“It’s how we survive that makes us who we are.” Rise Against.

Gx

I have a black and white cat too, and she is going to have babies!!!!
Oh that cat is so special, just like yours, and she gets so jealous when our neighbor’s black cat comes roaming around wanting to be pet. It’s so funny how she gets behind me and starts “fighting” with the other cat. So Dear Thelma, I feel this is one of those synchronicities I’ve been experiencing lately.

Have a lovely weekend….

Monica

Monica

Bang

The Story of a Great Storyteller

457 pages, written by yet another great storyteller Fernando Morais, is the biography of storytelling phenomenon none other than the Magical and Mystical Paulo Coelho. Released last month, “A Warrior’s Life” is the authorized biography which took Fernando Morais three years to complete. And what an amazing three years those must have been for Fernando who spent six weeks at Paulo’s side, eight months in Rio de Jenairo, the birthplace of Paulo Coelho, walking through his footsteps, and the rest digging into a treasure chest full of Paulo Coelho’s written and recorded diaries spanning forty years of his intimate life. I can just imagine how exciting it must have been for Fernando, like a kid opening presents on Christmas. Needless to say, this is exactly how I felt reading “A Warrior’s Life” in which I broke my own record, reading 457 pages in less than two days.

Paulo Coelho was born dead and lived to experience his first miracle within a miracle. Many more miracles follow in the life of Paulo and his story is intriguing and amazing to say the least. The biography tells detailed accounts from his childhood, the Jesuit schooling, his first and subsequent loves, the mental institutions, electric shock treatments, to sex drugs and rock and roll, to his days as songwriter, the secret and alternative societies, the arrests and tortures, the return of his faith in Catholicism all the way to selling 100,000,000 copies of his books. Reading his story I see more than one lifetime worth of experiences and achievements. Coyly I confess my favorite parts were reading excerpts of his diaries. I especially enjoyed reading his thoughts from his childhood, such a sweet intelligent young man and a talented writer he was, and what a strong will and determination and passion he has. He is dynamite, in a perpetual love affair with life.

A lot of people may find many things shocking about Paulo’s life, the sex life, the secret societies or his behavior at times. What was most shocking to me was the reaction of the critics. How do we tell a great story? Are there criteria we must follow in order to make a story great? What rules and regulations do we need to adhere to, to tell a great story or to satisfy the critics? What might be a great story for you might not be the least interesting for me, true enough, as many people as there are that many opinions exist. But when a book sells millions and millions of copies, there exists a consensus that yes, it is a Great story. Even with the worldwide success Paulo has had, and having graced the bestseller lists throughout the world, the critics still refused to accept a simple fact, and even went as far as insulting his millions of readers… wow, such bitterness and jealousy. To top off the ridiculousness of the situation, one even stated he has not read his books and does not like them, hm… case closed.

If you have not read any of Paulo’s books, I recommend starting with ‘The Alchemist,’ take an amazing journey with Santiago and discover the magic and the many treasures hiding in and between the lines. ‘The Alchemist’ is a modern classic and of course you are free to form your own opinion, but please, do read it before stating one. If you have read Paulo Coelho’s stories or not, you don’t want to miss the juicy details in the biography of one of the Greatest storytellers of our time. “A Warrior’s Life” depicts the life of, as Fernando Morais says, an “extraordinary individual.”

http://keithpp.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/a-warriors-life-by-fernando-marais/

I will now resist all temptation, put it to one side and look forward to reading it over Christmas.

A Warrior’s Life is an absolute must for Paulo Coelho fans. But I would also recommend it to others who may never have read his books or maybe never even heard of Paulo Coelho, as it is a fascinating read and very well written.

To date the only biography has been, Paulo Coelho: Confessions of a Pilgrim, a series of informal conversations with Juan Arias, which I also recommend.

Thanks Paulo!

