Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1947, he worked as a director and playwright, journalist, and composer before dedicating himself to books. Since the publication of his first book, The Pilgrimage (Diary of a Magus), more than 320 million copies of his novels have been sold worldwide. Among his greatest successes is The Alchemist, considered the best-selling Brazilian book of all time. It has been published in 170 countries and translated into 83 languages. Coelho has received notable international honors, such as the Crystal Award from the World Economic Forum, the prestigious Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur from the French government, and the Gold Medal of Galicia. Since 2002, he has been a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters, and since 2007, he has served as a United Nations Messenger of Peace.
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