A Warrior's Life Part 14

'Paulo, stop writing that book.'

'What!'

'I love the book. The problem is that it's all about Evil. I know Evil is fascinating, but you can't go on writing it.'

He tried to talk her out of this crazy idea 'first, with arguments and then by kicking anything that happened to be near': 'You're mad, Chris! You might have told me that on page 10, not page 600!'

'OK, I'll tell you the reason for my concerns: I looked at Our Lady of Aparecida, and she said that you can't write this book.' (She was referring to the black patron saint of Brazil.) After much discussion, Chris's point of view won the day, as usually happened. When he decided that the wretched work would die, unpublished, Paulo printed out one version of the book and then deleted all traces of it from his computer.

He arranged to have lunch with his publisher, Paulo Rocco, in the elegant Portuguese restaurant Antiquarius, in Leblon, and put the great thick tome on the table, saying: 'Here's the new book. Open it at any page.'

Rocco, out of superst.i.tion, normally never read any of Paulo's original texts before sending them off to the printer; this time, though, he thought that he should do as the author suggested. He opened the typescript at random and read the page, and when he finished, Paulo said: 'Besides myself and Christina, you will have been the only person to read any part of this book, because I'm going to destroy it. The only reason I'm not asking the waiter to flambe it right here and now is because I don't want the negative energy to turn to fire. I've already deleted it from my computer.'

After lunch, Paulo went alone to Leblon beach, looking for somewhere to bury the book for good. When he saw a rubbish truck chewing up the contents of the litter bins outside the buildings along the seafront, he went up to it, threw the package containing the original into the rotating drum and, in a matter of seconds, the book that would never be read had been utterly destroyed.

CHAPTER 26.

Success abroad DESTROYING A BOOK laden with so much negative energy may have saved Paulo from future metaphysical problems, but it presented him and his publisher with a new problem: what to launch in 1991 in order to capitalize on the phenomenal success of the three previous best-sellers. Paulo suggested to Rocco that he adapt and translate into Portuguese a small book, little more than a pamphlet, containing a sermon given in England in 1890 by the young Protestant missionary Henry Drummond: laden with so much negative energy may have saved Paulo from future metaphysical problems, but it presented him and his publisher with a new problem: what to launch in 1991 in order to capitalize on the phenomenal success of the three previous best-sellers. Paulo suggested to Rocco that he adapt and translate into Portuguese a small book, little more than a pamphlet, containing a sermon given in England in 1890 by the young Protestant missionary Henry Drummond: The Greatest Thing in the World The Greatest Thing in the World, based on St Paul's letter to the Corinthians in which the author talks of the virtues of patience, goodness, humility, generosity, kindness, surrender, tolerance, innocence and sincerity as manifestations 'of the supreme gift given to Humanity: love'. It was given the new t.i.tle of The Supreme Gift The Supreme Gift [ [O Dom Supremo] and despite being published with little fuss and almost entirely ignored by the media, in a matter of weeks, The Supreme Gift The Supreme Gift had entered the best-seller lists, where his other three books, had entered the best-seller lists, where his other three books, The Pilgrimage The Pilgrimage, The Alchemist The Alchemist and and Brida Brida, had become permanent fixtures.

Its success did not, however, appear to satisfy the author. In the long run, this was not a work of his own but a translation produced in order to fill a gap. Paulo decided on a story that had been in his mind since 1988: his adventure with Chris in the Mojave Desert. The task that had been entrusted to him by Jean, Paulo says, was precise: he and Chris were to spend forty days in the Mojave Desert, one of the largest of the American national parks. The desert is known for its hostile climate and its unique geological formations, notably the Valley of Death; it is a place where the rivers and lakes disappear for half the year, leaving behind only dried-up beds. In order to fulfil the trial set by the Masterto find his guardian angelthe writer would have to employ a guide in the immense desert that stretches across California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. The person chosen by Jean was Took.

On 5 September 1988, the couple landed at Los Angeles airport, where they hired a car and drove south towards the Salton Sea, a salt.w.a.ter lake 50 kilometres long and 20 wide. After hours of driving, they reached one of those half-abandoned gas stations that are so common in films about the American West. 'Is it far to the desert?' Paulo asked the girl who was working the pump. She said no, they were about 30 kilometres from the small town of Borrego Springs, on the edge of the desert, and gave them some important advice: not to turn on the air-conditioning when the car was stationary, to avoid overheating the engine; to put four gallons of water in the boot; and not to leave the vehicle should anything unforeseen happen. Paulo was astounded to learn that the desert was so close: 'The climate there was comfortable and the vegetation was a luxuriant green. I found it hard to believe that a fifteen-minute drive away everything would change so radically, but that is precisely what happened: as soon as we crossed a chain of mountains the road began to descend and there in front of us lay the silence and the immensity of the Mojave.'

During the forty days they spent camping or, when they could, staying in hotels, Paulo and Chris lived with the historical remnants that form part of the legend of the desert: abandoned gold mines, the dusty carca.s.ses of pioneers' wagons, ghost towns, hermits, communities of hippies who spent the day in silent meditation. Besides these, the only living beings they came across were the so-called Mojave locals: rattle snakes, hares and coyotesanimals that come out only at night in order to avoid the heat.

The first two weeks of the forty days were to be spent in total silence, with the couple not being allowed to exchange so much as a 'good morning'. This period was to be entirely devoted to the spiritual exercises of St Ignatius Loyola. These exercises, which were approved by the Vatican in 1548, are the fruit of the personal experience of the founder of the Society of Jesus. It is a spirituality that is not to be preached about or intellectualized but experienced. 'It is through experience that the mystery of G.o.d will be revealed to each person, in a singular, individual form,' the manuals produced by the Jesuits explain, 'and it is this revelation that will transform your life.' St Ignatius' aim was that each individual practising these exercises should become a contemplative during this time, 'which means seeing in each and every thing the figure of G.o.d, the presence of the Holy Trinity constructing and reconstructing the world'. And that was what Paulo and Chris did during the first two weeks, offering up prayers and reflections in their search for G.o.d.

One night, a week after their arrival, they were sitting immersed in this atmosphere of spirituality, beneath a sky filled with millions of stars, when a great crash shattered the peace and silence, immediately followed by a second, and then another and another. The deafening noise was coming from the sky and was caused by gigantic b.a.l.l.s of fire exploding and breaking up into thousands of coloured fragments, briefly illuminating the entire desert. It took a few seconds for them to be convinced that this was not Armageddon: 'Startled, we saw brilliant lights falling slowly from the sky, lighting up the desert as if it were day. Suddenly, we began to hear crashes around us: it was the sound of military planes breaking the sound barrier. Illuminated by that phantasmagorical light, they were dropping incendiary bombs somewhere on the horizon. It was only the next day that we learned that the desert is used for military exercises. It was terrifying.'

