About the Author

Paulo Coelho is the author of The Alchemist, he was born in 1947 in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Being the author of 30 books that have sold over 320 million copies in 170 countries, he has become one of the most widely read authors in the world today. Paulo Coelho has been a United Nations Messenger of Peace since 2007 and this has allowed him to continue to promote intercultural dialogue and to focus on the needs of children. He is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters and the recipient of over 115 awards and honours, including the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the Grinzane Cavour Book Award and the Chevalier de l'Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur, to name a few.

Other titles include: The Pilgrimage, Brida, The Valkyries, The Fifth Mountain, Manual of the Warrior of Light, Veronika Decides to Die, The Devil and Miss Prym, Eleven Minutes, The Zahir, Like the Flowing River, The Witch of Portobello, The Winner Stands Alone, Aleph.

Reviews

'His books have and a life-enhancing impact on millions of people' The Times 'His writing is like a path of energy that inadvertently leads readers to themselves, toward their mysterious and faraway souls.' Figaro Litteraire, France 'Paulo Coelho represents the legend of the wise storyteller.' Corriere della Sera, Italy

'His books have and a life-enhancing impact on millions of people' The Times 'His writing is like a path of energy that inadvertently leads readers to themselves, toward their mysterious and faraway souls.' Figaro Litteraire, France 'Paulo Coelho represents the legend of the wise storyteller.' Corriere della Sera, Italy

This fascinating retelling of the biblical story of the prophet Elijah by Brazilian novelist Coelho is smoothly translated to read like a modern novel. The fleshed-out tale follows Elijah as he flees his homeland of Israel, where Jezebel, Phoenician wife of the king, had ordered the murder of all who reject the pagan god Baal, to Zarephath (Akbar). Elijah's spiritual crises continue after he is taken in by a widow and her son, following his direction from an angel, and ultimately falls in love with the widow. The movement of the novel comes from Elijah's introspective struggle with faith as he confronts his troubles, but the result is neither dull nor preachy and should find a niche among readers of popular fiction. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 11/15/97.]‘Ann H. Fisher, Radford P.L., Va.