- Paperback: 240 pages
- Publisher: Thorsons; New edition edition (13 Nov 1995)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 006251279X
- ISBN-13: 978-0062512796
- Product Dimensions: 20.8 x 12.4 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 291,462 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Pilgrimage
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
‘An exceptional writer.' USA TODAY
‘His books have had a life-enhancing impact on millions of people.’ TIMES
‘One of the few to deserve the term Publishing Phenomenon.’ INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
‘Coelho’s writing is beautifully poetic but his message is what counts… he gives me hope and puts a smile on my face.’ DAILY EXPRESS
--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.Product Description
Gorgeously repackaged--the international bestseller with more than 500,000 copies sold! Join Paulo Coelho as he journeys to Santiago to discover personal power, wisdom, and a miraculous sword.
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First Sentence
THE CUSTOMS AGENT SPENT MORE TIME THAN USUAL examining the sword that my wife had brought into the country and then asked what we intended to do with it. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
THE CUSTOMS AGENT SPENT MORE TIME THAN USUAL examining the sword that my wife had brought into the country and then asked what we intended to do with it. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am also one of those people that really likes Coelho's other works, but this one was highly disappointing. He goes on this journey to "find his sword" in order to become part of this RAM 'group' (?), but nowhere in the book does he actually explain what this RAM thing is and what this sword actually represents and why he has to find it. I found that frustrating because that was like reading an entire book without the main point being revealed to you. And then in the end, he supposedly discovers a new meaning in finding this sword and 'what he will do with it' once he finds it, but that's never revealed to the reader! Why not?!
Then there was the 'devil-dog' already mentioned by other reviewers. Supposedly he has to fight 'his demons', which come out in the form of this black dog that follows him around. But again, it's confusing how and why this dog kept finding him. He ended up all scarred and bitten, yet he didn't care to even think about rabies shots, etc. I've traveled extensively to know that if you get bitten by an animal like that, you should probably at least try to see a doctor afterwards.
And then, when he is all bitten up and scarred, his "guide" makes him lift this extremely heavy cross and put it up on the mountain (?!?!??!). As you're reading, you're thinking they're both insane, but there's got to be an underlying point to that 'exercise'. But no - all his guide says afterwards is something like 'it is for you to discover the purpose of what you've just done'. Huh??? You're kidding, right?
And then, he finds his sword in the end, in a mystical setting. All is fine and dandy, but the reader is still left wondering - WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THE WHOLE DARN THING???
Then there was the 'devil-dog' already mentioned by other reviewers. Supposedly he has to fight 'his demons', which come out in the form of this black dog that follows him around. But again, it's confusing how and why this dog kept finding him. He ended up all scarred and bitten, yet he didn't care to even think about rabies shots, etc. I've traveled extensively to know that if you get bitten by an animal like that, you should probably at least try to see a doctor afterwards.
And then, when he is all bitten up and scarred, his "guide" makes him lift this extremely heavy cross and put it up on the mountain (?!?!??!). As you're reading, you're thinking they're both insane, but there's got to be an underlying point to that 'exercise'. But no - all his guide says afterwards is something like 'it is for you to discover the purpose of what you've just done'. Huh??? You're kidding, right?
And then, he finds his sword in the end, in a mystical setting. All is fine and dandy, but the reader is still left wondering - WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THE WHOLE DARN THING???
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Although "The Pilgrimage" is not Paulo Coelho's most exalted work, it is still a wonderful plunge into the mystical journey. In this book, he chronicles his own experiences on the road to Santiago de Compostela in the region of Galicia known as Celtic Spain. The journey is rich with allegory reflecting how we must face our own fears in order to engage in what he calls "the good fight". The Pilgrimage is reminiscent of Carlos Castañeda's apprenticeship with his mentor Don Juan. Paulo's guide is the enigmatic Petrus, who teaches him to face his own limitations and to break him from the "modernist" notion that our busy work is more important than exploring our inner world. There is a sweet discovery about the book that brings presence to a wisdom that includes mystical exercises worthy of our attention.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having read most of Coelho's books, this is, in spiritual content, not the most profound.
He mainly appears as a man driven by the material satisfactions of a spiritual quest, and hence the book tends to dwell on aims- the sword, and 'spiritual' exercises, which are actually mainly visualisation techniques used by people who are on an occult path. This may not be coincidence, since Coelho's background has been with the Occult and Magic.