At the end of those first two weeks of spiritual practices, and still following the instructions given by Jean, they finally reached Took's old trailer, permanently parked near Borrego Springs. Both Paulo and Chris were surprised to see that the powerful paranormal to whom Jean had referred was a young man of twenty. Guided by the young magus, Paulo was to travel through dozens of small towns on the frontier between the United States and Mexico until he met a group known in the region as the 'Valkyries'. These were eight very attractive women who wandered through the towns of the Mojave dressed in black leather and driving powerful motorbikes. They were led by the eldest of the eight, Valhalla, a former executive of Chase Manhattan Bank, who, like Paulo and Took, was also an initiate in RAM. It was through contact with her that, on the thirty-eighth day of their journey, Paulowithout Chris this timecame across a blue b.u.t.terfly and a voice which, he says, spoke to him. After this, the author states, he saw his angelor at least the materialization of part of his angel: an arm that shone in the sunlight and dictated biblical words which he wrote down, shaking and terrified, on a piece of paper. Trembling with emotion, he could not wait to tell Chris what he had experienced and to explain that 'seeing the angel was even easier than talking to it'. 'All you had to do was to believe in angels, to need angels, and there they were, s.h.i.+ning in the morning light.'

To celebrate the event, Paulo drove into the desert with Chris and Took to a village known as Glorieta Canyon. After walking across an area of barren, stony ground, the author stopped in front of a small grotto. Then he took bags of cement and sand and a flagon of water from the boot of the car and began to prepare some mortar. When it was the right consistency, he covered the floor of the grotto with the cement and, before the mixture began to harden, he affixed a small image of Our Lady of Aparecida, which he had brought with him. At the foot of the image he wrote in the still-wet cement the following words in English: 'THIS IS THE VIRGIN OF APARECIDA FROM BRAZIL. ASK FOR A MIRACLE AND RETURN HERE.' He lit a candle, said a quick prayer and left.

On his return to Brazil, Paulo was to spend three more years pondering those events in the Mojave Desert. It was only at the end of 1991, when he felt that the typescript he had destroyed required a replacement, that he decided to write The Valkyries The Valkyries. According to the records of his computer's word-processing program, he typed the first words of the book at 23.30 on 6 January 1992. After seventeen uninterrupted days of work, as had become his custom, he typed the final sentence of the 239th and final page of the work: 'And only then will we be able to understand stars, angels and miracles.'

On 21 April, when the book had gone through all the editorial processes and was ready to be printed, Paulo sent a fax from his apartment in Rio to Editora Rocco saying that Jean was not suggesting but 'ordering' and 'demanding' changes to the text: Dear Rocco:Half an hour ago, I received a phone call from J. (the Master), ordering me to delete (or change) two pages in the book. These pages are in the middle of the book and refer to a scene called 'The ritual that demolishes rituals'. He says that in the scene I must not describe things exactly as they happened, that I should use allegorical language or break off the narrative of the ritual before I reach the forbidden part.I have decided to opt for the second alternative, but this is going to mean me doing some rewriting. I will make these changes over the holiday, but I was anxious to let you know this. You can send someone to collect the following on Thursday:the changes demanded by my Master;the new 'Author's Note'If I can't manage this, I'll send you another fax, but my Master said that I was to contact the publisher immediately and that's precisely what I'm doing (even though I know that today is a holiday).Paulo Coelho Besides Jean, the author and Paulo Rocco, no one would ever know what the censored pa.s.sages contained. The removal of those pa.s.sages doesn't in any way appear to have compromised the success of The Valkyries The Valkyries. Less than twenty-four hours after the book's launch in August 1992, 60,000 copies of the initial 120,000 print run had vanished from the bookshop shelves. A fortnight later, The Alchemist The Alchemist lost its number one spot in the best-seller lists, where it had remained for 159 consecutive weeks, to give way to lost its number one spot in the best-seller lists, where it had remained for 159 consecutive weeks, to give way to The Valkyries The Valkyries. The author was breaking one record after another. With The Valkyries The Valkyries, he became the first Brazilian to have no fewer than five books in the best-seller lists. Besides the new launch, there were The Alchemist The Alchemist (159 weeks), (159 weeks), Brida Brida (106 weeks), (106 weeks), The Pilgrimage The Pilgrimage (68 weeks) and (68 weeks) and The Supreme Gift The Supreme Gift (19 weeks)something which had only been bettered at the time by Sidney Sheldon. What most caught the attention of the press, apart from the astonis.h.i.+ng sales figures, were the details of the author's contract with Rocco. One newspaper stated that Paulo was to receive 15 per cent of the cover price of the book (as opposed to the usual 10 per cent), while another revealed that he would have a bonus of US$400,000 when sales pa.s.sed the 600,000 mark. A third speculated about the money spent by the publisher on publicity and said that, in order to protect himself against inflation, the author had demanded payments every fortnight. The (19 weeks)something which had only been bettered at the time by Sidney Sheldon. What most caught the attention of the press, apart from the astonis.h.i.+ng sales figures, were the details of the author's contract with Rocco. One newspaper stated that Paulo was to receive 15 per cent of the cover price of the book (as opposed to the usual 10 per cent), while another revealed that he would have a bonus of US$400,000 when sales pa.s.sed the 600,000 mark. A third speculated about the money spent by the publisher on publicity and said that, in order to protect himself against inflation, the author had demanded payments every fortnight. The Jornal do Brasil Jornal do Brasil stated that in the wake of the success of stated that in the wake of the success of The Valkyries The Valkyries the market would be 'inundated with plastic knickknacks with the inscription "I believe in angels", posters announcing that "the angels are among us" and china replicas of the author, complete with goatee, as well as 600 s.h.i.+rts with a company logo and the Archangel Michael'. One Rio columnist said that the author had supposedly turned down a payment of US$45,000 to appear in an advertis.e.m.e.nt for an insurance company in which he would say: 'I believe in life after death, but, just in case, get some insurance.' A further novelty was that, from then on, Paulo was also able to influence the cover price of the bookan area in which, generally speaking, authors do not become involved. Concerned to keep his work accessible to those with less buying power, he went on to set a ceiling price for his books which, in the case of the market would be 'inundated with plastic knickknacks with the inscription "I believe in angels", posters announcing that "the angels are among us" and china replicas of the author, complete with goatee, as well as 600 s.h.i.+rts with a company logo and the Archangel Michael'. One Rio columnist said that the author had supposedly turned down a payment of US$45,000 to appear in an advertis.e.m.e.nt for an insurance company in which he would say: 'I believe in life after death, but, just in case, get some insurance.' A further novelty was that, from then on, Paulo was also able to influence the cover price of the bookan area in which, generally speaking, authors do not become involved. Concerned to keep his work accessible to those with less buying power, he went on to set a ceiling price for his books which, in the case of The Valkyries The Valkyries, was US$11.

