Q&A with Paulo Coelho discussion
The Alchemist
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Mod
thank you for letting me know about this. I had no idea!
Love
Paulo
Mod
actually this concept was drawn from alchemy. i stumble upon my readings and experience to back it up.
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Paulo
Mod
actually it all began with 1001 Arabian nights when I was a child. i was mesmerized not only by the fantastic plots by specially by the storyteller: Sherazade. This book stirred my imagination like no other when I was a child. It was only natural to keep on reading about this wonderful culture for the years to come.
Love
Paulo
Mod
The first book I wrote called The Pilgrimage was a non-fiction book about my Pilgrimage to Santiago of Compostella. I felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment for being able to write my first book but then, as it happens with writers, the challenge of a second book imposed itself.
I knew I had to dive in fiction and therefore the Alchemist was written as a metaphor of my life : the ways I felt while trying to accomplish my dream.
Love
Paulo
Mod
Gita had a great impact in my life. In my twenties, when I was a rock lyricist, it inspired me to write a song that became an instant hit in Brazil.
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Paulo
Mod
it fills my heart with joy to see your enthusiasm and vision.
Love
Paulo
Mod
The Alchemist is both the result of books I read and experiences I've been through. This is the true magic: when the pages of books intertwine with the multitude of moments and dream that make up for life.
Concerning Jakarta, I don't have any plans in the near future but certainly it's a place I would love to visit.
Love
Paulo
Mod
it's true that the book in centered around Santiago's personal legend.
Of course women have their personal legends - I wrote about it not only in my recent book "The Witch of Portobello" but also in "Brida" (that will be released from March onwards).
Love
Paulo
Dear Paulo,I am glad that I have an opportunity to express my opinion about your books directly. 'The Alchemist' is the first book of yours I’ve read and it’s really inspiring. The characters, the first career of Santiago as a shepherd, the universal language he learned, the holistic style by which you present the story, and also its spirituality, make me feel that you have exercised an ancient wisdom.
One of my novels, 'The Straight Path: Jalan yang Lurus' (only part of its title written in English, the rest is in Indonesian), owes the inspiration to your beautiful 'Alchemist', though it mainly reflects Islamic philosophy of life without any direct religious terms, names, or teachings (the names are not specifically Muslims and the ideas are presented metaphorically). Unfortunately, it doesn’t gain success; but I believe it hasn’t yet (I don't expect self achievement, rather wide spread benefit for the others through the book). I hope it could be translated and published in English one day.
I have to be honest that not all of your books, or all ideas written in your books, are in line with mine (one doesn’t need to absolutely agree with other’s thoughts, does he?). However, I appreciate you as a great writer and philosopher. I think you are in fact an alchemist, a modern representation of it. 'The Alchemist', and each of your other books, is the Philosopher Stone by which you transmute the reader’s souls from worthlessness into awareness and illumination or at least from lack to abundance. I’ll find and read your 'Witch of Portobello' soon and may wonder that the book is actually written by “the witch of Rio de Janeiro.”
Salam,
Alwi Alatas
alwialatas@gmail.com
Dear Paulo,I'm sorry I just got your reply. Forgive me for not replying by February 29. Hopefully you are still checking this thread.
You've apparently never met a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints aka "Mormon" before. If you had, you would know this is a dream question to be asked! To be able to invite someone to talk/read about The Book of Mormon is every Mormons dream. As you might have heard, we try to share our beliefs as often as possible.
As you've already been told by a couple of people already, the Book of Mormon testifies of Jesus Christ and is a companion to the Bible.
Latter-day Saints believe in the Book of Mormon and other books of scripture which support and authenticate the Bible and testify of the ministry and divinity of Christ and of God’s ongoing revelation to man. It is "Another Testament of Jesus Christ.”
In the Book of Mormon, you'll see the complete circle of being faithful, becoming prideful, being humbled, and becoming faithful again. You'll also read about those searching for truth, trials of faith, revelations given to man that you can relate to and apply in your life, as well as peaceful, beautiful scriptures to guide your life by.
I highly recommend reading it if you haven't started to already. Obviously, you've already done a lot of religious study. If you read it and accompany your reading with prayer, you will feel of it's validity. The holy spirit will testify to you of it's truthfulness.
For more information, visit www.mormon.org.
Thanks again for asking!
I love Siddharta..every time I read it I pick up something new. I've always heard that the reason gamblers' beginners luck is true is because those who are lucky early at gambling keep doing it so and those who are not drop it for other pursuits. Thus, it's really true that beginners' luck exists.
Dear Paulo,At my last book club meeting a few of my girlfriends were talking about the latest self-help book that is so popular right now. I proudly told them the only self-help book I have ever read was "The Alchemist."
I am a believer in the finding one's Personal Legend, and once you figure it out everything will be clear. That is how I have based my life and when times have gotten rocky I remember your wonderful story and trust that everything will work out in the end. Maybe not the way I want it to but for the best.
Thank you for a wonderful story!
Cecilia
PS... One of my friends left my house with your book.
Dear Paulo,The Alchemist was also the very first book that I've read of your work and I can say that it's my personal favorite. The first time I read it I was simply overwhelmed with emotions. It was just magical. It was so nice to stumble upon a book that would bring such an impact to me (which happens very rarely). Thank you for the inspiration.
I have been searching for your book "Brida" for sometime now but couldn't find any English translation. I have read somewhere that it was never printed in English. Any chance of an English translation be printed in the near future?
Best regards,
Agnes
Dear Paolo,you mentioned previously, that you've read a lot of arabian/oriental philosophy. Reading your book "The Alchemist" inspired me to learn more about this "culture of thinking". Which books or works would you like to recommend most, concerning this theme?
Or which were the ones, that touched you the most?
Best regards and thank you for your inspiration!
Alex (Germany)
first of all I'm not a guide - only a wanderer.
I'm not focused in providing answers - only the person concerned can actually do that. I'm much more interested in asking questions.
Concerning your question, the way I look at it is this: without confrontation there is no point in life. I like to fight to good combat, the combat that I've been waging now for twenty years : being a writer.
Love
Paulo