"[A] fascinating account of places of pilgrimage in Spain ... Curiously titled chapters (e.g. 'Adoration at the Disco') and the author's subtle wit make this very readable."

The Bookseller

'A wonderful book from the Daily Telegraph writer... With typical wit he recounts his diverse encounters which will appeal both to religious readers and armchair travellers alike.'

The Bookseller

Attended Hay Festival 2011

"Aided by a good ear, an eye for the absurd, an obviously refined sense of smell, and a pair of binoculars given to him by Bruce Bernard (the expert on paintings and photographs), Howse appears to register everything about his immediate surroundings, from the musings of a batty old woman, down to the grafitti in a toilet, and to a place comically named the centro de inseminacion porcina... A Pilgrim in Spain is a book whose myriad eccentricities mirror those of the Spain it celebrates."

The Spectator

"Blending humour and faith, this book offers a marvellous look at the way landscape is shaped by belief and history."

The Catholic Herald

"The book has a leisurely, discursive feel, offering asides on blood sausage consumption, troglodytism and the intricacies of church altar rails... Howse brocades A Pilgrim in Spain with bibliographic allusions and excels at revealing the spirit of a place... in the end I warmed to the sheer Edward Leer-like strangeness of this book."

The Daily Telegraph