Once the initial interest in numbers, records and figures had pa.s.sed, the criticisms started to pile in, couched in much the same terms as the reviews of his earlier books: The literary mediocrity of The Valkyries The Valkyries does at least have one positive effect. It could have been thrilling, but is, in fact, dull, and is, therefore, easier to read. does at least have one positive effect. It could have been thrilling, but is, in fact, dull, and is, therefore, easier to read.(Folha de So Paulo)In terms of literature, if one understands by that the art of writing, The Valkyries The Valkyries is generously endowed with the same qualities as Coelho's previous books, namely, none at all. is generously endowed with the same qualities as Coelho's previous books, namely, none at all.(Veja)Paulo Coelho's books, and The Valkyries The Valkyries is no exception, do not stand out for their stylistic excellence. Plot-line apart, the books consist of crudely constructed sentences that appear to have been taken from a school composition. is no exception, do not stand out for their stylistic excellence. Plot-line apart, the books consist of crudely constructed sentences that appear to have been taken from a school composition.(O Estado de So Paulo) In the midst of this bombardment, however, the newspapers had quietly let it be known that the Ministry of Education in Rio wanted to use Paulo Coelho's works as a means of getting students to read. The two reactions to the idea, both published in the Jornal do Brasil Jornal do Brasil, were even harsher than the words of the critics. In the first of these, ent.i.tled 'Stupidities', the journalist Roberto Marinho de Azevedo said that he was astounded and accused the ministry of 'feeding these innocents with eighth-hand mysticism written in sloppy Portuguese'. Even worse was the ill.u.s.tration accompanying the article, a caricature of a student with the ears of a donkey holding a copy of The Pilgrimage The Pilgrimage. Having published four books and become one of the greatest literary successes of all time in Brazil, Paulo could count on the fingers of one hand the positive reviews he had received. Unable to offer readers an explanation as to why an author whom they considered mediocre was so successful, the media flailed around for answers. Some preferred to put it all down to publicity, but this left one question unanswered: if it was so simple, why didn't other authors and publishers adopt the same formula? When she was travelling in Brazil before the launch of The Valkyries The Valkyries, Monica Antunes was sought out by the Jornal do Brasil Jornal do Brasil and asked the same old question: to what do you attribute Paulo Coelho's success? She replied with the prophetic words: 'What we are witnessing is only the start of a fever.' and asked the same old question: to what do you attribute Paulo Coelho's success? She replied with the prophetic words: 'What we are witnessing is only the start of a fever.'

Another argument used to explain his successthe low cultural level of Brazilians, who are little used to readingwas soon to be demolished by the arrival of Paulo's books in the two most important publis.h.i.+ng markets, America and France. This began in the United States at the end of 1990. Paulo was staying in Campinas, 100 kilometres from So Paulo, preparing for a debate on his book Brida Brida with students at the Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp), when the telephone rang. On the other end of the line was Alan Clarke, a man in his fifties, owner of the Gentleman's Farmer, a five-room bed-and-breakfast hotel in the small town of West Barnstable, in Ma.s.sachusetts. Speaking fluent Portuguese, Clarke explained that during his free time, he worked as a certified translator and had worked for some years in Brazil as an executive with ITT, which dominated the telecommunications industry in a large part of the world until the end of the 1980s. He had read and enjoyed with students at the Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp), when the telephone rang. On the other end of the line was Alan Clarke, a man in his fifties, owner of the Gentleman's Farmer, a five-room bed-and-breakfast hotel in the small town of West Barnstable, in Ma.s.sachusetts. Speaking fluent Portuguese, Clarke explained that during his free time, he worked as a certified translator and had worked for some years in Brazil as an executive with ITT, which dominated the telecommunications industry in a large part of the world until the end of the 1980s. He had read and enjoyed The Pilgrimage The Pilgrimage and was offering to translate it into English. and was offering to translate it into English.

Paulo knew that the American market could be a springboard to the rest of the world, but he was not excited by the idea and said: 'Thank you for your interest, but what I need is a publisher in the United States, not a translator.'

Clarke was not put off: 'All right, then, can I try and find a publisher for the book?'

Sure that the conversation would lead nowhere, Paulo agreed. Never having worked before on a literary project, Alan Clarke translated the 240 pages of The Pilgrimage The Pilgrimage and set off with his English translation under his arm. After hearing the word 'No' twenty-two times, he came across someone who was interested. All his efforts had been worth it, because the publisher was none other than HarperCollins, at the time the largest in the United States. It was not until 1992, when Paulo was launching and set off with his English translation under his arm. After hearing the word 'No' twenty-two times, he came across someone who was interested. All his efforts had been worth it, because the publisher was none other than HarperCollins, at the time the largest in the United States. It was not until 1992, when Paulo was launching The Valkyries The Valkyries in Brazil, that in Brazil, that The Pilgrimage The Pilgrimage, under the t.i.tle The Diary of a Magician The Diary of a Magician, was published (the t.i.tle was changed much later). Days and weeks went by and it became clear that the book was never going to be a blockbuster. 'The book simply didn't happen,' the author recalls. 'It got no media coverage and was practically ignored by the critics.'

However, this lack of success did not dishearten his agent-c.u.m-translator. Some months after its launch, Clarke took his translation of The Alchemist The Alchemist to HarperCollins, and the book won the hearts of all the professional readers invited to give their opinion as to whether or not to launch it on the American market. HarperCollins' enthusiasm for the book can be judged by the size of the initial print run: 50,000 hardback copies. HarperCollins' instincts were shown to be right: in a few weeks, the book was in the best-seller lists of important newspapers such as the to HarperCollins, and the book won the hearts of all the professional readers invited to give their opinion as to whether or not to launch it on the American market. HarperCollins' enthusiasm for the book can be judged by the size of the initial print run: 50,000 hardback copies. HarperCollins' instincts were shown to be right: in a few weeks, the book was in the best-seller lists of important newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle and the and the Chicago Tribune Chicago Tribune. The hardback version was so successful that the publisher didn't put the paperback version on the market until two years later.

