Part of CNN’s Connect the World, this week we’ve picked two giants on their respective continents: Brazil and Nigeria. Here we ask novelist Paulo Coelho what he loves about Brazil.
(CNN) — One of the most widely read authors of recent times, Brazilian-born novelist Paulo Coelho talks exclusively to CNN about what Brazil means to him.
Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, the best-selling author of “The Alchemist” dreamt of becoming a writer from an early age, but was stifled by his parents, who insisted he follow his father’s footsteps and become an engineer.
But only a year into his studies the adventurous young Brazilian had dropped out, and by the 1970s had made a name for himself in Brazil’s politically infused artistic movement, becoming a successful songwriter and co-creator of the controversial comic strip “Kring-ha.”
However, his messages were viewed as left-wing and dangerous: Coelho was branded a “subversive” by Brazil’s then-ruling military government and was arrested and tortured.
TO READ MY INTERVIEW TO CNN CLICK HERE
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
TU PASADO ES TUYO PAULO Y TE PERTENECE FUERON COSAS QUE HICISTE PARA FORMARTE Y LLEGAR A DONDE ESTAS HOY SEGURO TE SIRVIO DE BASE TODO LO QUE VIVISTE PARA ENTENDER LA VIDA Y DE FORMA MARAVILLOSA TRANSMITIRNOS A TODOS TUS LECTORES DEL MUNDO, SI DEBO CONVERSARTE QUE A MI TU EXPERIENCIA Y CADA UNA DE TUS OBRAS ME A SERVIDO PARA IGUALMENTE TRANSMITIR A MI FAMILIA CUALQUIER IDEA ANECDOTA O LA FORMA DE ENCAMINAR ALGUN INCONVENIENTE
Dear Paulo,
My dream is to deliver a speech at the United Nations in New York as a citizen of the world, representing my country, France as an Ambassador for Good Will with Zinedine Zidane.
Thank you.
With love
Marie-Christine
“Enjoy the answers, forget the questions.”
Parabéns pelo sucesso!
Aproveito para lhe convidar, a partir de setembro/2010, seguir uma série para se ler, Papyrus Divinus.
blog.andreaaandrade.com.br
Um grande abraço,
HI Paulo !
i like you for being an authentic person, someone who does not surrender easily to what he feels is not right, who can risk his all to see for oneself, a man who can be said to be becomming an individual ( normally most of us are so divided, one moment we are one, next something else ).
tell me something, if u please. do u find it gratifying when u receive ‘confirmations’ from others e.g. an interview with CNN, an expected invited from some head of state ( i remember readaing it in diary of a magus ). It has taken a heculean effort to create what u did, a writer, world famous, rich. will it be possible for you to walk away from it all, to solitude and silence for ever. other than asking people to pursue their dreams what drives you.
U were born in brazil but as u can see the whole world or more specifically all dreamers of the world consider you their own.
so let’s continue to dream and as our beloved ex president once said ” dreams are not what u see when u sleep, dreams are those which don’t let u sleep ” and oh ! by the way have a nice sleep always.
love
I am really glad that now you are with God and live with his direction.
Olá Paulo!
Estou muito feliz em ler a sua entrevista e orgulhosa!
Gosto muito do meu país mas sei que o meu coração é livre e extenso pra amar todos os lugares que puder conhecer.
Eu fico muito feliz de ver que os seus fãs saibam ver através de você que o nosso país não tem somentes coisas ruins, mas que também temos maravilhas.
Paulo tenho que concordar, Deus é brasileiro(pelo menos pra mim é, rs).
Fique com Deus!
I am a citizen of the world, so I am as much a Brazilian as I am Greek or Chinese or Egyptian..and so on, :D :D
so I am proud too! :D
loved the interview
Love and Gratitude
Annie
L’interview. Oui, merci
in te r view
en toi sont des vues
citizen
si ti zen K
if you are zen = the key
si tu es zen = la clef
you hold the key if you are Zen
Bè…ognuno dovrebbe essere fiero di se stesso e tu, sei un bel esempio!
Ognuno di noi abbiamo una qualità…!
well…everyone should be proud oh himself and you are a good example!
Each of us have a quality…!
Oui, Dieu est ne au Bresil et… l’arbitre aussi.
Merci pour l’education sans frontieres! beaucoup de lecons apprises et a apprendre… Evidemment!
Merci pour ce: “Made in Brasil” Unique
Beijos e com tudo mi amor
Marie-Christine
Goooo Coelho Gooo!!! I wanna visit Brazil sometime. This is in my list in things to do.
Isn’t it great to have the sea at home? ;)
Have lots of fun in the Alps!
Love
Olta
Hola Paulo,
como ciudadana del MUNDO tambien estoy orgullosa de ser brasileña.
Desde Argentina con amor y muchas bendiciones para tí.
Lilián
Like your picture … refreshing …
What touches me is how you tried you had a dream, then with the circumstances tried to blend in to finally come back to your dream, realize it and which brought you to live totally who you are having made a difference and making a difference. Funny because that is how it happened to me … sensing, seeing and not fitting, seeking to let my true nature live, then silencing it and trying to blend to finally finish with a desire to live this world, which I had left in a certain way, and then giving it a last chance and deciding to follow my heart … walking that path, respecting and doing my best to act in respect to my soul.