The biografy to me seems so much involved in describing darkness, and leaves the impression of a person who uses others for his own benefit, who doesn’t treat women very well and a person who would put his name on a book that he hasn’t even written, without acknowledging the real author. It’s to the extent that I can’t see where the light in Mr. Coelho’s work has come from. It’s like I don’t even recognize that the person who wrote these books can be the very same person that the biografy describes.

But the only sign that I have being a … witch is a … black and white cat that I used to have!! Her name was … Maria /Maroulla, like my mother’s name and she was very clever and playful, even .. talking to me! When she was going to have her first baby she came up the stairs to our apartment and she was crying outside the door.. When I opened her I saw that she was in pain and bleeding.. So I took my keys and ran downstairs.. and there in front of me she gave birth to her baby! Oh she was so proud !! Next day she took it and came up with him in … her mouth. She put him on the carpet and stepped back looking into my eyes to show how proud she was of him!!!..
But I prefer the title …. ‘Mama’; at least I am not in danger to be … burnt to the stake or to be .. tied up on a chair and be drowned into the river in order to …be proved that I am a ..witch!![ Maybe this is the reason I am afraid of the ... water!!] This story was told to us by our guide last Summer in Scotland!
LOVE,
Thelma xxx

well , honestly i dont want to get married to rich or otherwise…i like my company…a lot…. and am of the belief that marriage is too far a give and take instituition for my liking…

but thanks for your wishes….you are bang on when you said about the prayer….its the only time i feel confident to take on anything

Thank you for your kind words. I know that India can be a difficult place to live both socially and with the war raging on your door step. We all have opinions to share and at least this is a place/blog where we can interact with the world and share ideas with like minded people. Maybe if you pray you will find love & that person may also be rich!

today you said something that resonates every time within me when i come to this tworld.

There are so many who talk and converse regularly that i feel were i to join them i would be bracketed as a ‘jaded hanger on’

i console myself saying if i really like someone i dont need to tell the world about it…i can keep it within me ..look at it from time to time and feel happy about it………..

and dont feel bad abt financial ruin…i am from india …right now in this stage of my life i have 2 option get married to a rich , well settled guy…or be a outcasted by the family.personally i am taking steps to do everything to get away from this and in the process alienating myself from those who mattered once so much……..

personally, i feel that can be avoided when you feel like you have achieved something……

Thanks for your reply! It’s true – it is a nice thing to be around people on the same vibration – it is what life is all about. I would love to go for a wine someday but alas I can hardly afford to put €10 of petrol into my little jeep and the country is flooded! Can’t drive west to east; Ha! I’ll send you some psychic words through the clouds! But the next time I’m in Dub I will let you know or if you’re in Galway give me a holler. We just had a crack of lightning directly over the house… amazing. Breda says “hello.”

Thankyou for sharing your thoughts.
I totally relate to what you described as your motivations for wanting to read Paulo’s life-story….we learn from our own stories but also those of the people around us…and people we admire…most definitely.
I concur completely with your distain of the idea that that might give the appearance of a ‘a jaded hanger on’…I think that there is nothing as beautiful as the feeling of being close to and around other souls who resonate to the same frequency…and I am not ashamed of persuing that. Life is for living.
I have so much respect for Paulo’s work and his clear, ever-curious and courageous heart.

Anyway..thanks for your words, Kealan….

Next time you’re over this side of the island, mail me and we’ll share a glass of wine or 2 again.
And say Hi to your beautiful Mum
:o)

ps…Paulo….it is only HALF of your life story….there is plenty more to come!
Much love from Dublin,
Fi

I’m left speechless after hours of laughter, sadness, anger, disbelief, awe, and excitement. Wow, what passion Paulo has!

Paulo, you are Dynamite!

Thank you Fernando, you wrote it so well!

Dear Paulo thank you for sharing your life with us. All your stories are magical! You are truly immortal!

In gratitude,
Carolena.

May all your skies be blue ones
May all your dreams be seen,
May all your friends be true ones
And all your joys complete
May happines and laughter
Fill all your days for you
Today and ever after
May all your dreams come true.