The explosion of The Alchemist The Alchemist opened doors to markets of which the author had never even dreamed. Published in Australia immediately after its publication in the United States, opened doors to markets of which the author had never even dreamed. Published in Australia immediately after its publication in the United States, The Alchemist The Alchemist was acclaimed by the was acclaimed by the Sydney Morning Herald Sydney Morning Herald as 'the book of the year'. The newspaper stated that it was 'an enchanting work of infinite philosophical beauty'. Australian readers seemed to agree, since weeks after arriving in the bookshops it was number one on the as 'the book of the year'. The newspaper stated that it was 'an enchanting work of infinite philosophical beauty'. Australian readers seemed to agree, since weeks after arriving in the bookshops it was number one on the Herald Herald's own best-seller list. However, Paulo was dreaming of greater things. He knew that recognition as an author would come not from New York or Sydney but from the other side of the Atlantic. His dream was to be published, and above all read, in France, the land of Victor Hugo, Flaubert and Balzac.

At the beginning of 1993, during a short trip to Spain, Paulo was asked by the agent Carmen Balcells if she could represent him. The owner of the most respected literary agency in Europe, Balcells counted among her authors Mario Vargas Llosa and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Her request was a huge temptation, especially since, unlike most literary agents, among them Monica Antunes, who received 15 per cent, the agency took only 10 per cent of its authors' royalties.

Paulo had been concerned for some time about his and Monica's complete lack of experience in the foreign publis.h.i.+ng world. Neither of them had the necessary contacts. He was worried that Monica would waste her youth on trying to sell his work abroad, a venture that had so far lasted four years and brought no real results. 'It was my duty to tell her that she could never make a living working solely as my international agent,' the author recalled some time later. 'For her to be able to live well I would have to sell millions of books abroad, and that wasn't happening.' They needed to have a talk. After giving the matter serious thought, he invited her for a coffee in a small bar in Barcelona and came straight to the point. More than a dialogue, their conversation was a kind of tense verbal arm-wrestle.

'You know who Carmen Balcells is, don't you?'

'Yes.'

'Well, she sent me this letter proposing that her agency represent me. You're investing in someone you believe in, but let's be realistic: we're not getting anywhere. This business needs experience; it's a serious gamble.'

Monica did not appear to understand what she was hearing, but Paulo went on: 'Let's accept that our work hasn't, as we hoped, borne fruit. There's nothing wrong with that. It's my life that's at stake, but I don't want you also to sacrifice yours in search of a dream that seems impossible.'

She could hardly believe what she was hearing.

'So, realistically speaking, what do you think about us terminating our professional relations.h.i.+p? If I want to go to Carmen Balcells now, I will. I'll pay you for all the years of work you've put in and I'll get on with my life. But the final decision is up to you. You've invested four years of your life in me, and I'm not going to be the one who gets rid of you. It's just that you have to understand that it would be best for both of us to call a halt. Do you agree?'

'No.'

'What do you mean "No"? I'm going to pay you for the time you've given me, for all your efforts. It's not as if I had a contract with you, Monica.'

'No way. If you want to get rid of me, you can, but I'm not going to ask to leave.'

'You know who Carmen Balcells is, don't you? You're asking me to say "No" to her? She's going to announce that she is taking me on by filling the Frankfurt Book Fair with posters of my books, and you want me to say "No"?'

'No. I'm saying that you can sack me, if you want. You're free to do as you wish. After all, you made a separate deal with Alan Clarke in the States, didn't you? I think that I could do much better than him.'

Her utter conviction meant that Paulo could go no further. In a second, his dream of posters in Frankfurt and being in the same catalogue as Garcia Marquez and Vargas Llosa had evaporated. He had swapped the elegant offices in central Barcelona occupied by Carmen Balcells and her dozens of employees for Sant Jordi Asociados, which was nothing more than a bookshelf with some cardboard files in the small apartment where Monica lived.

In September, she plucked up her courage and prepared to face her first big challenge: to try to sell Paulo Coelho at the most important annual meeting of publishers and literary agents, the Frankfurt Book Fair.

At twenty-five, with no experience in the field and afraid of facing this challenge alone, she decided she needed the company of a friend, her namesake Monica Moreira. The first surprise when she arrived in Frankfurt was the discovery that there wasn't a single hotel room to be found in the city. It hadn't occurred to them to make reservations in advance and so they ended up having to sleep in a youth hostel in a neighbouring town. For the four days that the fair lasted, Monica worked like a Trojan. Unlike the posters and banners used by Balcells, her only weapon was a modest publicity kita brief biography and a summary of the success Paulo's books had enjoyed in Brazil and in other countries. She visited the stands of publishers from all over the world one by one, arranging as many meetings as possible. Her efforts were royally rewarded: by the end of the year, Monica had sold the rights of Paulo Coelho's books in no fewer than sixteen languages.

The first contract she negotiated in Frankfurt, with the Norwegian publisher ExLibris, also had the virtue of changing her personal life: four years later, in 1997, the owner of ExLibris, yvind Hagen, and Monica decided to marry. In a matter of months, she drew up contracts for the publication of The Pilgrimage The Pilgrimage, The Alchemist The Alchemist, or both, not only in Norway but also in Australia, j.a.pan, Portugal, Mexico, Romania, Argentina, South Korea and Holland.

In the same year, 1993, Paulo entered the Brazilian version of The Guinness Book of Records The Guinness Book of Records after after The Alchemist The Alchemist had been in had been in Veja Veja's best-seller list for an impressive 208 consecutive weeks. However, there was still no sign from France. Monica had sent the American version of The Alchemist The Alchemist to several French publishers, but none showed any interest in this unknown Brazilian. One of those who turned down Paulo Coelho's books was Robert Laffont, the owner of a traditional, reputable publis.h.i.+ng house founded during the Second World War. The indifference with which to several French publishers, but none showed any interest in this unknown Brazilian. One of those who turned down Paulo Coelho's books was Robert Laffont, the owner of a traditional, reputable publis.h.i.+ng house founded during the Second World War. The indifference with which The Alchemist The Alchemist was received was such that a reader's reportso important in deciding the fate of a bookwas delegated to the only person in the company who spoke Portuguese, an administrative secretary, who was responsible for the book's rejection. was received was such that a reader's reportso important in deciding the fate of a bookwas delegated to the only person in the company who spoke Portuguese, an administrative secretary, who was responsible for the book's rejection.

Destiny, however, seems to have decided that the literary future of Paulo Coelho in France would lie with the Laffont family anyway. At the beginning of 1993, Robert's daughter Anne had left her position as adviser in her father's company to set up her own publis.h.i.+ng house, the tiny editions Anne Carriere. This was not a hobby to fill her time but a business in which she and her husband, Alain, had invested all their money and for which they still had to beg loans from banks, friends and relatives. The company was not yet three months old when Brigitte Gregony, Anne's cousin and best friend (and one of the investors who had put money into the new publis.h.i.+ng house), telephoned from Barcelona, where she was on holiday, to say that she had read the Spanish translation 'of a fascinating book called El Alquimista El Alquimista, written by an unknown Brazilian'. Unable to read a word of Spanish or Portuguese, Anne simply relied upon her cousin's opinion (and a quick reading by her son, Stephen, who knew a little Spanish), and asked her to find out whether the publis.h.i.+ng rights were held by anyone in France. When she found Monica, Brigitte learned that The Alchemist The Alchemist was coming out in the United States in May and that the agent would send her a copy as soon as it was published. was coming out in the United States in May and that the agent would send her a copy as soon as it was published.

