Review of Trekking

[Alissa Nesson]

Fantastic review, Gerry! This sounds like a great book for Christians who are feeling a bit underwhelmed with their faith. I was unaware of this pilgrimage. I agree that a more personal account would pull the reader in more. Thanks for another great review.

[Anaïs Quesson]

Outstanding review, Gerry! I don't think I would fully appreciate the potential of this book. I appreciate reading your thoughts on it, though.

[Sarah Vinchu]

Finding a way to be close to God, I think this is the ultimate message of the book. It's our choice to fill our hearts with modern platforms to eradicate emptiness. We spend uncounted hours on screen, but being alone to attain closeness to our creator is never our priority. I don't go back much after religious content, but Your review succeeded in providing the central idea of the book, which I liked it. Looking forward to such wonderful reviews.

[Elizabeth-Tush4Christ]

I like that you have detailed your experience with the book, and from the things you have shared, it seems like my kind of book. I really look forward to reading it. Sometimes I find that Christians engage in repetitive religious activities that wear them out, and soon enough, they look for something else to fill the void. This book seems suitable for me, and I look forward to reading it. Thank you for a well-written review

[Terry Kimble]

Although I have gone to many churches in my lifetime, I have never found a "church family" that I felt drawn to. Still, I have been on a spiritual quest since childhood and have enjoyed studying many religions. As I age, I require more alone time for prayer and connection to God and reading the Bible. This book sounds lovely. Thank you for this insightful review.

[Creole]

Self-isolation and assembling with believers of a similar faith are vital to achieving fulfilment in different areas of our lives. Although the book falls short of conveying experiences of a trekking pilgrimage, I'm glad you enjoyed it, which signals that it is readworthy. Thanks for a lovely review. Christian rituals might not be able to fill the void in someone's life, but drawing closer to Jesus can undoubtedly transform your life. I hope this book, "Trekking", will help many to do just that.

[Julie Marie Basil]

I hope to complete the Camino de Santiago one day and appreciate your desire that the author would have included more details about his experience. This sounds like an interesting read!

[Adina Lutinger]

Thank you very much for the well-written review! Despite not believing in religions at all, I found this a very interesting read that give an insightful perspective about the book. This seems like a great book for the right audience. Thank you very much for the interesting review!

[Anu Anand]

Thank you for such a thoughtful review, Gerry. I appreciate how you highlighted both the strengths of the book and the areas where you felt it could have delved deeper, particularly in regard to the trekking experiences. While I’m not particularly religious myself, I’ve read quite a few religious books, and I find that they often provide unique perspectives, even for those outside the faith. This one seems like a deep reflection on spirituality and simplicity. Your review has definitely given me something to think about!

[ZCReviews]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Trekking" by Gene Maynard.]

---

4 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Do you feel empty? Have you abandoned “meaningless” Christian rituals? Do you want Christianity to fill the emptiness you feel? If you answered yes to these questions, Gene Maynard hopes to show you how to fill the emptiness in his book Trekking.

Maynard explains why traditional Christian churches lose their followers. Many people feel uninspired by old rituals, preaching, and entertainment in the church. They turn to other religions to fill the emptiness and feel closer to God. Maynard believes that our materialistic society causes our feeling of emptiness. We have so much but feel unsatisfied. We are missing a meaningful relationship with Jesus. Maynard maintains that a lifestyle of simplicity will allow us to be close to Jesus.

Marnard explains how the Quaker tradition of spending time in silence to contemplate enables one to listen to Jesus. The practice of self-isolation is also discussed. Christian history is filled with prophets, saints, and revolutionary leaders who practiced self-isolation to be closer to God. The author emphasizes the importance of minimizing our distractions so we can be inspired by God's message through spiritual contemplation.

Traditionally, Christians have made pilgrimages to contemplate readings in the Bible, focus on Jesus, and find a higher purpose. Maynard shares a few of his contemplative spiritual experiences from a five-week trekking trip on a 500-mile Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail in Spain.

I enjoyed the author's style of narration. Easy-to-understand language was used to explain spiritual concepts. Their arguments were supported with biblical quotes, historical information about revolutionary movements in Christian churches, and examples of spiritual enlightenment through contemplative spirituality. The book was well-written, and the editing was professionally done. This contributed to my smooth reading experience. However, I was disappointed that the author did not provide more details about their trekking pilgrimage. I would have enjoyed reading a short diary of the trekking experiences, spiritual and physical, that were encountered each day. Reading about their daily experiences would have allowed me to experience a more authentic account of their 5-week trek on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail. Considering the above factors, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.

******
Trekking
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

I was surprised by your critique of the book. If I had read it, I would have been a bit upset, as I would have felt misled by the title since it doesn’t provide an actual account of the physical challenges of trekking to complement the rest of the material. I don’t usually read religious books—they're not my thing—but I really enjoyed your review.

[Leia Temple]

What a joy it is to come across a book that so sagely acknowledges the ancient yet often overlooked practice of solitude! I’m quite taken with how the author discusses self-isolation. It's refreshing to see Maynard draw parallels to historical figures in Christianity who found their spiritual footing through quiet contemplation and simplicity. There's a timeless grace in honoring these practices, and I'm grateful that this book sheds light on how this sacred stillness can bring believers closer to a meaningful relationship with the divine.

[Lawrence Stein]

Wow! This book might help throw some light on the reason why I myself don't often attend church like I use to do some years ago. Thanks for that simple analysis of the book.

[Amy Luman]

I can see how getting alone to listen to Jesus can be very helpful. For some the physical exertion of some sort of “trek” can also help. Thanks!

[Bassey Anthony Akpan]

"Trekking" by Gene Maynard is a source of spiritual inspiration mostly reserved for Christians who feel a sense of emptiness and unfulfillment. Man is insatiable and despite having so much, there is the constant craving for more. These desires and much more can lead us to seek alternative solace in other faith. This book provides important guides to help us rebuild our faith and find solace. I love this review as it provides the most appealing summary of the book

[Martina Sette]

This review provides a thoughtful and balanced overview of the book and effectively conveys its central themes of spiritual contemplation and simplicity. Great review!