. There is the depth of detail you expect from a better coffee table book, meaning deeper than surface but not like in a history book. Which is ideal since the trade is usually for better and larger photographs.

Even not being able to read every entry I still recommend this book based on what I could read and all of the pictures (all of which were visible) combined with my experiences with the publisher's other books.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. show less

The Roads to Santiago
The Landscapes and Architecture of
The World's Greatest Pilgrim Route
by Derry Brabbs

I found this 256 page book utterly fascinating. I have never been on a pilgrimage, but I know people that have and they always came back so refreshed and spiritually revived it left me wondering what it would be like. Thanks to this enlightening ambassador with its many articulate step by step paragraphs and beautiful photographs I will wonder no more. I loved the author’s painstaking show more eye to detail as he gave us the modern and this historical value of these French and Spanish roads to Santiago. I would recommend this great find to pilgrims, or would-be pilgrims everywhere. Thanks Derry, what a precious labor of love.

Love & Light,

Riki Frahmann show less

I love this book; the pubs featured that I have visited so far, have all lived up to the authors descriptions. The photographs are superb and set each establishment off to best advantage.

When ever I visit one, I'll have it signed and dated by the landlord/tenant and take my own photograph. When I do this, I must defer to Derry Brabbs superior photographic skill, his renditions are truly professional.