By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept

The story of an independent young woman whose life is changed forever by a chance encounter with a childhood friend. A magical blend of compelling action, exotic locations and intriguing characters, told with Paulo’s characteristic power and insight. Pilar is an independent and practical young woman who is feeling bored and frustrated by the daily grind of her university life. Looking for a deeper meaning to her existence, she happens to meet an old childhood friend, now a handsome, mesmerizing spiritual teacher – and a rumoured miracle worker. As he leads her on a magical journey through the Fench Pyrenees, Pilar begins to realize that this chance encounter is going to transform her life forever. With Paulo’s trademark blend of mysticism, magical realism and folklore, Pilar’s story is a poignant and deeply inspiring tale

‘One of the few to deserve the term“Publishing Phenomenon”’INDEPENDENT OF SUNDAY ‘His books have had a life-enancing impact on millions of people.’THE TIMES ‘this (is an) exceptional novel.’Laura Esquivel, author of LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE

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.

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