Like maybe many of his readers, I have a tendency of associating Paulo Coelho with a highly philosophical bent of mind. So it came as no surprise when one of his recently released books, 'Manuscript found in Accra' once again approached life and philosophy, in alignment with his world view, that we see time and again in his previous books, starting with his prominent bestseller, The Alchemist.
The book opens with a narrative account of the discovery of papyrus manuscripts in Hamra Dom, Upper Egypt, which are taken to the Cairo Museum. These manuscripts, now called the Manuscripts of Nag Hammadi , contained writings known as the Apocryphal Gospels, essentially, Gospels documenting the life of Jesus Christ that were rejected during a bishops' meeting for the compilation of the Bible in AD 170, since the Gospels were either written by women, or held views or portrayed the Christ in a manner deemed not coherent with the perception of the Christ that they wished to propagate.
Post this, a different manuscript, dated as recent as the 1300s, was found in Accra by a certain English archaeologist, Sir Walter Wilkinson. This manuscript had about 155 copies floating around, and they were all dated to the same period, and considered identical.The manuscript's copy was lent to Paulo Coelho , who transcribed it into the book presented to us.
It begins with a simple wish, stating that considering the narrator's time is over, whatever he has learnt has been bequeathed to us, the future generations with the hope that we make good use of it.
The narration is set Jerusalem, just before a Crusade invasion, variously dated the year 1099 by the Christian Calendar, 492 by the Islamic estimate, and 4859 by the Jewish calendar, where the occupants of the city of Jerusalem are gathered. The occupants are a mixture from all three faiths, and the soldiers of the city choose to guard it from the invading French Crusaders from their respective posts. All the residents are gathered in the same square where the Roman Governor Pontius handed Jesus over to the mob for crucifixion, and mentally prepared for a fight to the death , a slaughter awaiting them the coming morning at the hands of the French. It is ironic, that with the Crusades' efforts to reclaim Jerusalem as a Christian spot, we see people of all three Abrahamic faiths defending it equally.
They are gathered to hear the words of a Greek man who calls himself the Copt, in the presence of representatives of each faith, as last words before the slaughter at sunrise.
The Copt is an outsider, who does not practise either of the three faiths, but believes in the present moment, in a Divine Energy called Moira, and its one single law, which, when broken, would shatter everything. However, his own beliefs do not come through in the book, which focuses on common wisdom.
The Copt proposes a question and answer session with the public,setting the impending battle aside, as a means of sharing knowledge and wisdom as done by philosophers in Ancient Greece. He suggests leaving behind a legacy of wisdom for coming generations.
The first question is regarding defeat. The Copt says only he who gives up is defeated, and proceeds to outline what being defeated actually is. With the second question, he distinguishes Defeat from Failure, in the face of trial and doubt. The next question addresses Solitude, followed by the concept of self depreciation. He further goes on to address various topics such as being receptive to change, taking decisions, beauty and elegance, sex, unity, the passage of time and life, duty and happiness, luck, miracles and angels, anxiety, the future, loyalty, and many more.
The narrative arms its listeners with the one last song of wisdom they need to carry in the face of death.
It is an uplifting narrative. In certain parts we come across phrases, expressions and points of view that also appear in other books by Coelho. With most of his books carrying references to tenets in the Abrahamic faiths, one wonders if the common phrases he uses are his own, or out of the texts from these faiths. For those who do not follow either of the faiths, and are thus unacquainted with aspects of these faiths, we read them in good faith of their being the author's creation.
The tone of the translation carries the pensive pondering mood of a day in Middle East and Africa. In spite of being spoken in the face of impending death, the words carry none of the urgency ,resignation and hopelessness that is typically associated before certain annihilation. The words of the wise man are recorded, bu the moods and doubts of the listeners do not come through. For a fairly large population , the question answer session is recorded as a surprisingly civil patient affair.
This is yet another book by Paulo Coelho, where we see faith, wisdom, knowledge and courage becoming common denominators of an all embracing philosophy that he seems to subscribe to, regardless of culture and community and as always, tries to answer to the human condition.
All in all, a good read, that can be read in a single sitting. Paulo's writing is smooth, and easy on the reader, and the book can be read without caring for the sequence of chapters as well. A decent spot in modern philosophy and world view, and perhaps a voice of tolerance and calm, or rather, wisdom and understanding in a world increasingly rocked by religious hatred and reaction.