These exercises whether literary props or not,have their deeper meaning treated quite superficially, and ones gets the impression that a few simple exercises will somehow help launch someone down a path of spiritual 'achievements'. He himself effortlessly performs these tasks conjuring his personal Daemon to be his temporal adviser and performs numerous other exercise with equal ease as he makes his way down the 'Jacobean' road. As with all of his books i think there are explicit spiritual lessons he is giving, of real value, but these are sometimes lost in the descriptions of New Age speak and concepts.
As a story it is a great read, the road story representing life and there are some fascinating moments. He does have a wonderful sense of the magical. Its a lovely book to read and I would well recommend it. I feel however that Coelho's deeper and more insightful works come in his later books, where he himself perhaps has matured spiritually and dropped some of the Spiritual egoism he has, which is often quite clear in this book through his attitude to his journey. The end of the story is profound and i think based on real revelation and this is a fine moment in the book of real worth to the reader.
I do think that this book, like quite a few of Coelho's works often escape serious scrutiny because of the sense of excitement he generates, e.g with The Alchemist, and this impedes useful criticism. It is not a coincidence on his Blog that he takes a very keen interest in obtaining serious commentary from his readership on numerous aspects of each book, from plot to style to character development.
He mainly appears as a man driven by the material satisfactions of a spiritual quest, and hence the book tends to dwell on aims- the sword, and 'spiritual' exercises, which are actually mainly visualisation techniques used by people who are on an occult path. This may not be coincidence, since Coelho's background has been with the Occult and Magic.
These exercises whether literary props or not,have their deeper meaning treated quite superficially, and ones gets the impression that a few simple exercises will somehow help launch someone down a path of spiritual 'achievements'. He himself effortlessly performs these tasks conjuring his personal Daemon to be his temporal adviser and performs numerous other exercise with equal ease as he makes his way down the 'Jacobean' road. As with all of his books i think there are explicit spiritual lessons he is giving, of real value, but these are sometimes lost in the descriptions of New Age speak and concepts.
As a story it is a great read, the road story representing life and there are some fascinating moments. He does have a wonderful sense of the magical. Its a lovely book to read and I would well recommend it. I feel however that Coelho's deeper and more insightful works come in his later books, where he himself perhaps has matured spiritually and dropped some of the Spiritual egoism he has, which is often quite clear in this book through his attitude to his journey. The end of the story is profound and i think based on real revelation and this is a fine moment in the book of real worth to the reader.
I do think that this book, like quite a few of Coelho's works often escape serious scrutiny because of the sense of excitement he generates, e.g with The Alchemist, and this impedes useful criticism. It is not a coincidence on his Blog that he takes a very keen interest in obtaining serious commentary from his readership on numerous aspects of each book, from plot to style to character development.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Beautiful Read....
It surprises me that people read the work of this truly brilliant writer and compare each book to any of his other pieces of work. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Mr. Nathan Guthrie
A journey to somewhere
Whenever I read Paulo Coelho, I feel I ought to be embarking upon a journey. But every time it seems that the trip merely revisits itself and, in the end, I always feel I am back... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Philip Spires
Lovely Piece =)
it'll make you think, it'll help you see how simple even the most complicated parts of are life really are... =)
Published 16 months ago by Amanda Gregory
comparisons can be odious.
The Pilgrimage was very thought provoking but not up to the standard of the Alchemist. To follow the map of the long trek was fascinating - particularly as some of the place... Read more
Published on 25 Sep 2009 by Lilith
Worst book I've EVER read!!!
I was a big fan of the Alchemist and have read a lot of spiritual/esoteric literature over the years, so I was shocked to discover how utterly abysmal this "biographical adventure"... Read more
Published on 7 Aug 2009 by Moondog
Stuff and Nonsense
I am interested in spirituality and also planning to walk The Camino next year so I decided to buy this book, having never read a Coelho novel before. Read more
Published on 23 Aug 2007 by Dr. Philip Cokkinos
109 days on the Camino of Love Inspired by Coelho
In April 2003 I began a beautiful journey walking the path from my birth home to my spiritual home (Finnesterre), it took me 109 days & there are no words to describe the feelings... Read more
Published on 9 Mar 2004 by Mr Gary Davison
Enlightening
The book Pilgrimage was a fantastic novel! It was intresting to read through and the RAM practices were applicable to everyday life and many of them are very useful! Read more
Published on 12 Oct 2003 by Sharanyaa
Profound!
Having discovered Paolo Coelho's writings by accident, I can never understand why "The Alchemist" is always in the Best Sellers list! Read more
Published on 15 July 2002 by "sarahfe"
I do believe Coelho walked El Camino
This book was my introduction to the Road to Santiago, which I walked on 1993, and I have no doubt that Coelho actually walked El Camino. Read more
Published on 18 Aug 2001 by "pilar_piedra@hotmail.com"
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