Paulo Coelho

A Biography
Birth and Childhood
• Paulo Coelho was born in Rio de Janeiro
on 24th August 1947. Ambitious from a
young age, he dreamed of being a writer
from a young age, but was discouraged
by his Brazilian parents, as they believed
that, in Brazil there was no opportunity
for success in that profession.
 The Mental Hospital,
Law School, and Travel
• Paulo Coelho was admitted to a Mental Hospital at the age of 17 by his parents,
to stamp out his defiance and rebellious nature, from which he would escape three
times, before being released.

• Finally, after years of bold and solid defiance, he would succumb to his parents
wishes, and enroll in law school.

• However, it would not be long before his dream of writing would reawake, and this
time, with disregard of his parent’s beliefs, he would drop out of law school after a
year and journey to South America, North Africa and Europe in search of the
meaning of life.
 The Mental Hospital,
Law School, and Travel
• Paulo Coelho was admitted to a Mental Hospital at the age of 17 by his parents,
to stamp out his defiance and rebellious nature, from which he would escape three
times, before being released.

• Finally, after years of bold and solid defiance, he would succumb to his parents
wishes, and enroll in law school.

• However, it would not be long before his dream of writing would reawake, and this
time, with disregard of his parent’s beliefs, he would drop out of law school after a
year and journey to South America, North Africa and Europe in search of the
meaning of life.
 The Mental Hospital,
Law School, and Travel
• Paulo Coelho was admitted to a Mental Hospital at the age of 17 by his parents,
to stamp out his defiance and rebellious nature, from which he would escape three
times, before being released.

• Finally, after years of bold and solid defiance, he would succumb to his parents
wishes, and enroll in law school.

• However, it would not be long before his dream of writing would reawake, and this
time, with disregard of his parent’s beliefs, he would drop out of law school after a
year and journey to South America, North Africa and Europe in search of the
meaning of life.
 The Mental Hospital,
Law School, and Travel
• Paulo Coelho was admitted to a Mental Hospital at the age of 17 by his parents,
to stamp out his defiance and rebellious nature, from which he would escape three
times, before being released.

• Finally, after years of bold and solid defiance, he would succumb to his parents
wishes, and enroll in law school.

• However, it would not be long before his dream of writing would reawake, and this
time, with disregard of his parent’s beliefs, he would drop out of law school after a
year and journey to South America, North Africa and Europe in search of the
meaning of life.
 Return to
Brazil
• Once Paulo had returned to Brazil,
fresh with new experiences,
reminiscence, imaginations and
understandings he began his writing
career. At first, he composed songs
for many Brazilian icons, before
finally setting his writing career in
motion.
 Books and a name to remember.
• In 1982 he would publish his first book “Hell Archives” which
would unfortunately flop in the market.

• Despite clearly not having much of beginner’s luck and

persisted in writing. Again and again, he would write, and it
would end in failure, an instance being the “Practical Manual of
Vampirism”. Ultimately after 6 long years of trial and error, he
would score a victory in “The Alchemist”, which was loved by
the public and was written ironically after he saw omens.

• The Alchemist today has been translated into 67 languages,

bearing the name of the man who battled against intangibles,
persevered against backlash, and did not allow failure to blind
him – Paulo Coelho
Thank You