Quick Facts
- Coelho was born in 1947
-
He was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
-
First book published at the age of 38
-
Imprisoned for a short while in 1974
-
He was influenced by the English mystic Aleister Crowley
Expert summary
Paulo Coelho is a very popular Brazilian novelist and lyricist. He is usually called the greatest Brazilian writer. He first went a law school but soon left it to travel extensively through South America, North America, and Europe. When he returned home after two years he became a very successful songwriter. In 1986 he walked the more than 500 mile Road of Santiago de Compostela, an ancient highway used by pilgrims from France to reach the Cathedral which is supposed to house the remains of St James. The self-awareness and spiritual awakening he experienced are described in his The Pilgrimage. His novel The Alchemist sold more than 65 million copies and has been translated into 56 languages.
Refine your search