Anne appeared prepared to put all her energies into the project. Although she offered a mere US$5,000 advance on royalties, to compensate she called upon a top translator, Jean Orecchioni, who had translated the entire works of Jorge Amado into French. Brigitte, who had been the fairy G.o.dmother of the publication, did not live long enough to see the success of The Alchemist The Alchemist in France: in July, before the book was ready, she died of a brain tumour. Many years later, Anne Carriere dedicated her memoirs to her, in France: in July, before the book was ready, she died of a brain tumour. Many years later, Anne Carriere dedicated her memoirs to her, Une chance infinie: l'histoire d'une amitie Une chance infinie: l'histoire d'une amitie (editions la Table Ronde), in which she talks about her relations.h.i.+p with Paulo Coelho and reveals the behind-the-scenes story of how he came to be the most successful Latin-American writer in France. (editions la Table Ronde), in which she talks about her relations.h.i.+p with Paulo Coelho and reveals the behind-the-scenes story of how he came to be the most successful Latin-American writer in France.

The wheels of the publis.h.i.+ng business grind exceedingly slow all over the world, and the launch of the book was pushed forward to March 1994, when Paulo was about to publish his fifth t.i.tle in Brazil, Na Margem do Rio Piedra eu Sentei e Ch.o.r.ei Na Margem do Rio Piedra eu Sentei e Ch.o.r.ei, or By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept. Anne was faced by a double problem: how to launch the book of an unknown author published by an equally unknown publis.h.i.+ng house? How to make booksellers stop to look at one book among thousands? She decided to produce a special, numbered edition of The Alchemist The Alchemist, which would be sent to 500 French booksellers a month before its launch. On the fourth page of the book was a short statement written by her: 'Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian author famous throughout Latin America. The Alchemist The Alchemist tells the story of a young shepherd who leaves his homeland to follow a dream: the search for a treasure hidden at the foot of the pyramids. In the desert he will come to understand the language of signs and the meaning of life and, most important of all, he will learn to let his heart speak. He will fulfil his destiny.' On the book's spine was a sentence used by HarperCollins for the launch in the United States: ' tells the story of a young shepherd who leaves his homeland to follow a dream: the search for a treasure hidden at the foot of the pyramids. In the desert he will come to understand the language of signs and the meaning of life and, most important of all, he will learn to let his heart speak. He will fulfil his destiny.' On the book's spine was a sentence used by HarperCollins for the launch in the United States: 'The Alchemist is a magical book. Reading this book is like getting up at dawn and seeing the sun rise while the rest of the world is still sleeping.' is a magical book. Reading this book is like getting up at dawn and seeing the sun rise while the rest of the world is still sleeping.'

While half the road to success was guaranteed by the booksellers' favourable reception, the other half would be determined by the critics, whose reaction could not have been better. The most important of the French newspapers and magazines, among them Le Nouvel Observateur Le Nouvel Observateur (which, years later, became a harsh critic of the author), carried highly favourable reviews, as Anne Carriere describes in her memoirs: (which, years later, became a harsh critic of the author), carried highly favourable reviews, as Anne Carriere describes in her memoirs: With what appears to be a simple tale, Paulo Coelho soothes the hearts of men and makes them reflect upon the world around them. A fascinating book that sows the seeds of good sense in the mind and opens up the heart.(Annette Colin Simard, Le Journal du Dimanche Le Journal du Dimanche)Paulo Coelho is a testament to the virtue of clarity, which makes his writing like a cool stream flowing beneath cool trees, a path of energy along which he leads the reader, all unwitting, towards himself and his mysterious, distant soul.(Christian Charriere, L'Express L'Express)It is a rare book, like an unexpected treasure that one should savour and share.(Sylvie Genevoix, L'Express L'Express)It is a book that does one good.(Daniele Mazingarbe, Madame Figaro Madame Figaro)Written in a simple, very pure language, this story of a journey of initiation across the desertwhere, at every step, one sign leads to another, where all the mysteries of the world meet in an emerald, where one finds 'the soul of the world', where there is a dialogue with the wind and the sunliterally envelops one.(Annie Copperman, Les echos Les echos)The joy of his narrative overcomes our preconceptions. It is very rare, very precious, in the torrid, asphyxiating present day to breathe a little fresh air.(Le Nouvel Observateur) Now all that was needed was to wait and reap the harvest, and that was not long in coming. The cautious initial print run of 4,000 copies ran out in the bookshops in a matter of days and at the end of April, when 18,000 copies had been sold, The Alchemist The Alchemist appeared for the first time on a best-seller list in the weekly appeared for the first time on a best-seller list in the weekly Livres Hebdo Livres Hebdo. Intended for the publis.h.i.+ng world, this was not a publication for the public at large and the book was given only twentieth place, but, as Monica had predicted, this was just the start. In May, The Alchemist The Alchemist was in ninth place in the most important best-seller list, that of the weekly magazine was in ninth place in the most important best-seller list, that of the weekly magazine L'Express L'Express, where it remained for an incredible 300 consecutive weeks. The book was a success in several countries besides Brazil, but its acclaim in the United States and France would mean that the author would no longer be considered merely a Latin-American eccentricity and would become a worldwide phenomenon.

CHAPTER 27.

World fame WHILE THE WORLD WAS BOWING THE KNEE to Paulo Coelho, the Brazilian critics remained faithful to the maxim coined by the composer Tom Jobim, according to which 'in Brazil someone else's success is felt as a personal affront, a slap in the face', and they continued to belittle his books. The ma.s.sive success of to Paulo Coelho, the Brazilian critics remained faithful to the maxim coined by the composer Tom Jobim, according to which 'in Brazil someone else's success is felt as a personal affront, a slap in the face', and they continued to belittle his books. The ma.s.sive success of The Alchemist The Alchemist in France seems to have encouraged him to confront his critics. 'Before, my detractors could conclude, wrongly, that Brazilians were fools because they read me,' he declared to the journalist Napoleo Saboia of in France seems to have encouraged him to confront his critics. 'Before, my detractors could conclude, wrongly, that Brazilians were fools because they read me,' he declared to the journalist Napoleo Saboia of O Estado de So Paulo O Estado de So Paulo. 'Now that my books are selling so well abroad, it's hard to universalize that accusation of stupidity.' Not so. For the critic Silviano Santiago, who had a PhD in literature from the Sorbonne, being a best-seller even in a country like France meant absolutely nothing. 'It's important to demystify his success in France,' he told Veja Veja. 'The French public is as mediocre and as lacking in sophistication as the general public anywhere.' Some did not even go to the trouble of opening Paulo's books in order to condemn them. 'I've not read them and I don't like them' was the judgement given by Davi Arrigucci, Jr, another respected critic and professor of literature at the University of So Paulo. However, none of this seemed to matter to Paulo's Brazilian readers, still less his foreign ones. On the contrary. Judging by the numbers, his army of readers and admirers seemed to be growing in the same proportion as the virulence of his critics. The situation was to be repeated in 1994 when, as well as By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept, he launched a 190-page book, Maktub Maktuba collection of the mini-chronicles, fables and reflections he had been publis.h.i.+ng in the Folha de So Paulo Folha de So Paulo since 1993. since 1993.

