BOOK: The Zahir by Paulo Coelho

Today I finished The Zahir by Paulo Coelho. This is my 3rd book by this author and honestly, not my favourite of the three. First, I read The Alchemist, written in 1988 & translated in 61 languages. This is a favoured book amongst millions due to it's unique spiritual theme. Then I borrowed, Eleven Minutes last year from my friend Anita & REALLY enjoyed it. It was totally different from The Alchemist. Eleven Minutes is a story about a beautiful, yet naive, Brazilian woman who is lured away from her home by the temptation of a life of fame & wealth in Europe. She is convinced to leave her poor, simple life behind & go to Geneva, Switzerland to work as a dancer. She quickly realises that nothing comes without conditions & eventually runs away from this life to create her own life of opportunities. In desperation, she turns to a life as a high-classed prostitute. I thoroughly enjoyed it because it forced the reader to look at prostitution in a different light & to see these young ladies on the spiritual side as well as a different understanding of sex. We all have a story & this young lady was no exception. Also, a note that Maria is based on a real person & her story. To date, this book remains my favourite from Paulo Coelho. Below is another famous quote - a sample of his writing style that makes you think while you read.

"Although my aim is to understand love, and although I suffer to think of the people to whom I gave my heart, I see that those who touched my heart failed to arouse my body, and those who aroused my body failed to touch my heart..."

Sorry, got side tracked ... back to "The Zahir". Coelho writes about human nature from a spiritual perspective. According to the book, the Zahir in Arabic means present, visible, incapable of being unnoticed. The Zahir represents a woman, an idea of a woman, a longing. It is the story about a man who is painfully haunted by the memories of his missing wife Esther, whom he who took for granted during their precious time together. He walks through life barely living till he encounters the mysterious Mikhail at one of his promotional book tours, who informs him that Esther is not dead but alive and well, living far away with the Nomads in Kazakhstan in pursuit of her spiritual self. Our main character develops a friendship with this native Kazakhstanian who teaches him about a new outlook on life that will eventually guide him back to his wife.

I enjoyed the basic plot & appreciated his style of writing, his thought provoking quotes, his ability to make anyone identify themselves with their feelings. Although I was disappointed during some parts of the book, I did spot some pearls of wisdom. Below is a sample of one passage that touched me - found on page 218 - 219 of the chapter entitled Ariadne's Thread:

"That is why it is so important to let certain things go. To release them. To cut loose. People need to understand that no one is playing with marked cards; sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Don't expect to get anything back, don't expect recognition for your efforts, don't expect your genius to be discovered or your love to be understood. Complete the circle. Not out of pride, inability or arrogance, but simply because whatever it is no longer fits your life. Close the door, change the records, clean the house, get rid of the dust. Stop being who you were and become who you are. "

I especially loved the last line of this section. The Zahir is filled with similar passages such as the one above with that make you think about your life & its choices. If you read The Zahir or any other Paulo Coelho book, please share your viewpoints.