Who is Paulo Coelho? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Paulo Coelho de Souza

Age: 77 Years, 77 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Christina Oiticica

father: Pedro Queima de Coelho de Souza

mother: Lygia Coelho

siblings: Sonia Coelho

Born Country: Brazil

Novelists Brazilian Men

Height: 5'11" (180 cm), 5'11" Males

City: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

More Facts

awards: 2006 - The Honorable Award of the President of the Republic

Recommended For You

1

What is Paulo Coelho's most famous book?

Paulo Coelho's most famous book is "The Alchemist," which has been translated into numerous languages and has sold millions of copies worldwide.
2

What inspired Paulo Coelho to become a writer?

Paulo Coelho was inspired to become a writer after experiencing a spiritual awakening during a pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
3

How does Paulo Coelho describe his writing process?

Paulo Coelho describes his writing process as a spiritual journey, where he taps into his personal experiences and beliefs to create meaningful and inspirational stories.
4

What is the recurring theme in Paulo Coelho's novels?

A recurring theme in Paulo Coelho's novels is the journey of self-discovery and personal transformation, often through mystical or spiritual experiences.
5

How has Paulo Coelho's work impacted readers around the world?

Paulo Coelho's work has inspired and empowered readers around the world to pursue their dreams, listen to their hearts, and embrace life's challenges with courage and resilience.

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Childhood & Early Life

He was born to devout Catholic parents in Brazil and attended a Jesuit school. His father was an engineer.

Paulo wanted to become a writer from a young age but his parents disapproved of this career choice. They wanted him to pursue a more stable profession and become a man of the world. The teenager’s rebellion made his parents commit him to a mental asylum thrice even though he kept on escaping.

Giving in to his parents’ desire he abandoned his dream of becoming a writer and enrolled in law school. However he could not concentrate on his studies and dropped out after one year.

He became a hippie and traveled all over South America, North Africa, and Europe. He became involved in the ‘drug, sex, and rock’ culture of the 1960-70s.

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Brazilian Novelists

Career

Once back in Brazil, he accepted a position as a songwriter for Elis Regina Rita Lee and Raul Seixas. His association with Raul made him familiar with magic and occultism. The military government even arrested Coelho once as his lyrics were considered left-wing and dangerous.

He was not satisfied with his career and tried his hands at a variety of professions before he finally became a writer. He had been an actor, journalist and theatre director.

His first book ‘Hell Archives’ was published in 1982. However it was not successful. In 1986 he undertook a 500-plus mile trek on the Road of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. He had a spiritual awakening on the trip and intuitively realized that it was time he started writing seriously.

His novel ‘The Pilgrimage’ was published in 1987. It was an autobiographical account of his experiences during his trek in Spain which explored man’s need to find his own path in life.

The very next year, he published ‘The Alchemist’ which would soon become his best known book. The 1988 novel tells the story of a shepherd who has a recurring dream of finding treasure in Egypt.

In 1990, he released a novel about a beautiful young girl and her quest for knowledge—‘Brida’. The story deals with the girl’s journey towards self-discovery and her relationships with the people she meets in her life.

Throughout the 1990s, he made it a point to write at least one novel every two years. His more popular novels of the decade were ‘By the River Piedra I sat Down and Wept’ (1994) and ‘Veronika Decides to Die’ (1998).

He welcomed the new millennium with the book ‘The Devil and Miss Prym’ (2000) in which he told of the choices people have to make when faced with temptations. It was basically a tale of the battle between the good and the evil.

The novel ‘Eleven Minutes’ was released in 2003. The plot revolved around the story of a prostitute who is well experienced in sex but does not believe that she will ever find true love.

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He still writes regularly even though he is well into his 60s. Some of his more recent novels include ‘The Winner Stands Alone’ (2008), ‘Aleph’ (2010), and ‘Manuscript Found in Accra’ (2012).

Major Works

‘The Alchemist’ is the work that established him as a major author on the international level. The book was first published in Portuguese and has till date been translated into 80 different languages and has sold over 65 million copies.

Awards & Achievements

He was presented with the World Economic Forum Crystal Award in 1999.

The President of Bulgaria, Georgi Parvanov, presented him with “The Honorable Award of the President of the Republic" in May, 2006.

Personal Life & Legacy

He has been married to the artist Christina Oiticica since 1980. The couple divides their time between Europe and Brazil.

He founded the Paulo Coelho Institute in 1996 which provides aid to impoverished children and elderly people. He also serves as the UNESCO special counsellor for “Intercultural Dialogues and Spiritual Convergences”

Facts About Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho is known for his unconventional writing rituals, which include always beginning his writing on a new book on the same day each year, September 11th.

Coelho is a firm believer in the power of dreams and often incorporates themes of spirituality and self-discovery in his novels, drawing inspiration from his own experiences.

In addition to being a successful author, Coelho is also a composer and lyricist, having written songs for popular Brazilian singers such as Elis Regina and Rita Lee.

Coelho is an avid traveler and has visited numerous countries around the world, often drawing inspiration for his writing from the people and cultures he encounters on his journeys.

Despite facing numerous rejections early in his writing career, Coelho persevered and eventually found success with his novel "The Alchemist," which has since become a worldwide bestseller.

Paulo Coelho Biography

You wanted to know

What is Paulo Coelho's most famous book?

What inspired Paulo Coelho to become a writer?

How does Paulo Coelho describe his writing process?

What is the recurring theme in Paulo Coelho's novels?

How has Paulo Coelho's work impacted readers around the world?