With the recent release of his newest fiction The Witch Of Portobello, it is now well worth looking at an international career that has changed millions of lives, told many beautiful stories and connected with reader, philosopher and dreamer alike.

By Kindah Mardam Bey

Paulo Coelho is truly one of the greatest writer’s of our time; creating over a dozen books that have been translated into dozens of different languages and sold to millions of people. He is one of the top three writer’s in the world according to book sales, and he seems to care only about his stories and the messages lined within those stories. I can remember asking a communications professor once at University why I enjoyed Latin based authors so much. She relayed some revealing information as to how we tell stories; she said that English speaking authors write linear (A to B) stories and Latin based authors, like Paulo Coelho, write in spirals. You never fully know where a Coelho book is leading you, but you always get the sense you are coming closer to the point of the story. When you reach that point, the whole spiral converges into one great epiphany. That alone makes his stories worthwhile; reading something from a different point of storytelling.

Born in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in 1947, Coelho was always a man in search and many of his books are detailed accounts of his own spiritual quest. Apparently the adage ‘write what you know’ is a theme for Coelho, for even when his characters are fictional, his truths are based in all humanity. Selling 85 million books to date means Coelho is allowed to explore his own truths on page and we all seem to be eager to learn what he has discovered. Essentially Coelho verges between part dreamer, part observer of the world and part spiritual leader. He’d dislike the latter adage and perhaps rightly so, as it’s not so much himself who makes his readers quest, but more his books that lead people towards an inner knowledge.

Possibly the greatest appeal about Coelho’s books are their universality. He is an international phenom, selling as fast all over the world as he does in anglophile countries. Coelho seems to connect with his international readership as many of the stories in the books are in different countries around the world. To my knowledge, no Coelho character has planted a single foot on North American soil, which is pleasing as it makes North American readers more connected with other countries such as Brazil, Romania, France, Spain, and so on.

Each book Paulo Coelho writes is short and can be easily carried in any travelling bag, so I recommend if you are the last person alive not to have read Paulo Coelho, to start at the beginning of this international journey and read The Alchemist. We all have something to learn within the pages of Coelho’s books, even if it is merely to live a little more outside of ourselves. Each book can be read in sequence or out of sequence, but read each book in whatever form, and end with the newest incarnation of knowledge – The Witch Of Portobello.

Here’s a brief synopsis on each of Coelho’s fiction books and my own thoughts on the books.

The Alchemist

Paulo Coelho's enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world, and this tenth anniversary edition, with a new introduction from the author, will only increase that following. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasures found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.

The Alchemist changed my life. I now consider it mandate to read this book every year and pass it on to everyone I draw close to me. Such a beautiful fable about a journey, full of magic and wisdom, this can be considered a classic by any standard. I am constantly in awe at how The Alchemist always has words that will bring me nearer to my goals in life ‘when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it,’ ‘listen to your heart. It knows all things, because it came from the soul of the world, and it will one day return there.’ The journey, the lessons, the boy, the idea of home are all open for interpretation and each reader gains from their interpretation the truth that they seek. For me the most powerful image in The Alchemist is when the boy has arrived in Tangier and he has been robbed and has nothing left but the two stones in his pocket ‘Urim and Thummim’ which will give a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer as to where he should go from here; the rocks fall through a hole in his pocket. The amount of times I’ve thought of that image and how it has helped me make my own choices in life can only be left uncounted. Of course, we are all on our own stage of the journey; some are stuck at Tangiers, some are travelling to find an alchemist, some are turning themselves into the wind and some have found their treasure. Paulo Coelho gave a process a story line.

