22/01/2019
Books by Paulo Coelho @ N.J.Y. Memorial Library
1. The Pilgrimage has a very important place in the work of Paulo Coelho, not just because it is the first of his major books, but because of the complete way in which it expresses the humanity of Paulo’s philosophy and the depth of his search. On a legendary road across Spain, travelled by pilgrims of San Tiago, we find Paulo Coelho on a contemporary quest for ancient wisdom. This journey becomes a truly initiatory experience, and Paulo is transformed forever as he learns to understand the nature of truth through the simplicity of life.
2. Every few decades a book is published that changed the lives of the readers forever. Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist is such a book. This story teaches us, as only few can, about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, learning to read the omens strewn along life’s path and above all following our dreams.
3. The Valkyries is a compelling account of his journey, as Paulo and his wife embark on a forty day quest into the searing heat of Mojave Desert, where they encounter the Valkyries, strange warrior women who travel the desert on motorcycles. It delivers a powerful message about forgiving our past and believing in our future.
4. By the River Piedra is a wonderful novel, with a poetic and transcendent narrative, that reflects all the mysteries of love and life. What happens when shyness prevents and adolescent love affair from developing? And what happens when, 11 years later, destiny brings the lovers together again?
5. Evoking all the drama and intrigue of the colorful, chaotic Middle East, Paulo Coelho turns the trials of Elijah into an inspiring story of how faith and love can ultimately triumph over suffering. The Fifth Mountain is a gripping and moving story of how one man can surmount tragedy and inspire a war torn city to rebuild itself.
6. Veronika decides to die follows Veronika through her intense Days as her experiences lead her to question the whole idea of what madness is, before she comes to realize that every second of existence is a choice that we all make between living and dying. This is a moving and uplifting song of life, one that reminds us that every moment in our lives is special and precious.
7. In The Devil and Miss Prym, Paulo Coelho dramatizes the struggle within every soul between light and darkness, and its relevance to our everyday struggles: to dare to follow our dreams, to have the courage to be different and to master the fear that prevents us from truly living. This is a story charged with emotion, in which the integrity of being human meets terrifying test.
8. With The Zahir, Paulo Coelho demonstrates not just his powerful and captivating storytelling, but also his extraordinary insight into what it is to be a human being in a world full of possibility.
9. The Witch of Portobello is the story of Athena, a mysterious young woman born in Romania, raised in Beirut and living in London. Her life is told by the many who knew her well – or hardly at all.
