Pilgrimage

October 14, 2013
Best known for her works of historical fiction, Austin (Chronicles of the Kings) details a personal visit to the Holy Land in her first non-fiction book. Austin and her husband made this trip during a period when she felt bogged down by the banalities of life and spiritually bereft. While she mentions the loss of three close family members, her doldrums seem to be anchored in her new position as an empty nester, an unwelcome change of life for her. Travelling with an organized tour group, they visit biblical sites (Hezekiah’s tunnel, Calvary), as well as historical ones (Israel’s Holocaust memorial, Fortress of Latrun war memorial). Chronicling both physical and spiritual aspects of her journey, Austin’s story is part travel journal, part biblical recounting and reflection, part history lesson, and part personal insight. While Austin’s unhappiness over her physical separation from three grown children may fail to resonate with some readers, her search for a renewed source of joy after loss is sure to be familiar to many.