Paulo Coelho
Brazilian lyricist and novelist (born 1947)
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Key Takeaways
- Paulo Coelho de Souza ( KWEL -yoo, koo- EL -yoo, -yoh , Portuguese: [ˈpawlu kuˈeʎu] ; born 24 August 1947) is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist and a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters since 2002.
- Early life Paulo Coelho was born on 24 August 1947 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and attended a Jesuit school.
- Coelho later stated that he believed his parents intended to protect him rather than cause harm.
- One year later, he dropped out and lived life as a hippie, travelling through South America, North Africa, Mexico, and Europe and started using drugs in the 1960s.
- Composing with Raul led to Coelho being associated with magic and occultism, due to the content of some songs.
Paulo Coelho de Souza ( KWEL-yoo, koo-EL-yoo, -yoh, Portuguese: [ˈpawlu kuˈeʎu]; born 24 August 1947) is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist and a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters since 2002. His 1988 novel The Alchemist became an international best-seller.
Early life
Paulo Coelho was born on 24 August 1947 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and attended a Jesuit school. At age 17, Coelho's parents committed him to a mental institution from which he escaped three times before being released at the age of 20. Coelho later stated that he believed his parents intended to protect him rather than cause harm.
On his parents' wishes, Coelho enrolled in law school and abandoned his dream of becoming a writer. One year later, he dropped out and lived life as a hippie, travelling through South America, North Africa, Mexico, and Europe and started using drugs in the 1960s.
Career
Songwriting
Upon his return to Brazil, Coelho worked as a songwriter, composing lyrics for Elis Regina, Rita Lee, and Brazilian icon Raul Seixas. Composing with Raul led to Coelho being associated with magic and occultism, due to the content of some songs. Some have alleged that certain songs resembled foreign compositions not widely recognized in Brazil. In 1974, Coelho was arrested for what authorities described as “subversive” activities and that he was subjected to torture while in custody. Coelho also worked as an actor, journalist and theatre director before pursuing his writing career.
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