Reading Paolo Coelho (P. 1)
"So...who's your favorite author?" I once asked a friend.
"Paolo Coelho," she said excitedly. "Do you know him?"
"I've heard of him but I've never read his books."
This was like the common response I get from people whenever I ask them who their favorite author is. If I asked them what their favorite book was they would say "The Alchemist" (written by Paolo Coelho). If it wasn't Mitch Albom, it was Paolo Coelho. Paolo Coelho, Paolo Coelho, Paolo Coelho!
What's the big deal with this Paolo Coelho guy? How come everyone is saying I love this author! I love the books he wrote! Oh, it made me think about life! He's spiritual! And he's books are self help!
Seriously, what's the big deal?
I have to read the books this guy wrote.
And so 3 or something weeks ago I finally got two of his books, Veronika Decides to Die and Eleven Minutes. It took me a while to finish Venorika Decides to Die and that means I didn't quite fall in love with it. I also did not get an answer to my question.
Veronika decides to Die is a story of a 24 year old named Veronika who decided to die. And if you want the whole story you can read it here.
Well this isn't one of my favorite books and it's not a very good book to start with if you're reading Paolo Coelho for the first time but I gotta say that there are a lot of ideas in the book that I am gladly keeping.
One is, being normal. The book made me understand what being normal means. Normal means conforming, normal means doing what the majority of people do.
Two, expressing one's ideas (in relation to the first one).
Let me guys tell you a story, a couple of weeks ago I was chatting with a guy from work and I sort of mentioned Victorian Era.
He laughed.
I asked him why are you laughing?
He said because I mentioned Victorian Era.
What's so funny about Victorian Era?
He laughed.
I guess it was funny because no one eve mentions it.
He finally replied, "You should really stop reading what you're reading."
What does he mean by that? Does he think I'm insane for even mentioning Victorian Era? Because in the social circle I'm in right now nobody ever mention these things. Nobody ever mention about books, nobody ever mention intellectual stuff (whatever tha means). People mention about boyfriends, crushes, girldfriends, how Krista is so sexy and that they never edited her picture on FHM, food, more food, and boring everyday life.
And so after finishing Veronika Decides to Die I never really stop pondering about what makes everyone love Paolo Coelho.
I did come up with an answer before reading Eleven Minutes, Paolo Coelho talks about things we know but never realized.
Then just to understand Paolo Coelho more I read Eleven Minutes. Eleven Minutes is about a young Brazilian woman named Maria who ended up working as a prostitute in Switzerland. Before starting the novel you should know that the book contains scenes that are not suitable for very young readers. The book includes sex and other stuff related to it.
That I know but didn't realize that the question or the idea for the book is "Is there such thing as sacred sex?" That which I realized after reading 2 more books by Coelho.
After finishing the book I gotta say that I liked it (This was when I still believed that the whole idea of the book is finding out true love). I love the idea that she was seeking for true love and it was executed by the writer in a whole different way. The character was never satisfied and she was able to look and look deeper into her self and then at the end she was rewarded because she was able to find herself, find her true love.
And then there was the whole sacred sex (and other stuff related to it) that I didn't understand and which I disregard because I didn't think it was that important.
After reading many reviews in goodreads and realizing that the book is about sacred sex which I didn't get at all..I finally gave Eleven Minutes 2 stars (it's okay).
I still liked to think that it's about searching for "true love."
And oh..I just remember out of the 5 books from Coelho that I've read Maria is the only one from Brazil.
More to come: The Devil and Miss Prym, The Alchemist, and Brida.
To be cont.
P. S.
Who is your favorite author?
Do you guys know Paolo Coelho? Ever read his books?
"Paolo Coelho," she said excitedly. "Do you know him?"
"I've heard of him but I've never read his books."
This was like the common response I get from people whenever I ask them who their favorite author is. If I asked them what their favorite book was they would say "The Alchemist" (written by Paolo Coelho). If it wasn't Mitch Albom, it was Paolo Coelho. Paolo Coelho, Paolo Coelho, Paolo Coelho!
What's the big deal with this Paolo Coelho guy? How come everyone is saying I love this author! I love the books he wrote! Oh, it made me think about life! He's spiritual! And he's books are self help!
Seriously, what's the big deal?
