On vacation now and decidedly focusing on my own, personal and most important, physical library (as opposed to everything I read in e-format).
Lately I got so used to my new toy, e-book reader, that I almost forgot what pleasure it is to have actual book in my hands. It does make a huge difference luggage-wise but now when I'm back home on dry land, I have carefully spread all unread books around me and there's no need for e-reader at this point, I have enough to keep me occupied for some time. I actually have much more books than I can read in a lifetime.
When I travel an constantly talk to cruise ship passengers, often we recommend books to each other. Every now and than there is a book lover and since people carry books around on vacation, it is a good conversation subject. Often I discover something I have not heard about previously and even recently wonderful "The Once and Future King" was recommended so many times that I took it as a sign that I have to read it (and it turned out unforgettable). There was a nice lady who just finished "The Alchemist" and very spontaneously gave book to me (signed with her name inside) which is something I often do when I am carried away with excitement. So I decided to check it out.
Naturally I was aware of Paulo Cohelo for some time now but the whole hype about this book killed the pleasure for me. People who talked about it passionately were just annoying, preachy and very much like Jehovah's Witnesses in their determination that "this book will change your life". When something has been pushed at me, I feel resentment towards it, be it anything massively popular like blockbuster movie, current pop hit or anything that sweeps the whole world, I am very cautious about anything like that. It also might be that things need to come your way in the right moment, not when others force it down your throat. So this little book came my way some 27 years after the fact (after the whole world had already discovered it and its author continued very successful career and became an institution) but it doesn't matter, it feels right now.
I started reading it last night - very relaxed, alone, with my two dogs and two cats playing around my feet, birds chirping in the countryside. And would you know, even with my initial suspicion, I was pulled into the book very strongly, in fact I found myself seriously musing about all this quasi-new age philosophy that is actually very appealing. I am perfectly aware why this book moved the millions and on the other hand why it repels many others, obviously one has to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy such a deceptively simple little book. Deceptively because it covers very much the same ground as "The Little Prince" and basically it doesn't say anything completely new or groundbreaking - hence resentment from some readers who expected vision of burning bush - after all, messages here are universal and deep inside we are all aware of them. But its good to be reminded. So far I don't find it life-affirming or absolutely breathtaking or anything like earthquake but darn it, this little slim volume is intriguing enough that I keep returning to it again and again although I am perfectly aware where it leads (I expect the final message will be that happiness comes from inside and is not connected to any particular place or material things). It does work very good as a kind of spiritual food and balm for worries & cares when reader finds himself a little bit unfocused about his life and directions. It is far more effective than most of self-help books I have encountered (my special pet hates are the ones that list examples of Jane or Mary or Stewart doing this or that, those I really can't stand) so in a way its not really a novel as much as new age self-help sub-genre and it seems that Coelho carved himself quite a successful career out of it. Now I am curious about his other work and how far did he managed to say anything new or did he fell into usual trap of successful authors who repeat themselves.
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