< P > P a u l o C o e l h o w a s b o r n o n A u g u s t 2 4 t h 1 9 4 7 i n R i o d e J a n e i r o , B r a z i l . < / P > < P > A t a g e 1 7 h e a n n o u n c e d h i s i n t e n t i o n t o b e a w r i t e r . I t w a s a d e c i s i o n b i t t e r l y o p p o s e d b y h i s p a r e n t s , p a r t l y b e c a u s e B r a z i l a t t h a t t i m e w a s u n d e r a m i l i t a r y j u n t a t h a t p e r s e c u t e d w r i t e r s a n d i n t e l l e c t u a l s . < / P > < P > C o e l h o ' s r e b e l l i o u s b e h a v i o u r l e d h i s p a r e n t s t o h a v e h i m c o n f i n e d t o a m e n t a l h o s p i t a l i n R i o d e J a n e i r o w h e r e h e r e c e i v e d s h o c k t r e a t m e n t . H e e s c a p e d - a n d w a s r e t u r n e d - t h r e e t i m e s . < / P > < P > W i t h t h e a r r i v a l o f t h e 1 9 6 0 ' s C o e l h o t h r e w h i m s e l f e n e r g e t i c a l l y i n t o t h e c o u n t e r c u l t u r e o f d r u g s a n d r o c k - a n d - r o l l . < / P > < P > I n h i s 2 0 ' s h e f u l f i l l e d h i s a m b i t i o n t o b e a w r i t e r a n d w o r k e d a s a p l a y w r i g h t , a t h e a t r e d i r e c t o r , a j o u r n a l i s t , a n d a s o n g - w r i t e r f o r B r a z i l i a n p o p m u s i c s t a r s s u c h a s E l i s R e g i n a a n d R a u l S e i x a s . < / P > < P > I n 1 9 7 4 , s a y s C o e l h o " m y l i f e c o l l a p s e d " . < / P > < P > T h a t y e a r h e w a s a r r e s t e d t h r e e t i m e s , t h e f i r s t t i m e a s a n i n n o c e n t b y s t a n d e r a t a b a n k r o b b e r y , t h e s e c o n d t i m e f o r s p e a k i n g o u t a g a i n s t t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t a t a p o p c o n c e r t . A f t e r b e i n g r e l e a s e d b y t h e p o l i c e h e w a s a r r e s t e d a t h i r d t i m e b y p a r a m i l i t a r i e s w h o t o r t u r e d h i m f o r a w e e k . < / P > < P > I n t h e l a t e 1 9 7 0 ' s h i s l i f e w a s b a c k o n t r a c k a g a i n a n d h e b e c a m e a r t i s t i c d i r e c t o r f o r C B S i n B r a z i l . < / P > < P > B u t i n 1 9 7 9 h e w a s s u d d e n l y s a c k e d w i t h o u t e x p l a n a t i o n a n d h e s p e n t t h e n e x t 2 y e a r s k n o c k i n g o n d o o r s t r y i n g t o g e t b a c k i n t o t h e m u s i c i n d u s t r y . < / P > < P > I n 1 9 8 1 h e d e c i d e d t o t r y h i s l u c k i n E u r o p e a n d t h e r e m e t a m e m b e r o f a n o b s c u r e C a t h o l i c S e c t t h a t s t u d i e s t h e l a n g u a g e o f s y m b o l s : R A M o r R e g n u s A g n u s M u n d i . H e p r o g r e s s e d w i t h i n t h e s e c t a n d e v e n t u a l l y b e c a m e a M a g u s . < / P > < P > I n 1 9 8 6 , o n i n s t r u c t i o n s f r o m h i s m e n t o r w i t h i n R A M , C o e l h o u n d e r t o o k t h e p i l g r i m a g e t o S a n t i a g o d i C o m p o s t e l l a i n S p a i n . < / P > < P > T h e f o l l o w i n g y e a r h e p u b l i s h e d T h e P i l g r i m a g e , a n a c c o u n t o f h i s e x p e r i e n c e s o n t h e ' R o a d o f S a n t i a g o ' . < / P > < P > I n 1 9 8 8 h e w r o t e t h e b o o k t h a t w o u l d m a k e h i m a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l c e l e b r i t y , T h e A l c h e m i s t , a s t o r y a b o u t f o l l o w i n g o n e ' s d e s t i n y a n d b e i n g o p e n t o t h e u n i v e r s e o f s i g n s a n d s y m b o l s . < / P > < P > T h e A l c h e m i s t b e c a m e a n i n s t a n t b e s t - s e l l e r a n d h a s s i n c e s o l d o v e r 1 1 m i l l i o n c o p i e s w o r l d w i d e . < / P > < P > C o e l h o ' s e i g h t n o v e l s h a v e s o l d o v e r 3 7 m i l l i o n c o p i e s i n 5 6 l a n g u a g e s a n d h a v e b e e n p u b l i s h e d i n 1 4 0 c o u n t r i e s . < / P > < P > I n 1 9 9 8 t h e F r e n c h m a g a z i n e ' L i r e ' l i s t e d C o e l h o a s t h e s e c o n d b e s t - s e l l i n g a u t h o r w o r l d w i d e . < / P > < P > P a u l o C o e l h o h a s w o n o v e r 1 5 i n t e r n a t i o n a l a w a r d s f o r h i s w r i t i n g i n c l u d i n g t h e p r i z e d F r e n c h a w a r d , t h e I n s i g n i a o f A r t s a n d L e t t e r s ( 1 9 9 6 ) . C r i t i c s h a v e p r a i s e d h i s w r i t i n g f o r i t s " s y m b o l i c l a n g u a g e t h a t d o e s n o t s p e a k t o o u r b r a i n s , b u t t o o u r h e a r t s " . < / P > < P > I n 1 9 9 8 P a u l o C o e l h o w a s r e c e i v e d b y t h e P o p e i n t h e V a t i c a n . < / P > < P > H e h a s b e e n a p p o i n t e d t o t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s a s S p e c i a l A d v i s o r f o r S p i r i t u a l C o n v e r g e n c e s a n d I n t e r n a t i o n a l D i a l o g u e s . < / P > < P > C o e l h o ' s v i e w o n h a p p i n e s s : " T h e m o s t m e d i o c r e t h i n g i n t h e w o r l d . I ' d r a t h e r g o b y t h e i d e a o f j o y . " < / P >
Author: Michael Southon
Author Bio:
Michael Southon is a renowned writer. Michael likes to compose articles about this field.
Aaron Tucker Mysteries
I liked the story, the characters (and the author) so much I immediately ran out and bought the other two Aaron Tucker books. Now when do we get the fourth.
The molly doyle mystry
Elizabeth Porter was a top-of-the line Manhattan antiques dealer until her husband and his lover's flagrantly criminal scam left her reputation in tatters.
Sunny Frazier
I've always wanted to write, starting in elementary school and continuing into high school where I was the editor of the Lemoore, California, high school newspaper.
Ann Parker
Silver lies is a tale of greed.lust of deception set in leadvillein its heyday.
author Steven L. Shrewsbury
author Steven L. Shrewsbury, featuring selected short stories, essays, interviews, links, and pictures - as well as the latest news from Steven himself. Dack Shannon certified.
Vertigo Alley
The official web site of speculative author Jesse Gordon, featuring news, reviews, free fiction, videos, and more.
