Maktub: An Inspirational Companion to The Alchemist

by Paulo Coelho, Margaret Jull Costa (Translator)

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

A collection of wisdom from one of the most inspiring writers of this era. These assorted stories expand on Coelho’s timeless classic, The Alchemist, proving the perfect companion to the literary marvel.

An essential companion to the inspirational classic The Alchemist, filled with timeless stories of reflection and rediscovery.

From one of the greatest writers of our age comes a collection of stories and parables unlocking the mysteries of the human condition. Gathered from Paulo Coelho’s daily column of the same name, Maktub, meaning “it is written,” invites seekers on a journey of faith, self-reflection, and transformation. As Paulo Coelho explains, “Maktub is not a book of advice—but an exchange of experiences.”

Each story offers an illuminated path to see life and the lives of our fellow people around the world in new ways, allowing us to tap into universal truths about our collective and individual humanity. As Coelho writes, “a man who seeks only the light, while shirking his responsibilities, will never find illumination. And one who keep his eyes fixed upon the sun . . . ends up blind.” In these wise tales akin to Zen koans and other mysteries of the universe, there are talking snakes, old women climbing mountains, disciples querying their masters, Buddha in dialogue, mysterious hermits, and many saints.

Following the path of his previous internationally bestselling works, this thoughtful collection of short, inspirational pieces, introduced in a foreword by the author and illustrated with black-and-white line art throughout, will engage seekers of all ages and backgrounds.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798212899710
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	03/05/2024
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 7.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Paulo Coelho, born in Rio de Janeiro in 1947, is one of the bestselling and most influential authors in the world. The Alchemist, The Valkyries, Brida, The Fifth Mountain, Eleven Minutes, The Zahir, The Witch of Portobello, Veronika Decides to Die, The Winner Stands Alone, Aleph, Adultery, and Hippie, among others, have sold over 320 million copies worldwide.

Edoardo Ballerini is a two-time winner of the Audio Publisher Association’s Best Male Narrator Award, a two-time winner of Society of Voice Arts Awards, and was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine in 2019.

Margaret Jull Costa
has been translating Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American fiction for over twenty years. She won the translator’s portion of the 1997 IMPAC Award for
Javier Marías’ Heart So White and the
2006 Premio Valle-Inclán for her translation of the first volume of his trilogy
Your Face Tomorrow: Fever and Spear.

Hometown:

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Date of Birth:

August 24, 1947

Place of Birth:

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Education:

Left law school in second year

Website:

http://www.paulocoelho.com

Editorial Reviews

02/19/2024

Novelist Coelho (The Pilgrimage) gathers an eclectic array of the parables, musings, and ephemera he published from 1993 to 1994 in a daily column for the Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo. Inspired by Pablo Picasso (“God is an artist.... He was never trying to follow a style; he was simply doing whatever he felt like doing”) and St. Francis of Assisi (the spiritual journey “is, above all, a challenge... anyone who uses it to escape from his problems will never get very far”), Coelho meditates on creative and spiritual quests; the power of a disciplined mind (negative thoughts “can’t harm you as long as you don’t allow yourself to be seduced by them”); and how unconditional love for others “transforms the Universe around us.” The parables for which the author is best known are carefully wrought even if they convey standard messages, as in a story about a servant who misinterprets his master’s instruction to “entrust everything to God” by failing to tie up their horses, which later run away (the takeaway being that God can appear in unlikely places, including within humans). These brief nuggets of wisdom are conveyed in evocative prose (“God acts as the echo of our actions”) and enrich the themes of faith, destiny, and spirituality running through Coelho’s most famous works. The author’s many fans will find much to appreciate. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"On these pages, readers will encounter a wealth of timeless truths and practical guidance." — Booklist

"These brief nuggets of wisdom are conveyed in evocative prose ('God acts as the echo of our actions') and enrich the themes of faith, destiny, and spirituality running through Coelho’s most famous works. The author’s many fans will find much to appreciate." — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher