Welcome to this read along of 10 of the most magical and enigmatic books written by the Magus himself. Together we will discover the mystical and sometimes contradictory world of one the most popular authors of our generation.
Paulo Coelho has been a significant figure in my life since 1993 when I was a member of the publishing team that first launched his multi - million copy bestseller The Alchemist.
You can read the story of when I first met Paulo and how his magic has influenced all my decision making ever since HERE.
How Paulo went from being an unknown Brazilian author to a record breaking muti-lingual international sensation is the stuff of legend and his encouragement to all his readers to follow their Personal Legend has become a theme running through all his books. In everything he has written, he is exploring what it means to be part of the divine mystery and how magic can be a normal part of our daily lives.
For that reason, I invite you to join me and thousands of others in a year-long read of his ten classic titles (including The Alchemist) starting on Thursday February 1st 2024. We will be reading the books in the order of their publication, beginning with The Pilgrimage (Previously known in English as The Diary of a Magus.)
So why join a read along of Paulo Coelho’s classic works?
When an author sells in excess of 320 million copies of their books - we should probably take notice and ask, do I have more to learn and benefit from his work? This number of copies sold by a living author places Paulo in the same sales bracket as J.K. Rawling (Harry Potter series) and Dan Brown (Da Vinci code et al).
Paulo also has one of the largest social media followings of any living author, (over 30 million plus followers on Facebook) which is a sign of his ongoing popularity and influence on so many people’s lives.
He is loved and revered by many celebrities across the world including #Oprah Winfrey, Pharrell Williams and #Madonna who said,
"The Alchemist is a beautiful book about magic, dreams and the treasures we seek elsewhere and then find on our doorstep."
Paulo is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters and the recipient of over 115 awards and honours, including the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the Grinzane Cavour Book Award and the Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur, to name a few.
Which books will feature in the Paulo Coelho read along?
We will be reading the books that are in the 10 box set in the order of their original publication, they are:
The Pilgrimage:
In this gripping story, Paulo Coelho is on a quest for the ultimate in self-knowledge, wisdom and spiritual mastery.
The Alchemist:
Santiago, a young shepherd living in the hills of Andalucia, feels that there is more to life than his humble home and his flock.
Brida:
This is the story of Brida, a young Irish girl, and her quest for knowledge.
The Valkyries:
The Valkyries is a compelling account of this forty day quest into the searing heat of the Mojave Desert, where Paulo and his wife, Chris, encounter the Valkyries.
The Fifth Mountain:
The Fifth Mountain is set in the 9th century BC. Elijah is a young man struggling to maintain his sanity amidst a chaotic world of tyranny and war.
Manual of The Warrior of Light:
This book is a jewel for all of us who look for meaning in our daily lives as we struggle along the spiritual path.
Veronika Decides To Die:
Veronika has everything she could wish for. She is young and pretty, has plenty of boyfriends, a steady job, and a loving family.
Eleven Minutes:
A chance meeting in Rio takes Maria to Geneva, where she dreams of finding fame and fortune, yet ends up working the streets as a prostitute.
The Zahir:
One day a renowned author discovers that his wife, a war correspondent, has disappeared leaving no trace.
The Witch of Portobello:
This is the story of Athena, or Sherine, to give her the name she was baptised with. Her life is pieced together through a series of recorded interviews with those people who knew her well or hardly at all.
All the titles are available to order here:
Does it matter if I have read some of these books already?
No, not at all, in fact you may find it enlightening to read them again. The dual aspect of Paulo’s writing is that it is easy to read and multi-layered at the same time. In other words, with each reading you may discover hidden gems of meaning that you possibly missed the first time around.
Also, by joining in the read along you can benefit from the insights that I and other readers will be adding, as well as sharing your own, so we can all gain new insights.
Are Paulo’s books hard to read?
We will be reading the English translation versions, so if English is your first language, then you should have no difficulty at all. Paulo deliberately made his writing accessible to most levels of ability and even if English is not your first language you will find his books easier to read than many other contemporary authors.
