Biografie

Paulo Coelho was born in 1947 into a middle-class family, the son of Pedro, an engineer, and Lygia, a housewife.

At seven, he entered the Jesuit school of San Ignacio in Rio de Janeiro. Paulo came to detest the obligatory nature of religious practice. However, although he hated praying and going to mass, there were compensations. In the school\'s austere corridors, Paulo discovered his true vocation: to be a writer. He won his first literary prize in a school poetry competition, and his sister, Sonia, recounts how she won an essay prize by entering something that Paulo had discarded in the wastepaper bin.

\"Paulo Coelho is not only one of the most widely read, but also one the most influential authors writing today,\" wrote the Bambi awards in Germany. \"His books have had a life-enhancing impact on millions of people\" wrote The Times in UK.

To date a sum of 280 translations in 59 languages have been published with sales totalling almost 56 million copies in 150 countries. For 15 years Paulo Coelho\'s different titles have made the top places on the bestseller lists around the world. According to Reuters (Oct 8, 2003) Paulo Coelho ranks among the world\'s three most successful writers.

Paulo Coelho has led an extreme life. Rebelliousness defined his youth. He was a hippie. He wrote popular song lyrics for some of Brazil\'s famous pop music stars, including Elis Regina and Raul Seixas. Shortly after, he worked as a journalist.

In 1986 Paulo Coelho walked the Road to Santiago, a medieval pilgrim\'s route between France and Spain. He would later describe this experience in The Pilgrimage, published in 1987. The following year, his second book The Alchemist established his worldwide fame. The book has already achieved the status of a modern classic, universally admired. Considered a timeless story, will enchant and inspire a whole new readers from generations to come.

Other titles include Brida (1990), The Valkyries (1992), Maktub (1994) - a compilation of his daily columns, By The River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept (1994), The Fifth Mountain (1996), The Manual of the Warrior of Light (1997), Veronika Decides to Die (1998) and The Devil and Miss Prym (2000).

According to the industry newsletter Publishing Trends, Coelho\'s latest novel, Eleven Minutes, appeared at the top of more best-selling fiction lists around the world in 2003.

Paulo Coelho\'s new novel entitled The Zahir will be published during 2005.

He is recipient of numerous prestigious international awards. The critics have especially praised his poetic, realistic and philosophical style, and the symbolic language that does not speak to our brains, but to our hearts. He is a member of the prestigious Brazilian Academy of Letters (2002).

In addition to the books, he writes a weekly journalistic columns syndicated throughout the world to several organizations and occasionally, articles on current events. Paulo Coelho has created a newsletter, The Manual On-Line, which has more of 44,000 subscribers.

Paulo Coelho and his wife, Christina Oiticica, are the founders of the Paulo Coelho Institute, which provides support and opportunities for underprivileged members of the Brazilian society, especially children and elderly. He was appointed special advisor to the UNESCO program \"Spiritual Convergences and Intercultural Dialogues\" and he was appointed board member of the Schwab Foundation for social entrepreneurship. He was the first non-Muslim author to be invited to an exchange of ideas in Iran since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

Paulo Coelho have the Guinness World Recordfor most translations (53) of a single title (The Alchemist) signed in one sitting (45 minutes). The record has been attained as a result of an international book signing hold at the Frankfurt Book Fair (2003).

The man behind the author loves reading, travelling, computers, internet, climbing, walking and practicing Kyudo, a form of meditative archery. Every morning, he wakes early and after a two-hour walk he shoots 24 arrows using one of his three bows.

Major prizes and decorations

\"Order of Honour of Ukraine\" (Ukraine 2004)
\"Order of St. Sophia\" for contribution to revival of science and culture (Ukraine 2004)
\"Nielsen Gold Book Award\" for The Alchemist (UK 2004)
\"Ex Libris Award\" for Eleven Minutes (Serbia 2004)
Golden Bestseller Prize from the largest circulation daily \"Večernje Novosti\" (Serbia 2004)
\"Best Fiction Corine International Award 2002\" for The Alchemist (Germany 2002)
\"Club of Budapest Planetary Arts Award 2002\" as a recognition of his literary work (Germany 2002)
\"Bambi 2001 Award\" (Germany 2001)
\"XXIII Premio Internazionale Fregene\" (Italy 2001)
\"Crystal Mirror Award\" (Poland 2000)
\"Chevalier de l\'Ordre National de la Légion d\'Honneur\" (France 1999)
\"Crystal Award\" World Economic Forum (1999)
\"Golden Medal of Galicia\" (Spain 1999)
Finalist for the \"International IMPAC Literary Award\" (Ireland 1997 and 2000)
\"Comendador de Ordem do Rio Branco\" (Brazil 1998)
\"Golden Book\" (Yugoslavia 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2004)
\"Super Grinzane Cavour Book Award\" (Italy 1996)
\"Flaiano International Award\" (Italy 1996)
\"Knight of Arts and Letters\" (France 1996)
\"Grand Prix Litteraire Elle\" (France 1995)