Just as The Valkyries The Valkyries had been inspired by the penance Paulo and Chris had undertaken in 1988 in the Mojave Desert, in had been inspired by the penance Paulo and Chris had undertaken in 1988 in the Mojave Desert, in By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept Paulo shares with his readers yet another spiritual experience, the Road to Rome, which he undertook in the south of France, partly in the company of Monica Antunes. In the 236 pages of the book, he describes seven days in the life of Pilar, a twenty-nine-year-old student who is struggling to complete her studies in Zaragoza in Spain and who meets up again with a colleague with whom she'd had an adolescent affair. The meeting takes place after a conference organized by the young manwho remains nameless in the book, as do all the other characters apart from the protagonist. Now a seminarian and a devotee of the Immaculate Conception, he confesses his love for Pilar during a trip from Madrid to Lourdes. The book, according to Paulo, is about the fear of loving and of total surrender that pursues humanity as though it were a form of original sin. On the way back to Zaragoza, Pilar sits down on the bank of the river Piedra, a small river 100 kilometres south of the city, and there she sheds her tears so that they may join other rivers and flow on out into the ocean. Paulo shares with his readers yet another spiritual experience, the Road to Rome, which he undertook in the south of France, partly in the company of Monica Antunes. In the 236 pages of the book, he describes seven days in the life of Pilar, a twenty-nine-year-old student who is struggling to complete her studies in Zaragoza in Spain and who meets up again with a colleague with whom she'd had an adolescent affair. The meeting takes place after a conference organized by the young manwho remains nameless in the book, as do all the other characters apart from the protagonist. Now a seminarian and a devotee of the Immaculate Conception, he confesses his love for Pilar during a trip from Madrid to Lourdes. The book, according to Paulo, is about the fear of loving and of total surrender that pursues humanity as though it were a form of original sin. On the way back to Zaragoza, Pilar sits down on the bank of the river Piedra, a small river 100 kilometres south of the city, and there she sheds her tears so that they may join other rivers and flow on out into the ocean.

Centred more upon the rituals and symbols of Catholicism than on the magical themes of his previous books, By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept received unexpected praise from the clergy, such as the Cardinal-Archbishop of So Paulo, Dom Paulo Evaristo Arns, but there were no such surprises from the critics. As had been the case with all five of his previous books, both received unexpected praise from the clergy, such as the Cardinal-Archbishop of So Paulo, Dom Paulo Evaristo Arns, but there were no such surprises from the critics. As had been the case with all five of his previous books, both Rio Piedra Rio Piedra and and Maktub Maktub were torn apart by the Brazilian media. The critic Geraldo Galvo Ferraz, of the So Paulo were torn apart by the Brazilian media. The critic Geraldo Galvo Ferraz, of the So Paulo Jornal da Tarde Jornal da Tarde, branded By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept as 'a poorly mixed c.o.c.ktail of mediocre mysticism, religion and fiction, full of cliches and stereotypical characters who spend the greater part of their time giving solemn speeches'. The author's approach to what he calls 'the feminine side of G.o.d' was ridiculed by another journalist as 'a Paulo Coelho for girls'. The magazine as 'a poorly mixed c.o.c.ktail of mediocre mysticism, religion and fiction, full of cliches and stereotypical characters who spend the greater part of their time giving solemn speeches'. The author's approach to what he calls 'the feminine side of G.o.d' was ridiculed by another journalist as 'a Paulo Coelho for girls'. The magazine Veja Veja handed the review of handed the review of Maktub Maktub to Diogo Mainardi, who derided certain pa.s.sages, comparing to Diogo Mainardi, who derided certain pa.s.sages, comparing Maktub Maktub to a pair of dirty socks that he had left in his car: to a pair of dirty socks that he had left in his car: In truth all this nonsense would mean nothing if Paulo Coelho were merely a charlatan who earns a little money from other people's stupidity. I would never waste my time reviewing a mediocre author if he simply produced the occasional manual of esoteric cliches. However, things aren't quite like that. At the last Frankfurt Book Fair, the theme of which was Brazil, Paulo Coelho was marketed as a real writer, as a legitimate representative of Brazilian literature. That really is too much. However bad our writers might be, they're still better than Paulo Coelho. He can do what he likes, but he shouldn't present himself as a writer. When all's said and done, there's about as much literature in Paulo Coelho as there is in my dirty socks.

As on previous occasions, such reviews had no effect whatsoever on sales. While derided in the pages of newspapers and magazines, By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept sold 70,000 copies on the first day, more than sold 70,000 copies on the first day, more than The Valkyries The Valkyries. Some weeks after its launch, Maktub Maktub also appeared in the best-seller lists. The only difference was that this time, the victim of the attacks was thousands of kilometres from Rio, travelling through France with Anne Carriere in response to dozens of invitations for talks and debates with his growing number of French readers. also appeared in the best-seller lists. The only difference was that this time, the victim of the attacks was thousands of kilometres from Rio, travelling through France with Anne Carriere in response to dozens of invitations for talks and debates with his growing number of French readers.

