Warrior of the Light: A Manual [Paperback]

Paulo Coelho (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0060527986 | ISBN-13: 978-0060527983 | Publication Date: March 30, 2004

Warrior of the Light: A Manual is an inspirational companion to The Alchemist, an international bestseller that has beguiled millions of readers around the world. Every short passage invites us to live out our dreams, to embrace the uncertainty of life, and to rise to our own unique destiny. In his inimitable style, Paulo Coelho helps bring out the Warrior of the Light within each of us. He also shows readers how to embark upon the way of the Warrior: the one who appreciates the miracle of being alive, the one who accepts failure, and the one whose quest leads him to become the person he wants to be.

Paulo Coelho is one of the most beloved storytellers of our time. Now, in the long-awaited companion to his first novel, Coelho presents a collection of philosophical stories that will delight and guide seekers everywhere.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This companion volume to Coelho's popular The Alchemist is an odd hybrid-a self-help manual with fictional overtones; a series of aphorisms and platitudes set within the frame of the sketchiest of parables. In the parable, a boy meets a beautiful woman at a beach, who proceeds to tell him about a hidden undersea temple near a vanished island. The boy fails in his initial attempt to find the temple, though he hears its bells ring, but later, as a grown man, he again meets the woman, who hands him an empty notebook and directs him to write about the "Warrior of the Light," a being who is "capable of understanding the miracle of life, of fighting to the last for something he believes in-and of hearing the bells that the waves set ringing on the seabed." Some of the aphorisms that follow have a specific spiritual source-Lao Tzu, Gandhi, Jesus and Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, among others, are quoted. Coelho provides general spiritual inspiration, but he also offers guidance in more mundane matters, explaining the specific motivations behind childish, immature behavior, cowardly moments, feelings of spiritual emptiness and the reluctance to change. Some of these passages are original, but others merely repackage common inspirational fodder. The volume preserves the basic spiritual tone of The Alchemist, but readers expecting comparable depth and substance will be disappointed.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

A guidebook for good living on the tenth anniversary of The Alchemist.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne (March 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060527986
• ISBN-13: 978-0060527983
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,731 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More 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 theatre director and actor, lyricist and journalist.

In 1986, PAULO COELHO did the pilgrimage to Saint James of Compostella, an experience later to be documented in his book The Pilgrimage.

In the following year, COELHO published The Alchemist. Slow initial sales convinced his first publisher to drop the novel, but it went on to become one of the best selling Brazilian books of all time.

Other titles include Brida (1990), The Valkyries (1992), By the river Piedra I sat Down and Wept (1994), the collection of his best columns published in the Brazilian newspaper Folha de S'o Paulo entitle Maktub (1994), the compilation of texts Phrases (1995), The Fifth Mountain (1996), Manual of a Warrior of Light (1997), Veronika decides to die (1998), The Devil and Miss Prym (2000), the compilation of traditional tales in Stories for parents, children and grandchildren (2001), Eleven Minutes (2003), The Zahir (2005)

During the months of March, April, May and June 2006, Paulo Coelho traveled to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his pilgrimage to Saint James of Compostella in 1986. He also held surprise book signings - announced one day in advance - in some cities along the way, to have a chance to meet his readers. In ninety days of pilgrimage the author traveled around the globe and took the famous Transiberrian train that took him to Vladivostok. During this experience Paulo Coelho launched his blog Walking the Path - The Pilgrimage in order to share with his readers his impressions.

Since this first blog Paulo Coelho has expanded his presence in the internet with his daily blogs in Wordpress (http://paulocoelhoblog.com), Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/paulocoelho) & Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Paulo-Coelho/11777366210). He is equally present in media sharing sites such as Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=paulabraconnot) and Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulo_coelho/sets) , offering on a regular basis not only texts but also videos and pictures to his readers.

From this intensive interest and use of the Internet sprang his bold new project: The Experimental Witch http://paulocoelhoblog.com/experimental-witch where he invites his readers to adapt to the screen his book The Witch of Portobello. You can still subscribe in this experiment!

Indeed Paulo Coelho is a firm believer of Internet as a new media and is the first Best-selling author to actively support online free distribution http://piratecoelho.wordpress.com of his work.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

101 of 102 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Perfect Companion To The Alchemist, March 31, 2003

By 

Karl Miller "kemspeaks" (Phoenixville, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Warrior of the Light: A Manual (Hardcover)

I loved "The Alchemist". The idea of pursuit, and ultimate achievement told in fable manner generated both optimism and hope for me. ANd the theme of the story "When You Know What You Want, The Whole World Conspires With You To Achieve It" is one of life's most beuatiful lessons.
"Warrior of the Light" expands on the themes Coehlo set forth in "The Alchemist", providing everyday lessons for reaching the enlightened status of The Warrior. It's a convenient to carry pocket sized manual, and is great to pick up for a moment's inspiration in the pursuit of dreams. The style of the manual is more of a meditation than The Alchemist, and the book is broken down into short paragraph form, allowing the reader to take a lesson, think over its implications and incorporate the action into daily living. Among the many lessons covered in "Warrior" are the value of failure (a key to all of Coehlo's writings), respect for the universal elements, living through your dreams, and acceptance of nature.
I keep two copies of "Warrior" handy - one on my desk at work, and one on my nightstand at home. It is a great book to simply open, absorb and meditate on. And the lessons of the Warrior make for great living on a daily basis.

49 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Warrior Wisdom, November 16, 2006

By 

Reading my way thru life "Sharing what I read" (VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Warrior of the Light: A Manual (Paperback)

"That is why he is a Warrior of the Light, because he has been through all this and yet has never lost hope of being better than he is." -from the book.

I love how this book shows the good and bad of our human nature and blesses it all. We all have within us the light and the dark. Which one will we allow to guide us? We are whole because of both.

This book is encouraging and truthful, and full of wisdom. As you read this, you will take a look inside yourself and acknowledge what is there. This is a good book to keep out where you can pick it up and read something from it often. It's great to keep by your bedside for light reading before bed, or in the morning when you get up.

"In order to have faith in his own path, he does not need to prove that someone else's path is wrong." -one of my favorite passages from the book.

I hope you'll read and enjoy this too!

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Manual for Fighting the Good Fight, June 1, 2006

By 

Richard A. Singer Jr. "Author of Eastern Wisd... (Grand Cayman, British West Indies) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Warrior of the Light: A Manual (Paperback)

Again, Coelho succeeds in providing inspiration and spiritual direction in life. This book acts a guide to becoming a superior human being on a journey toward genuine success and greatness. Paulo is has absolutely tapped into the truth of the universe. Thanks again for a great book that I can apply to my Daily Walk. Highly recommended.