The book opens with a narrative account of the discovery of papyrus manuscripts in Hamra Dom, Upper Egypt, which are taken to the Cairo Museum. These manuscripts, now called the Manuscripts of Nag Hammadi , contained writings known as the Apocryphal Gospels, essentially, Gospels documenting the life of Jesus Christ that were rejected during a bishops' meeting for the compilation of the Bible in AD 170, since the Gospels were either written by women, or held views or portrayed the Christ in a manner deemed not coherent with the perception of the Christ that they wished to propagate.
Post this, a different manuscript, dated as recent as the 1300s, was found in Accra by a certain English archaeologist, Sir Walter Wilkinson. This manuscript had about 155 copies floating around, and they were all dated to the same period, and considered identical.The manuscript's copy was lent to Paulo Coelho , who transcribed it into the book presented to us.
It begins with a simple wish, stating that considering the narrator's time is over, whatever he has learnt has been bequeathed to us, the future generations with the hope that we make good use of it.
The narration is set Jerusalem, just before a Crusade invasion, variously dated the year 1099 by the Christian Calendar, 492 by the Islamic estimate, and 4859 by the Jewish calendar, where the occupants of the city of Jerusalem are gathered. The occupants are a mixture from all three faiths, and the soldiers of the city choose to guard it from the invading French Crusaders from their respective posts. All the residents are gathered in the same square where the Roman Governor Pontius handed Jesus over to the mob for crucifixion, and mentally prepared for a fight to the death , a slaughter awaiting them the coming morning at the hands of the French. It is ironic, that with the Crusades' efforts to reclaim Jerusalem as a Christian spot, we see people of all three Abrahamic faiths defending it equally.
They are gathered to hear the words of a Greek man who calls himself the Copt, in the presence of representatives of each faith, as last words before the slaughter at sunrise.
The Copt is an outsider, who does not practise either of the three faiths, but believes in the present moment, in a Divine Energy called Moira, and its one single law, which, when broken, would shatter everything. However, his own beliefs do not come through in the book, which focuses on common wisdom.
The Copt proposes a question and answer session with the public,setting the impending battle aside, as a means of sharing knowledge and wisdom as done by philosophers in Ancient Greece. He suggests leaving behind a legacy of wisdom for coming generations.
The first question is regarding defeat. The Copt says only he who gives up is defeated, and proceeds to outline what being defeated actually is. With the second question, he distinguishes Defeat from Failure, in the face of trial and doubt. The next question addresses Solitude, followed by the concept of self depreciation. He further goes on to address various topics such as being receptive to change, taking decisions, beauty and elegance, sex, unity, the passage of time and life, duty and happiness, luck, miracles and angels, anxiety, the future, loyalty, and many more.
The narrative arms its listeners with the one last song of wisdom they need to carry in the face of death.
It is an uplifting narrative. In certain parts we come across phrases, expressions and points of view that also appear in other books by Coelho. With most of his books carrying references to tenets in the Abrahamic faiths, one wonders if the common phrases he uses are his own, or out of the texts from these faiths. For those who do not follow either of the faiths, and are thus unacquainted with aspects of these faiths, we read them in good faith of their being the author's creation.
The tone of the translation carries the pensive pondering mood of a day in Middle East and Africa. In spite of being spoken in the face of impending death, the words carry none of the urgency ,resignation and hopelessness that is typically associated before certain annihilation. The words of the wise man are recorded, bu the moods and doubts of the listeners do not come through. For a fairly large population , the question answer session is recorded as a surprisingly civil patient affair.
This is yet another book by Paulo Coelho, where we see faith, wisdom, knowledge and courage becoming common denominators of an all embracing philosophy that he seems to subscribe to, regardless of culture and community and as always, tries to answer to the human condition.
All in all, a good read, that can be read in a single sitting. Paulo's writing is smooth, and easy on the reader, and the book can be read without caring for the sequence of chapters as well. A decent spot in modern philosophy and world view, and perhaps a voice of tolerance and calm, or rather, wisdom and understanding in a world increasingly rocked by religious hatred and reaction.
