Afrah Jamal

Thanks to Liberty Books for the review copy Published in Daily Times / 12 June 2010 Paulo Coelho — the best selling author from Brazil — brings forth his latest offering, an anthology that can be likened to a piece of art. But it is art with a difference that uses beloved masters as its centrepiece, held up by the ancients’ philosophy to accentuate the contrasts and their unique interpretation of elements to justify the contours. Still, the proportions seem all wrong and the colours clash. Coelho’s creation is hard to understand and impossible to appreciate, or would be without the voice over. On the surface, it is a simple, albeit bizarre little collection where carefully chosen passages from well-thumbed editions have been bound in one volume. Coelho scoured the globe looking for stories that once served as his inspirations. Then he agonised over which segments to include while trying to decide upon the best placement. Once inside, readers encounter fact and fiction, fairy ...