The Valkyries

A Magical Tale About Forgiving Our Past and Believing in Our Future The enchanting, true story of The Valkyries begins in Rio de Janeiro when author Paulo Coelho gives his mysterious master J., the only manuscript for his book The Alchemist. Haunted by a devastating curse, Coelho confesses to J., "I've seen my dreams fall apart just when I seemed about to achieve them." In response, J. gives Coelho a daunting task: He must find and speak with his guardian angel. "The curse can be broken," he replies, "if you complete the task." Rising to the challenge, Paulo and his wife, Cristina, drop everything, pack their bags, and take off on a forty day adventure into the starkly beautiful and sometimes dangerous Mojave Desert — where they encounter more than they bargained for. A masterful blend of the exotic locales, dramatic adventure, and magical storytelling, for which Coelho's fictional works are renowned, this true-life account is at once a modern-day adventure and a metaphysical odyssey.

The Valkyries seemed to have one strong common theme and both Coelho and his wife Cristina were a part of that process. I will always remember the story towards the beginning of this book where a guide goes back to the vehicle for a flashlight, telling Coelho and Cristina on his return that he believes that when you have to back track it is for a great purpose that we don’t know about, it could even be saving our lives to do this simple act! For that reason, the guide takes his time when he returns for what he has had to pick up, even going so far as to count to give that little extra time for God’s work to be done. To think of all those times I’ve been angry because I had to back track! This anecdote changed my perception on back-tracking and I now do as the guide does, and give God a little extra time to get the task done that I know nothing about!

The Pilgrimage

Here Paulo Coelho details his journey across Spain along the legendary road of Santiago, which pilgrims have travelled since the Middle Ages. On this contemporary quest, he encounters a Chaucerian variety of mysterious guides and devilish opponents and learns to understand the nature of truth through the simplicity of life. The Pilgrimage holds an important place in Paulo Coelho’s literary canon.

I have always been enamoured with the road to Santiago, a journey my soul wants to take, so reading Coelho’s version of his journey was a sheer delight to me. The Pilgrimage is indeed the first book of Coelho’s but was not released in English speaking countries until after The Alchemist was a success. I can remember one point in the book when Coelho has been walking for a very long time and has almost reached his destination and is exhausted. A teacher who walks with Coelho part way, informs him that he must take very small steps to the village, which becomes a long test of personal strength for Coelho. Every step he takes towards that village, in slow progression is a wonderful and anxious journey for the reader to digest.

By The River Piedra I Sat Down And Wept

Rarely does adolescent love reach its full potential, but what happens when two young lovers reunite after eleven years? Time has transformed Pilar into a strong and independent woman, while her devoted childhood friend has grown into a handsome and charismatic spiritual leader. She has learned well how to bury her feelings . . . and he has turned to religion as a refuge from his raging inner conflicts. Now they are together once again, embarking on a journey fraught with difficulties, as long-buried demons of blame and resentment resurface after more than a decade. But in a small village in the French Pyrenees, by the waters of the River Piedra, a most special relationship will be re-examined in the dazzling light of some of life's biggest questions.

I read part of this book on a flight to Geneva and left the book on the plane, and all the time I was in Geneva I tried to find an English copy of the book to no avail. I had read enough of Coelho’s books at this point to realize that I was not sad I had left the book behind as it was probably meant for someone who needed it more than I, but I was anxious to know how the book evolved! I can remember finding the book when I returned to England and promptly devoured the ending with eager anticipation. By The River Piedra I Sat Down And Wept is an exploration of relationships and autonomy within relationships; this feels like a precursor to the exploration of relationships before Eleven Minutes and The Zahir were published.

The Fifth Mountain

A Struggle of the Spirit and a Search for the TruthWritten with the same masterful prose and clarity of vision that made The Alchemist an international phenomenon, The Fifth Mountain is Paulo Coelho's inspiring story of the Biblical prophet Elijah. In the ninth century B.C., the Phoenician princess Jezebel orders the execution of all the prophets who refuse to seek safety in the land of Zarephath, where Elijah unexpectedly finds true love with a young widow. But this newfound rapture is to be cut short, and Elijah sees all of his hopes and dreams irrevocably erased as he is swept into a whirlwind of events that threatens his very existence. In what is truly a literary milestone, Coelho gives a quietly moving account of a man touched by the hand of God who must triumph over his frustrations in a soul-shattering trail of faith.