What is slightly more tricky is the interpretation of his stories. Sometimes the meaning in his writing can be obtuse and ambiguous - leading to multiple interpretations and potential confusion for the reader. This is deliberate, and we can talk about why Paulo chose to write like this. This style is part of the genius that Paulo brings to his work and it’s easy to miss. If he wrote in any other way, the power in his stories would be significantly reduced. The question Paulo is asking in his writing is, what does this mean for you? With the help of the notes and forums in this read along you will find you are able to see deeper into Paulo’s intent in his stories.
How do I keep track of which book we are reading?
Reading 10 books over 12 months is not a difficult feat in how much time it will take, and don’t worry because there will be a timetable you can follow for which sections of each book we will be reading together. I will let you know the exact pages for each week nearer the time.
On average we will be reading 60 - 70 pages a week and in a nutshell here’s a brief summary of the reading milestones:
January - We will be preparing for our read with some background notes and behind the scenes details on Paulo to help us understand his approach to writing.
February - The Pilgrimage
March - The Alchemist
April - Brida
May - The Valkyries
June - The Fifth Mountain
July - Manual of The Warrior of Light
August - Veronika Decides To Die
Sept - Eleven Minutes
October - The Zahir
November - The Witch of Portobello
December - We will share together the highlights for us individually and collectively from the 10 books and I will be providing a summary overview of our key takeaways.
In my weekly updates, Magic Mondays, I will give you some background to each story and its characters and themes as well as some insider insights from Paulo’s own comments about each story. There will be quotes with images to bring the content to life, and links for you to find out more.
What is a read along?
A read along is very much like a book club or a reading group with some significant added benefits.
Starting in February, we are going to read the Paulo Coelho 10 book box set throughout 2024 to the end of November.
Each week, I will send you a newsletter with a recap of what we have read together, a character list, a plot summary, and resources for further discussion. I will follow this up with a discussion thread or chat thread on the substack website and app, where you can share your thoughts and ask questions.
I am your host, but it is your read along. Feel free to suggest, organise or collaborate on anything Paulo Coelho, online or offline, as the year rolls on. We might do a meet up on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in October 2024 - I will share more details later. I’m also keen to do interviews and guest posts, so reach out to me if you are at all interested.
How much reading is there each week?
The box set has about 2,850 pages in total. On average, that’s 70 pages a week over the 10 months. Don’t worry, the pages are not long and the average reader will find that pace an easy exercise.
Can I read at my own pace?
Of course! This is a read along not an exam! If you can’t put a book down and finish it in one sitting- that’s fine, or if you get busy and have to catch up later - that’s fine too. My posts and our discussion will always be here for you when you want them. The essential thing is that you enjoy reading and have am enlightening experience in the process.
How do I join?
Make sure you are subscribed to The Paulo Coelho Read Along for all the updates and discussion.
Then turn on notifications for the The Paulo Coelho Read Along newsletter on the manage subscription page. This is turned off by default:
Is it free?
My newsletter is free, the discussion threads are free, and reading is free if you have access to a library.
However, each week there will be bonus material for paying subscribers, such as:
Additional creative notes from me where I will reveal new insights and recommendations from the wider range of Paulo’s books.
Access to my book - The Secret of The Alchemist (#1 in Amazon 20th Century Literary Criticism), in which I reveal the impact on my life of my personal encounter with Paulo and the true meaning of Santiago’s personal legend through the lens of Carl Jung’s interpretation of Alchemy.
Advice on getting your own writing published. (I was 25 years in publishing and as a literary agent.)
For only $50 a year you can show your appreciation for my work in making this read along a unique and transforming experience and if you do value this resource and can afford it, I would really appreciate your support as a paying subscriber. Thank you!
In addition to keeping the show on the road, this will also allow me to gift complimentary subscriptions to engaged readers on low or no income. If that’s you, get in touch, so I can support your reading!
12. That’s it. Any further questions?
I hope you’ll join me next year. It’s going to be a fabulous experience and a wonderful adventure in reading and magic.
If you’ve got any further questions, leave me a comment or hit reply.
And if you know someone who might love this read along: what are you waiting for?
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