Liking Paulo Coelho

I just saw an interview with Paulo Coelho,  in Rede TV!, with Kennedy Alencar.

Well, maybe I even do not like something in his books, but I like him, definitely.

Actually, I'm being unfair.

I read only one book of his, "The Alchemist", and thinking well, is not a bad story. In fact, by the time I read it, around 1996, I did not like especially his literary style, which was not as rich as a Victor Hugo or a Proust. I did not know that he actually does not care for literary styles. At the time I thought that I could easily write by myself the same book in a much more elegant way. But to think something is one task, but to do this something is another task, very different.

The truth is that, well or poorly written, with elegance or not, Paulo Coelho has conquered the world and it is worthy of all credit. Seeing him, I think the great work that he did to become the writer who is in a country that read books very little. But he did more than this: his books are read worldwide. I always say that if I had a basket to put only five or six Brazilians living and worthy of being admired for his achievements, I would include Paulo Coelho in the group. Who else? No matter now. Paulo Coelho has the right place among Brazilians who I like and admire. Of course, in the basket is not always necessary to get people that I necessarily have to like it, but it does not matter. I like Paulo Coelho.

 

But Paulo Coelho himself explains this change in my taste.

Actually, the thing has more to do with Raul Seixas, who with Paulo Coelho.

Everyone in Brazil who likes rock'n'roll and spent his adolescence in the 80s knows that Raul Seixas was a controversial guy. But I wonder if this whole legion of ex-teens knew at the time that Raul Seixas, a man already established in the '70s, was our dear Paulo Coelho as a partner of letters.

 

So I had a certain dislike for Raul Seixas and his fans, but what annoyed me were the letters of Paulo Coelho, wish in that time I did not know they were write by Paulo Coelho.

When Paulo Coelho has emerged as a writer of fiction novels with spiritual feature, I was in other places, learning to write my own stuff. I disdained his simple way of writing.

Now, I admire him, the man, although I admit I never read anything about him other than "The Alchemist".

But he, the man, has also changed. Talking about drugs in this same interview, he did it with a transparent honesty. And he surprised me to say that under current conditions, he was against the liberation of drugs such as cocaine. He deemed himself as having conservative opinions. Now, my dear Paulo Coelho, there's nothing wrong with being conservative. Not that thou are conservative: is that you are a ambulant metamorphosis.

If so, then I am also this ambulant metamorphosis. Maybe I will read his books, maybe not. We have common interests. Although we are of places and of different generations. I also love writing. I love books. I admire sincerity and believe in almost everything that I can not see, from Aleph to Christ. There are truths that do not require evidence. And it seemed to me at some point thou were speaking of something different in a different language, it was a slight mistake, excusable to young men, naturaly arrogant. We speak the same language and about the same signs, just it. Things tend to converge to a center where everything makes sense.

So I wish long life and success to this brave, who armed only with his enormous willpower and hard work, could prove to himself that he can make the rain fall on the desert.

And wasn't there someone before us that said that faith could move mountains?

I'd rather be ... I prefer ... I choose ... I decide ... like Paulo Coelho!

Now, faith!