The Fifth Mountain seems a little hazy to me. I remember portions of the story, snippets really, and decided right now to make this part of my re-reading collection for the summer, after The Alchemist! As Coelho might suspect, I must have a good reason to revisit this particular book and that is why I’m having a hard time piecing it together. I do remember that this seemed to be an incredibly personal account of a biblical story, which gave the characters a real depth and humanity.

Veronika Decides To Die

Twenty-four-year-old Veronika seems to have everything -- youth and beauty, boyfriends and a loving family, a fulfilling job. But something is missing in her life. So, one cold November morning, she takes a handful of sleeping pills expecting never to wake up; but she does -- at a mental hospital where she is told that she has only days to live. Inspired by events in Coelho's own life, Veronika Decides to Die questions the meaning of madness and celebrates individuals who do not fit into patterns society considers to be normal. Bold and illuminating, it is a dazzling portrait of a young woman at the crossroads of despair and liberation, and a poetic, exuberant appreciation of each day as a renewed opportunity.

Veronika Decides To Die is a book I remember vividly reading, this book seemed oddly liberating to me. I was so taken aback by the storyline and thought about this book for weeks and weeks afterwards. A truly romantic and poetic ode to life is Veronika Decides To Die, that would leave anyone teary-eyed at the end.

The Devil And Miss Prym

A stranger arrives at the remote village of Viscos, carrying with him a backpack containing a notebook and eleven gold bars. He comes searching for the answer to a question that torments him: Are human beings, in essence, good or evil? In welcoming the mysterious foreigner, the whole village becomes an accomplice to his sophisticated plot, which will forever mark their lives. A novel of temptation by the internationally bestselling author Paulo Coelho, The Devil and Miss Prym is a thought-provoking parable of a community devoured by greed, cowardice, and fear—as it struggles with the choice between good and evil.

The Devil And Miss Prym is a wonderful book on the essence of good and evil within a person’s soul and within a community’s soul. Yet another Coelho book I was struck by, with themes that seem so timely to today’s situation of the world. The Devil And Miss Prym is a beautiful and grotesque crystal ball to which all those that seek to learn more about the community of our world can peer into.

Eleven Minutes

Eleven Minutes is the story of Maria, a young girl from a Brazilian village, whose first innocent brushes with love leave her heartbroken. At a tender age, she becomes convinced that she will never find true love, instead believing that "love is a terrible thing that will make you suffer. . . ." A chance meeting in Rio takes her to Geneva, where she dreams of finding fame and fortune. Maria's despairing view of love is put to the test when she meets a handsome young painter. In this odyssey of self-discovery, Maria has to choose between pursuing a path of darkness -- sexual pleasure for its own sake -- or risking everything to find her own "inner light" and the possibility of sacred sex, sex in the context of love.

Possibly the most depressing book of Coelho’s in my opinion, it seemed somewhat glib and yet blazingly truthful. It was as if Coelho took a walk down the dark path of sexuality that perhaps needs exploring but at times most prefer not to. Not all lessons are pretty, in fact most aren’t, so I suspect this might be Coelho’s Merchant Of Venice; as Shakespeare pushed the boundaries of comedy with The Merchant of Venice and the play still makes theatre goers question prejudice, so too will Eleven Minutes make people feel uncomfortable for the subject but will have them questioning and pondering the subject matter for a long time to come.

Warrior Of The Light

Warrior of the Light: A Manual is an inspirational companion to The Alchemist, an international bestseller that has beguiled millions of readers around the world. Every short passage invites us to live out our dreams, to embrace the uncertainty of life, and to rise to our own unique destiny. In his inimitable style, Paulo Coelho helps bring out the Warrior of the Light within each of us. He also shows readers how to embark upon the way of the Warrior: the one who appreciates the miracle of being alive, the one who accepts failure, and the one whose quest leads him to become the person he wants to be.Paulo Coelho is one of the most beloved storytellers of our time. Now, in the long-awaited companion to his first novel, Coelho presents a collection of philosophical stories that will delight and guide seekers everywhere.

