Synopses & Reviews
The narrator of
The Zahir is a bestselling novelist who lives in Paris and enjoys all the privileges money and celebrity bring. His wife of ten years, Esther, is a war correspondent who has disappeared along with a friend, Mikhail, who may or may not be her lover.
Was Esther kidnapped, murdered, or did she simply escape a marriage that left her unfulfilled? The narrator doesn't have any answers, but he has plenty of questions of his own. Then one day Mikhail finds the narrator and promises to reunite him with his wife. In his attempt to recapture a lost love, the narrator discovers something unexpected about himself.
Review
“Fans of Paulo Coelho will love this eloquent meditation on commitment--as will anyone whos ever been in a relationship.” Marie Claire
Review
“A fast-moving, captivating, both satirical and thoughtful novel about love and desire.” Edmonton Journal (Alberta)
Review
“If you read Coelhos book The Alchemist, then you should definitely read this.... Theres really no one else like him.” Vibe
Review
“Likely to entrance even the most cynical of readers.” Bloomberg.com
Review
“Coelho is a novelist who writes in a universal language.” New York Times
Review
“An enlightening story of faith and the reclamation of pure love.” Library Journal
Synopsis
"Superabundant talent, stunning originality, an elegant way with words... The Zahir is something more."
-- Los Angeles Times
The narrator of The Zahr is a bestselling novelist who lives in Paris and enjoys all the privileges money and celebrity bring. His wife of ten years, Esther, is a war correspondent who has disappeared along with a friend, Mikhail, who may or may not be her lover.
Was Esther kidnapped, murdered, or did she simply escape a marriage that left her unfulfilled? The narrator doesn't have any answers, but he has plenty of questions of his own. Then one day Mikhail finds the narrator and promises to reunite him with his wife. In his attempt to recapture a lost love, the narrator discovers something unexpected about himself.
A haunting and redemptive story about obsession, The Zahir explores its potential to fulfill our dreams, and to destroy them.
About the Author
The Brazilian author Paulo Coelho was born in 1947 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Before dedicating his life completely to literature, he worked as theater director, actor, lyricist, and journalist. Coelho wrote song lyrics for many famous performers in Brazilian music, such as Elis Regina and Rita Lee, yet he is best known for his work with Raul Seixas. Together they wrote such successes as "Eu nasci há dez mil anos atrás" ("I Was Born Ten Thousand Years Ago"), "Gita," and "Al Capone."
His fascination with the spiritual quest dates back to his hippie days, when he travelled the world learning about secret societies, oriental religions, etc. In 1982, Coelho published his first book, Hell Archives, which failed to make any kind of impact. In 1985, he contributed to the Practical Manual of Vampirism, although he later tried to take it off the shelves, since he considered it "of bad quality." In 1986, Paulo Coelho did the pilgrimage to Saint James of Compostella, an experience later to be documented in his book The Pilgrimage.