Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist born on August 24, 1947, in Rio de Janeiro, known for his spiritual and allegorical works. He rebelled against his Catholic upbringing, was committed to psychiatric hospitals by his parents, traveled extensively, and worked as a songwriter before a transformative pilgrimage on the Road to Santiago in 1986 inspired his writing career. His 1988 novel The Alchemist became an international bestseller, selling over 35 million copies.[1][2][3]