Despite the enormous success achieved by the author, Paulo's presence at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 1994, the first in which he had taken part, had made it clear that preconceptions about his work were not just the privilege of Brazilian critics but also of his fellow writers. Although the position of Minister of Culture was, at the time, held by an old friend of the author's, the diplomat Luiz Roberto do Nascimento e Silva, the brother of his ex-girlfriend Maria do Rosario, when it came to organizing a party of eighteen writers to represent Brazilian literatureBrazil was the guest of honourPaulo was not included. According to Nascimento e Silva, writers were chosen who were popular with or familiar to German readers. Paulo's trip, therefore, was paid by Editora Rocco. In order to celebrate the contracts being signed around the world, his German publisher at the time, Peter Erd, owner of the publis.h.i.+ng house of the same name, gave a c.o.c.ktail party to which he invited all of Paulo's publishers present at the book fair and, naturally enough, all the members of the Brazilian delegation. The party was well attended, but not entirely a success because only two other Brazilian writers were present, and of the other delegation members, only Chico Buarque was polite enough to phone to give his excuses, since he would be giving a talk at the same time. A lone voice, that of Jorge Amado, who was not part of the delegation, spoke out loudly in Paulo's defence: 'The only thing that makes Brazilian intellectuals attack Paulo Coelho is his success.' In spite of this, in 1995, the fever that the British magazine Publis.h.i.+ng News Publis.h.i.+ng News called 'Coelhomania' and the French media ' called 'Coelhomania' and the French media 'Coelhisme' reached pandemic proportions. Sought out by the French director Claude Lelouch and then by the American Quentin Tarantino, both of whom were interested in adapting The Alchemist The Alchemist for the cinema, Paulo replied that the giant American Warner Brothers had got there first and bought the rights for US$300,000. Roman Polanski had told journalists that he hoped to be able to film for the cinema, Paulo replied that the giant American Warner Brothers had got there first and bought the rights for US$300,000. Roman Polanski had told journalists that he hoped to be able to film The Valkyries The Valkyries. In May, when Anne Carriere was preparing for the launch of an edition of The Alchemist The Alchemist to be ill.u.s.trated by Moebius, HQ, owners of Hachette and to be ill.u.s.trated by Moebius, HQ, owners of Hachette and Elle Elle, announced that the Elle Grand Prix for Literature that year had been awarded to Paulo Coelho. This caused such a stir that he earned the privilege of being featured in the 'Portrait' section of the magazine Lire Lire, the bible of the French literary world.

But the crowning glory came in October. After thirty-seven weeks in second place, The Alchemist The Alchemist dethroned dethroned Le Premier Homme Le Premier Homme, an unfinished novel by Albert Camus, and went on to head the best-seller list in L'Express L'Express. Two famous critics compared The Alchemist The Alchemist to another national glory, to another national glory, Le Pet.i.t Prince Le Pet.i.t Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. 'I had the same feeling when I read both books,' wrote Frederic Vitoux in his column in the magazine by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. 'I had the same feeling when I read both books,' wrote Frederic Vitoux in his column in the magazine Le Nouvel Observateur Le Nouvel Observateur. 'I was enchanted by the sensibility and the freshness, the innocence of soul.' His colleague Eric Deschot, of the weekly Actuel Actuel, shared his opinion: 'It is not a sacrilegious comparison, since the simplicity, transparency and purity of this fable remind me of the mystery of Saint-Exupery's story.'

Paulo received news that he had leapt into first place in L'Express L'Express while he was in the Far East, where he had gone with Chris to take part in a series of launches and debates with readers. One afternoon, as the while he was in the Far East, where he had gone with Chris to take part in a series of launches and debates with readers. One afternoon, as the s.h.i.+nkansen s.h.i.+nkansen, the j.a.panese bullet train taking them from Nagoia to Tokyo, was speeding past the snow-covered Mount Fuji, the writer made a decision: when he returned to Brazil, he would change publishers. The decision was not the result of some sign that only he had noticed: it came after a long period of reflection on his relations.h.i.+p with Rocco. Among other disagreements, Paulo was demanding a distribution system that would open up sales outlets other than bookshops, such as newspaper stands and supermarkets, so that his books could reach readers on lower incomes. Rocco had asked for a study by Fernando Chinaglia, an experienced newspaper and magazine distributor, but the plan went no further. On 15 February 1995, the columnist Zozimo Barroso do Amaral published a note in O Globo O Globo informing his readers that 'one of the most envied marriages in the literary world' was coming to an end. informing his readers that 'one of the most envied marriages in the literary world' was coming to an end.

The other newspapers picked up the scoop and some days later, the entire country knew that, for US$1 million, Paulo Coelho was moving from Rocco to Editora Objetiva, who would publish his next book, O Monte Cinco O Monte Cinco, or The Fifth Mountain The Fifth Mountain. This vast summore than had ever been paid to any other Brazilian authorwould not all go into his pocket, but would be divided up more or less as it had been with Rocco: 55 per cent as an advance on royalties and the remaining 45 per cent to be invested in publicity. This was a big gamble for Roberto Feith, a journalist, economist and ex-international correspondent with the television network Globo, who had taken control of Objetiva five years earlier. The US$550,000 advance represented 15 per cent of the publisher's entire turnover, which came mostly from sales of its three 'big names', Stephen King, Harold Bloom and Daniel Goleman. The experts brought in by the firm were unanimous in stating that if The Fifth Mountain The Fifth Mountain were to repeat the success of were to repeat the success of By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept, Objetiva would get the US$1 million investment back within a matter of months. Apparently the change caused no resentment on the part of his ex-publisher, for although Paulo had moved to Objetiva, he left with Rocco his entire backlist, the profitable collection of seven books published there since 1989. In fact, a month after announcing the move, Paulo Rocco was among the author's guests at Paulo's traditional celebration of St Joseph's feast day on 19 March.

Inspired by a pa.s.sage from the Bible (1 Kings 18:824), The Fifth Mountain The Fifth Mountain tells of the suffering, doubts and spiritual discoveries of the prophet Elijah during his exile in Sarepta in Phoenicia, present-day Lebanon. The city, whose residents were well educated and famous for their commercial ac.u.men, had not known war for 300 years, but it was about to be invaded by the a.s.syrians. The prophet encounters religious conflicts, and is forced to face the anger both of men and of G.o.d. In the prologue, Paulo once again reveals how he interweaves his personal experiences with the themes of his books. When he states that, with tells of the suffering, doubts and spiritual discoveries of the prophet Elijah during his exile in Sarepta in Phoenicia, present-day Lebanon. The city, whose residents were well educated and famous for their commercial ac.u.men, had not known war for 300 years, but it was about to be invaded by the a.s.syrians. The prophet encounters religious conflicts, and is forced to face the anger both of men and of G.o.d. In the prologue, Paulo once again reveals how he interweaves his personal experiences with the themes of his books. When he states that, with The Fifth Mountain The Fifth Mountain, he had perhaps learned to understand and live with the inevitable, he recalls his dismissal from CBS seventeen years earlier, which had brought to an end a promising career as an executive in the recording industry: When I finished writing The Fifth Mountain, The Fifth Mountain, I recalled that episodeand other manifestations of the unavoidable in my life. Whenever I thought myself the absolute master of a situation, something would happen to cast me down. I asked myself: why? Can it be that I'm condemned to always come close but never to reach the finis.h.i.+ng line? Can G.o.d be so cruel that He would let me see the palm trees on the horizon only to have me die of thirst in the desert? It took a long time to understand that it wasn't quite like that. There are things that are brought into our lives to lead us back to the true path of our Personal Legend. Other things arise so we can apply all that we have learned. And, finally, some things come along to I recalled that episodeand other manifestations of the unavoidable in my life. Whenever I thought myself the absolute master of a situation, something would happen to cast me down. I asked myself: why? Can it be that I'm condemned to always come close but never to reach the finis.h.i.+ng line? Can G.o.d be so cruel that He would let me see the palm trees on the horizon only to have me die of thirst in the desert? It took a long time to understand that it wasn't quite like that. There are things that are brought into our lives to lead us back to the true path of our Personal Legend. Other things arise so we can apply all that we have learned. And, finally, some things come along to teach teach us. us.