I made the exercise of answering the same with my own place … I was born in the only french place in all Canada, the one that battled to keep its culture, its language, to resist to the invasion and attempt of domination of english influences. I smile … it paints great time in my own life.
I live in a country that does its best to make place for all and try not to loose its identity. I smile … that is what I have to master.
I was born on the land once occupied by Amerindians … which makes me smile as I write this … I was wondering why my soul was so excited and was like I know all this or am attracted to all this as I read with passion all the books of Carlos Castaneda, all the writrings pertaining to traditional wisedom from those people.
A place that I love, the Oratoire Saint Joseph which was a dream of Father André who had a gift. His Saint was yours !!! And here I was in Melk for celebrating this Saint in your company. I remember 30 years ago being there and writing what my soul wished the most … freedom, at that moment of drugs, alcool and beliefs about myself and limitations that I believed that were keeping me in chains. I returned after Melk up there to write my gratitude and express what now my soul wished the most … and it is starting to happen.
You know, it always feels my soul when I take time to reflect and do these exercices … I am able at that moment to see beyond and capture the Great Energy, the Divine Presence that is in action, the souls that are here to accomplish much more. A way of crossing the bridge of the ordinary world and have a peak at the extraordinary world.
With fraternal love, Jojo.
ja li todos os seus livros e sempre acreditei em voce, embora tão criticado no passado. Se chegou até aqui é porque realmente há qualidade.
Um leitura magica, macia e envolvente, além do seu carisma só poderia ter esse sucesso.
Deveria haver um genero literário só seu…rss
Te amo!!
As Adriana, I love the line; no wall between real life and magical life in Brazil. This is your formula. Have fun in the Alps!
Bellissima foto,bello il tuo sorriso e i tuoi occhi….bella intervista….vero l’odore del mare ci porta nel profondo della nostra anima…bello un popolo che continua a sperare ,il fare cio’ ci porta a guardare oltre…buona giornata**
Ciao Paulo, strada facendo,un bel percorso il tuo!
Ciao Rosetta
Dear Paulo,
“Without culture, and the relative freedom it implies, society, even when perfect, is but a jungle. This is why any authentic creation is a gift to the future”. (Albert Camus).
Although the 1st Paragraph of the Article 27 from the Declaration Universal Of The Human Rights affirms that:
“Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.”
We know that this right always depends on the production of cultural expressions. Then, if today we’re proud of being Brazilians you contribute too much for this change.
And about the last question of your interview I have to say the true: If God was born in Brazil I really don’t know, but that he’s baiano, I’m sure!
All the Best.
Marcus Deminco
must be a good feeling to live now in a time after the military dictatorship.
congratulations to all!
came to know a brasilian couple for a year. he was a physicist, and she a chemist. had to think of them when reading about the closeness of profane & sacred. so true. at that time, I would not have expect this. thus it was indeed an interesting encounter. they became my teachers of spirituality that year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlnD-ywa1V4
Brazilian .. Symphony! ;-]
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
As a global nomad what can I say???
…well, I was conceived in Rio…so maybe I can be proud of that…but I was raised as a citizen of the world…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZSJDQTK1cM&feature=related
With loving kindness,
Satora
Me encantaría viajar a Brasil:) Y captar el olor de esa playa de Copacabana . . . Ver sus mujeres,vivir el carnaval y conocer todas sus costumbres . . .
Un Abrazo
PAULO PRECIOSA FOTO Y PRECIOSA ENTREVISTA. ME GUSTARON LOS VIDEOS DE LA ENTREVISTA CON KENNEDY ALENKAR. ENHORABUENA AL PERIODISTA QUE LO HIZO AMENO Y SUPO SACAR EN POCO TIEMPO LO MEJOR DE TU VIDA.
http://www.redetv.com.br/jornalismo/enoticia/
Paulo Coelho: ‘Today we are proud of being Brazilians’
Today I am proud of being PAULO COELHO’s … friend and have met him!
Blessings.
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
I am proud of knowing and reading your novels, and happy that I find so many beautiful things about you. And I love your smile, make people feel confident. Thank you so much
I’m proud to be an Armenian! :D
Brazil is one place I have not traveled to, but for sure I will one day. Cheers Brazil!!
Love and kisses
xxoo
I have the feeling someday I’ll travel to Brazil. It has been in my mind since Spain 1982. I would love to be at the place where there is no wall between the sacred and the profane.
it’s the right for mulha
eres una inspiracion quotidiana!
Love your view and your way of dealing with words !
for me is the other way round, if you hold the key, you are Zen! but sometimes if you change the key, you make beautiful music too, so you are double Zen ;o)
SO don’t be afraid to change (the keys)
And that’s what the Brazilians did! they did not afraid to change!!
Love and Gratitude
Annie
Thank you very much Annie for your insight.
With love and appreciation.
Marie-Christine