paulo coelho
The Warrior of Light does not worry that, to others, his behaviour may seem quite mad. The warrior may seem mad, but this is just a disguise. — Paulo Coelho
We are the warriors of light. With the strength of our love, of our will, we can change our destiny, and the destiny of many others. — Paulo Coelho
When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dreams. — Paulo Coelho
There is a revolution that is slowly setting up, which the press doesn’t seem to have detected yet. If I had to sum up the whole idea in only one expression, I’d say that the new political attitude for our era is to “die alive”. In other words, being aware of and participating in things until the day we die – something that does not occur very often. People end up dying to the world on the day they renounce their dreams. After that, one departs on a journey as did Ulysses, accepting the challenges and knowing that sometimes one must fight alone, yet understanding he stands in for the entire human race. — Paulo Coelho
When I was fifteen, I said to my Mother: ‘I’ve discovered my vocation. I want to be a writer.’ — Paulo Coelho
ABOUT PAULO COELHO
‘I’m very good at archery’
My parents were… so desperate that I wanted to be a writer that they locked me in a mental institution three times. Thirty-five years later I wrote a book based on this experience [Veronika Decides to Die].
paulo coelho
The household I grew up in… doesn’t exist anymore, but my childhood will never disappear.
When I was a child I wanted to be… a cameraman.
You wouldn’t know it but I am very good at… archery. The gigantic tension before the shooting of an arrow, and the total relaxation seconds later is my way of connecting to the universe.
You may not know it but I’m no good at… singing. However, every time there is a guitar around I will sing, and my real friends will tolerate it.
At night I dream of… what I’m going to post on my blog, Twitter and Facebook.
I wish I had never worn… an old hippie jacket, covered in patches and metal stars.
What I see when I look in the mirror… That I need to change the light bulb, as there is not enough luminosity (this has been going on for the past two years).
My favourite item of clothing… Japanese yukatas [kimonos].
It’s not fashionable but I like… to sleep naked.
My favourite work of art… The Arnolfini Portrait by Van Eyck, the most important painting in the world. With all due respect, the Mona Lisa is overrated.
paulo coelho
My favourite building… Chartres Cathedral, in France. Original stained-glass windows and a labyrinth that reminds me of the journey we take from life to death.
A book that changed me… Tropic of Cancer, by Henry Miller. It was while reading this that I discovered you need to use blood to write every single page.
Movie heaven… Once Upon a Time in the West, followed by Lawrence of Arabia.
The last album I bought… Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. I did not have it on my iPod.
My greatest regret… I don’t have one. I’ve done everything I wanted to do, even if I have had to pay a very high price – which has been the case most of the time.
My secret crush… Audrey Hepburn.
My real-life villain… Fundamentalists – and you can find them in every single religion on this planet.
Paulo Coelho
The last time I cried… I cry very easily. It can be a movie, a phone conversation, a sunset – tears are words waiting to be written.
My five-year plan… To continue to breathe.
My life in six words… Blessed, pilgrim, archer, writer, internet junkie.
A LIFE IN BRIEF
Paulo Coelho was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1947. After enrolling in law school, he dropped out to go travelling. He worked as a songwriter, and in 1974 was arrested for penning ‘subversive’ lyrics. In 1982 he published his first book, Hell Archives. The Alchemist, his bestselling novel, was published in 1987. In 2009, his book Veronika Decides to Die was made into a film starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, and his latest novel, Aleph, is out now. He and his wife, artist Christina Oiticica, live between Europe and Brazil.
WEBSITE: http://paulocoelho.com