Warrior Of The Light feels like a ‘how to’ book, with all its wisdom laid out as The Art Of War is, one can simply thumb through these pages and get the necessary wisdom needed for every situation; a compilation of valuable lessons.

The Zahir

The narrator of The Zahir is a bestselling novelist who lives in Paris and enjoys all the privileges money and celebrity bring. His wife of ten years, Esther, is a war correspondent who has disappeared along with a friend, Mikhail, who may or may not be her lover. Was Esther kidnapped, murdered, or did she simply escape a marriage that left her unfulfilled? The narrator doesn't have any answers, but he has plenty of questions of his own. Then one day Mikhail finds the narrator and promises to reunite him with his wife. In his attempt to recapture a lost love, the narrator discovers something unexpected about himself.

Many people enjoyed The Zahir for its discussion of love, but I was drawn to The Zahir because of its explanation of how Coelho became the writer he is today. Much of his self-doubt and anger at his loved ones for compelling him to write, makes for a truthful and complex inner dialogue that most writer’s experience. It is very pleasing to see such a success story as Coelho, as it gives the rest of us writer’s hope that we can get passed our worst enemy - ourselves. To me The Zahir was a valuable exploration of my journey as a writer, of course I suspect it was a valuable journey for most about love.

The Witch Of Portobello

How do we find the courage to always be true to ourselves—even if we are unsure of whom we are? That is the central question of international bestselling author Paulo Coelho's profound new work, The Witch of Portobello. It is the story of a mysterious woman named Athena, told by the many who knew her well—or hardly at all. Among them: "People create a reality and then become the victims of that reality. Athena rebelled against that—and paid a high price."

Heron Ryan, journalist "I was used and manipulated by Athena, with no consideration for my feelings. She was my teacher, charged with passing on the sacred mysteries, with awakening the unknown energy we all possess. When we venture into that unfamiliar sea, we trust blindly in those who guide us, believing that they know more than we do."

Andrea McCain, actress "Athena's great problem was that she was a woman of the twenty-second century living in the twenty-first, and making no secret of the fact, either. Did she pay a price? She certainly did. But she would have paid a still higher price if she had repressed her natural exuberance. She would have been bitter, frustrated, always concerned about 'what other people might think,' always saying, 'I'll just sort these things out, then I'll devote myself to my dream,' always complaining 'that the conditions are never quite right.'"

Deidre O'Neill, known as Edda Like The Alchemist, The Witch of Portobello is the kind of story that will transform the way readers think about love, passion, joy, and sacrifice.

Perhaps the most like The Alchemist, The Witch Of Portobello is the story of a journeying soul. This is a beautiful and complex story of one person’s evolution that affected so many others. Athena’s legacy, seen through others people’s eyes, The Witch Of Portobello is full of wisdom and life lessons that are passed onto the reader. This is another classic of Coelho’s to add to my re-read library (apparently I’ve learned in The Witch Of Portobello that I have to share the books I will not be rereading as it is arrogant of me to keep them, and stagnant energy. Book sale anyone!).

To read the review by Kindah Mardam Bey of The Witch Of Portobello, click here

Readers have been blessed with a new author for our time that we can be proud to match against those others considered ‘great authors of their time.’ Paulo Coelho is teaching as he learns himself. It is the balance between teaching, learning and self-analysis that makes Coelho’s books of fiction…truth, and well worth anyone reading. So put these modern day classics in the hands of your loved ones, in the hands of your enemies, in school classrooms, and on the top of every desk. Infuse the world with wisdom, learning and an internationally sense of community!

*One book has been omitted from this list ‘Brida’ as it has not been translated into English yet. I would plea that this be transformed into English, or else I will need a crash course in Spanish sometime soon!* The synopsis for each book is generously donated by Harper Collins Canada (www.harpercanada.com), the publisher of Paulo Coelho.* Some biography details generously donated by the official website for Paulo Coelho (www.paulocoelho.com)