Paulo Coelho facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paulo Coelho
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Coelho in June 2024
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| Born | Paulo Coelho de Souza 24 August 1947 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
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| Genre | Drama, romance |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Notable works | The Alchemist |
| Spouse | |
Paulo Coelho de Souza, born on August 24, 1947, is a famous Brazilian writer and songwriter. He is known for writing the international bestseller The Alchemist, which was published in 1988. Since 2002, he has been a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters, a group of important Brazilian writers and thinkers.
Contents
Early Life and Adventures
Paulo Coelho was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He went to a school run by Jesuits. When he was 17, his parents tried to help him with some challenges he was facing. They sent him to a special place, and he tried to leave three times before he was finally released at age 20. Paulo later said that his parents "didn't know what to do" and that they wanted to "save" him.
His parents wanted him to study law. Paulo started law school but soon realized his dream was to be a writer. He left school after one year. Then, he traveled a lot, exploring South America, North Africa, Mexico, and Europe. He lived a free-spirited life, like a hippie.
Paulo Coelho's Career
Becoming a Songwriter
When Paulo returned to Brazil, he started working as a songwriter. He wrote lyrics for popular Brazilian singers like Elis Regina, Rita Lee, and Raul Seixas. Working with Raul Seixas, some of their songs explored themes of magic. In 1974, Paulo faced difficulties with the government because of his song lyrics. He also worked as an actor, a journalist, and a theater director before focusing on writing books.
A Life-Changing Journey
In 1986, Paulo Coelho walked the Road of Santiago de Compostela. This is a long journey of over 500 miles in Spain. During this walk, he had an important realization about his life. He felt a strong urge to become a writer. He later said that even though he was happy with his songwriting career and had everything he needed, he wasn't fulfilling his true dream. After this journey, Paulo decided to leave his successful songwriting job and become a full-time writer.
Starting His Writing Journey
In 1982, Paulo published his first book, Hell Archives, but it didn't become very popular. After his journey on the Way of St. James, he wrote The Pilgrimage, which was published in 1987.
One day, Paulo was thinking about starting his writing career. He decided that if he saw a white feather, it would be a sign from God to write a new book. He saw one in a shop window and started writing that very day. The next year, he wrote The Alchemist. A small Brazilian publisher first printed only 900 copies and didn't want to print more. But then, a bigger publisher took on his next book, Brida, and The Alchemist became very popular. HarperCollins published it in 1994, and it became a huge international bestseller. Paulo has mentioned that the Sufi tradition, a spiritual path, influenced him when he wrote The Alchemist.
Since The Alchemist became famous, Paulo Coelho has written at least one new novel almost every two years. Some of his books, like The Pilgrimage, Hippie, The Valkyries, and Aleph, are about his own life experiences. Other books, like Maktub and Like the Flowing River, are collections of essays or teachings. His books have been published in over 170 countries and translated into 83 languages. Together, his books have sold more than 320 million copies around the world.
Film About Paulo Coelho
A movie about Paulo Coelho's life was made. Its international title is The Pilgrim – Story of Paulo Coelho. It was a co-production between Brazil and Spain. The film shows Paulo at different ages, played by two different actors. One of the producers said the movie is about "a man who has a dream." The film was first shown in Brazilian theaters in 2014 and was released internationally in 2015.
Personal Life
Paulo Coelho married artist Christina Oiticica in 1980. For many years, they divided their time between Rio de Janeiro and a country house in the Pyrenees mountains in France. Now, they live permanently in Geneva, Switzerland.
Images for kids
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Coelho in June 2024
See also
In Spanish: Paulo Coelho para niños