The book was ready to be delivered to Editora Objetiva when Paulo unearthed information on periods in Elijah's life that had not been dealt with in the Scriptures, or, more precisely, about the time he had spent in Phoenicia. This exciting discovery meant that he had to rewrite almost the entire book, which was finally published in August 1996 during the fourteenth So Paulo Book Biennial. The launch was preceded by a huge publicity campaign run by the So Paulo agency Salles/DMB&B, whose owner, the advertising executive Mauro Salles, was an old friend and informal guru on marketing matters, and the book's dedicatee. The campaign included full-page advertis.e.m.e.nts in the four princ.i.p.al national newspapers (Jornal do Brasil, Folha de So Paulo Folha de So Paulo, O Estado de So Paulo O Estado de So Paulo and and O Globo O Globo) and in the magazines Veja-Rio Veja-Rio, Veja-SP Veja-SP, Caras Caras, Claudia Claudia and and Contigo Contigo, 350 posters on Rio and So Paulo buses, eighty h.o.a.rdings in Rio, and displays, sales points and plastic banners in bookshops. Inspired by Anne Carriere's idea, which had worked so well in the French launch of The Alchemist The Alchemist, Paulo suggested and Feith ordered a special edition of numbered, autographed copies of The Fifth Mountain The Fifth Mountain to be distributed to 400 bookshops across Brazil a week before the ordinary edition reached the public. In order to prevent any disclosure to the press, every recipient had to sign a confidentiality agreement. to be distributed to 400 bookshops across Brazil a week before the ordinary edition reached the public. In order to prevent any disclosure to the press, every recipient had to sign a confidentiality agreement.

The result was proportionate to the effort invested. The books were distributed on 8 August and in less than twenty-four hours 80,000 of the 100,000 copies of the first edition had been sold. Another 11,000 were sold in the week of the Book Biennial, where seemingly endless queues of readers awaited Paulo and where he signed copies for ten hours non-stop. The Fifth Mountain The Fifth Mountain had barely been out for two months when sales rose to 120,000 copies, meaning that the publisher had already recouped the US$550,000 advance paid to the author. The remaining US$450,000 that had been spent would be recouped during the following months. had barely been out for two months when sales rose to 120,000 copies, meaning that the publisher had already recouped the US$550,000 advance paid to the author. The remaining US$450,000 that had been spent would be recouped during the following months.

In the case of The Fifth Mountain The Fifth Mountain, the critics appeared to be showing signs of softening. 'Let's leave it to the magi to judge whether Coelho is a sorcerer or a charlatan, that's not what matters,' wrote the Folha de So Paulo Folha de So Paulo. 'The fact is that he can tell stories that are easily digested, with no literary athletics, and that delight readers in dozens of languages.' In its main compet.i.tor, O Estado de So Paulo O Estado de So Paulo, the critic and writer Jose Castello did not hold back either. 'The neat, concise style of The Fifth Mountain The Fifth Mountain proves that his pen has grown sharper and more precise,' he said in his review in the cultural supplement. 'Whether or not you like his books, Paulo Coelho is still the victim of terrible prejudicesthe same [...] which, if you transfer them to the religious field, have drowned the planet in blood.' A week before the launch, even the irascible proves that his pen has grown sharper and more precise,' he said in his review in the cultural supplement. 'Whether or not you like his books, Paulo Coelho is still the victim of terrible prejudicesthe same [...] which, if you transfer them to the religious field, have drowned the planet in blood.' A week before the launch, even the irascible Veja Veja seemed to have bowed to the evidence and devoted a long and sympathetic article to him, ent.i.tled 'The Smile of the Magus', at the end of which it published an exclusive excerpt from seemed to have bowed to the evidence and devoted a long and sympathetic article to him, ent.i.tled 'The Smile of the Magus', at the end of which it published an exclusive excerpt from The Fifth Mountain The Fifth Mountain. However, in the middle of this torrent of praise, the magazine summarized the content of Coelho's work as 'ingenuous stories whose "message" usually has all the philosophical depth of a Karate Kid film'.

At the following launch, however, when Manual do Guerreiro da Luz Manual do Guerreiro da Luz, or Manual of the Warrior of Light Manual of the Warrior of Light, came out, the critics returned with renewed appet.i.te. This was the first of Paulo's books to be published abroad before coming out in Brazil, and was the result of a suggestion from Elisabetta Sgarbi, of the Italian publisher Bompiani. Encouraged by the success of the author's books in Italy, she went to Monica to see whether he might have any unpublished work for the a.s.sagi a.s.sagi collection, which Bompiani had just created. Coelho had for some time been thinking of collecting together various notes and reflections recorded over the years into one book, and this was perhaps the right moment. Some of these had already been published in the collection, which Bompiani had just created. Coelho had for some time been thinking of collecting together various notes and reflections recorded over the years into one book, and this was perhaps the right moment. Some of these had already been published in the Folha de So Paulo Folha de So Paulo, and this led him to stick to the same eleven-line limit imposed by the newspaper. Using metaphors, symbolism and religious and medieval references, Paulo reveals to readers his experiences during what he calls 'my process of spiritual growth'. In his view, the Manual Manual was such a fusion between author and work that it became the 'key book' to understanding his universe. 'Not so much the world of magic, but above all the ideological world,' he says. ' was such a fusion between author and work that it became the 'key book' to understanding his universe. 'Not so much the world of magic, but above all the ideological world,' he says. 'Manual of the Warrior of Light has the same importance for me as the has the same importance for me as the Red Book Red Book had for Mao or the had for Mao or the Green Book Green Book for Gaddafi.' The term 'Warrior of Light'someone who is always actively trying to realize his dream, regardless of what obstacles are placed in his waycan be found in several of his books, including for Gaddafi.' The term 'Warrior of Light'someone who is always actively trying to realize his dream, regardless of what obstacles are placed in his waycan be found in several of his books, including The Alchemist The Alchemist, The Valkyries The Valkyries and and By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept. And should there remain any doubts as to its meaning, the home page of the author's then recently created website took on the task of responding to those doubts: 'This book brings t