Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho de Souzais a Brazilian lyricist and novelist. He is the recipient of numerous international awards, amongst them the Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum. His novel The Alchemist has been translated into 80 languages. The author has sold over 200 million copies worldwide and is the all-time bestselling Portuguese language author...
NationalityBrazilian
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth24 August 1947
CityRio de Janeiro, Brazil
CountryBrazil
It's not difficult for me to put my feelings into written form. I try to be concise and to go direct to the subject. This is what people like about my work, and what the critics hate.
I'm first and foremost a writer. I followed my personal legend, my childhood dream of becoming a writer, but I can't say why I'm one.
I have been practicing archery for a long time; a bow and arrow helps me to unwind.
I am 100 per cent Virgo, stubborn, over-organised, slightly abstracted from the rest of the world.
My literature is much more the result of a paradox than that of an implacable logic, typical of police novels. The paradox is the tension that exists in my soul.
Jesus lived a life that was full of joy and contradictions and fights, you know? If they were to paint a picture of Jesus without contradictions, the gospels would be fake, but the contradictions are a sign of authenticity.
I believe enlightenment or revelation comes in daily life. I look for joy, the peace of action. You need action. I'd have stopped writing years ago if it were for the money.
Writing means sharing. It's part of the human condition to want to share things - thoughts, ideas, opinions.
I think that perhaps we always fall in love the very first time we see the man of our dreams, even though, at the time, reason may be telling otherwise, and we may fight against that instinct, hoping against hope that we won't win, until there comes a point when we allow ourselves to be vanquished by our feelings...
I think you can have 10,000 explanations for failure, but no good explanation for success.
Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute for experience.
Even if I live not in a big city, even if I detest to go to parties, I love street fairs and long conversations with people in the countryside.
Perseverance brings good luck.
I am not saying that I am different, but I don't have emotional pain. I may be angry and I may be peaceful, but no emotional pain.