Brief Summary
Paulo Coelho is a worldwide phenomenon. At a time when he is coming up to the fantastic achievement of 100 million copies sold worldwide across all his books, his fans will be delighted with the first ever official biography of Paulo, an in-depth look at his life and work, and what makes him the much-loved author he is today. Paulo's first official biographer, Fernando Morais, provides an exhaustive look at Paulo's fascinating and varied life, taking several years to research his subject, and interviewing everyone who knows Paulo. He weaves together the strands of Paulo's life, revealing the man behind the world-famous writer. Paulo Coelho was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August 1947.
Before he became internationally known and a worldwide bestseller, he had to overcome many obstacles. As a teenager, he was subjected to the brutality of electric shock treatment in the psychiatric hospital where his parents, who took his rebelliousness as a sign of madness, interned him three times. As a member of the esoteric underworld, he was put in prison for alleged subversive activities against the Brazilian dictatorship and subjected to physical torture.
Later, Paulo joined forces with rock star Raul Seixas and together they composed songs that revolutionized Brazilian rock music. Hippie, journalist, rock star, actor, playwright, theatre director and producer of television programs, this whirlwind life came to an end in 1982, during a trip to Europe. In Dachau and later in Amsterdam, Paulo had a mystical meeting with "J", his new mentor, who persuaded him to walk the Road to Santiago de Compostela, a medieval pilgrim's route between France and Spain. In 1986 Paulo walked the Road to Santiago, and it was there that he reconverted to Christianity and found again the faith bequeathed to him by the Jesuit fathers of his school years. He would later describe this experience in his first book, The Pilgrimage. The following year, The Alchemist, established his worldwide reputation. The novel has already achieved the status of a universally admired modern classic. Now, for the first time, discover the true story of the man behind some of the world's most loved books."
ISBN:2147483647
Author:Fernando Morais
Nancy Kemuma –
‘Exceptional’ is a memoir written through a daughter’s lens featuring her mother, Mami Jane.
Based mostly in Embu, Mami’s daughter takes the reader through her mother’s life, widowed young while taking care of seven of her siblings.
If there’s a chapter that brought so many emotions, it was chapters 9 and 11. See, in the 80s and partly 90s, most millennials can relate to the economic and social aspects that stood out during those times.
When an only parent falls ill, it’s panic riddled with anxiety and hopelessness. You start seeing how vulnerable the situation suddenly becomes. The writer takes us on a journey to Mulago Hospital in Uganda, where a magic drug, if administered, would prolong Mami’s life.
In addition, ‘Exceptional’ really captures the role a caregiver plays in nursing a patient back to health. The author clearly states how the family found help at a hospice centre. Caregivers too need emotional and mental support.
Throughout the book, it reveals the true nature and strength of a woman willing to sacrifice everything for her children to get an education. Mami knows too well that education is the only weapon her children need to conquer this capitalist world.
Mami’s hard work, discipline, and cleanliness shine through the chapters. None of her children sits around. She insists that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. So every child has to be doing something around the house. There are no gender roles—as long as you have a stomach, then there’s work for you.
I would fully recommend this book to every reader who appreciates Kenyan stories, especially in the memoir category.
Through this book, I’ve been blessed to learn about an exceptional woman, Mami Jane, who lived honestly, and on her deathbed, let her children know that love is the glue they needed to stick together.
But what becomes of the eight children after Mami’s passing?