I have to read the books this guy wrote.
And so 3 or something weeks ago I finally got two of his books, Veronika Decides to Die and Eleven Minutes. It took me a while to finish Venorika Decides to Die and that means I didn't quite fall in love with it. I also did not get an answer to my question.
Veronika decides to Die is a story of a 24 year old named Veronika who decided to die. And if you want the whole story you can read it here.
Well this isn't one of my favorite books and it's not a very good book to start with if you're reading Paolo Coelho for the first time but I gotta say that there are a lot of ideas in the book that I am gladly keeping.
One is, being normal. The book made me understand what being normal means. Normal means conforming, normal means doing what the majority of people do.
Two, expressing one's ideas (in relation to the first one).
Let me guys tell you a story, a couple of weeks ago I was chatting with a guy from work and I sort of mentioned Victorian Era.
He laughed.
I asked him why are you laughing?
He said because I mentioned Victorian Era.
What's so funny about Victorian Era?
He laughed.
I guess it was funny because no one eve mentions it.
He finally replied, "You should really stop reading what you're reading."
What does he mean by that? Does he think I'm insane for even mentioning Victorian Era? Because in the social circle I'm in right now nobody ever mention these things. Nobody ever mention about books, nobody ever mention intellectual stuff (whatever tha means). People mention about boyfriends, crushes, girldfriends, how Krista is so sexy and that they never edited her picture on FHM, food, more food, and boring everyday life.
And so after finishing Veronika Decides to Die I never really stop pondering about what makes everyone love Paolo Coelho.
I did come up with an answer before reading Eleven Minutes, Paolo Coelho talks about things we know but never realized.
Then just to understand Paolo Coelho more I read Eleven Minutes. Eleven Minutes is about a young Brazilian woman named Maria who ended up working as a prostitute in Switzerland. Before starting the novel you should know that the book contains scenes that are not suitable for very young readers. The book includes sex and other stuff related to it.
That I know but didn't realize that the question or the idea for the book is "Is there such thing as sacred sex?" That which I realized after reading 2 more books by Coelho.
After finishing the book I gotta say that I liked it (This was when I still believed that the whole idea of the book is finding out true love). I love the idea that she was seeking for true love and it was executed by the writer in a whole different way. The character was never satisfied and she was able to look and look deeper into her self and then at the end she was rewarded because she was able to find herself, find her true love.
And then there was the whole sacred sex (and other stuff related to it) that I didn't understand and which I disregard because I didn't think it was that important.
After reading many reviews in goodreads and realizing that the book is about sacred sex which I didn't get at all..I finally gave Eleven Minutes 2 stars (it's okay).
I still liked to think that it's about searching for "true love."
And oh..I just remember out of the 5 books from Coelho that I've read Maria is the only one from Brazil.
More to come: The Devil and Miss Prym, The Alchemist, and Brida.
To be cont.
P. S.
Who is your favorite author?
Do you guys know Paolo Coelho? Ever read his books?
4 Comments:
I consider Paolo Coelho as one of my favorite authors.
So far, I have read the following from him:
1. The Alchemist
2. By The River Piedra I Sat Down And Wept
3. The Devil and Miss Prym
4. Eleven Minutes
5. The Zahir
Iyong ibang books niya hindi ko pa natatapos basahin. Itinigil ko iyong pagbabasa sa Veronika Decides to Die. Pero ngayong I'm looking forward in reading Brida.
I remember writing about what I read in his books on my blog. Gusto ko kasi siyang magsulat. Pero ang napapansin ko sa mga nabasa ko e, laging may "journey" or iyong characters laging may hinahanap para mas makilala pa iyong sarili nila.
:)
I've heard maganda daw ung by the river piedra...I'm planning to read but not soon..kc parang na-ooverdose ako ke paolo coelho.
Yup may mga Journey...at always ung mga Character is seeking for something..or seeking something na ndi nila hinahanap. ^_^
I've never heard of this Paolo Whomever... my favorite author is probably John Green. He's definitely my literary hero at least.
Jordyn,
I'm definitely so shocked right now (and happy)...haha..you've never heard of him, eh?
Oh John Green, I'm still waiting for his books to come out here...I don't see his books anywhere. Hope to read his books soon (I'd been getting a lot of good recommendation.)
^_^
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