The pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho 

 

Paulo Coelho and his stupid journeys of enlightenment. This might be the worst and most tedious book I have ever read or I will ever read. The story does not make any sense at all. I have read a couple of his books and truth to be told I did not like them much either. He sounds crazy in most of the part. This book is supposed to be based on real events but events are more made up than a Sci-Fi movie. Finishing this book was the hardest thing I did in a very long time. So the story begins when he starts his search for his sword  along the road to santinago as a pilgrimage. I have absolutely no idea what the fuck he wants to do with it. And then there is his guide through out the rout to Santiago which makes no sense and the power he seems to posses are so absurd and imaginary. On the way to Santiago a lot of things happen which almost all of them are completely made up stories and non of it makes any sense whatsoever. Poulo is amazed by the powers his guide posses like talking to things listening to sounds from far aways; even though he has seen this kind of stuff back in Brazil a dozen times. When something happens he somehow finds a relation between this and a previous event and describes the previous one from beginning till the end tediously. In some parts he and his guide whose name is Petrus sound like a gay couple which is so lousy. They want to follow the right while smoking fucking cigarettes and drinking alcohol where ever they find it available. 

    I am really annoyed by this book. No matter how much dreadful I say it was it won't be enough. This book shallow, tedious and extremely cheesy. It force me to take a solemn vow that I will never ever ever again read any of his fucking boring books of enlightenment. Screw enlightenment and screw anyone who describes the path to it in this manner. To be honest I was not gonna read this book , before I started it I did check some of the reviews about it in Goodreads.com but I had nothing else to read and I could not afford buying a good book cause I have to save my money for plane ticket which has been apparently doubled due to this ungodly pandemic.       

Here are some quotes from this third world crummy book which might be the only good thing about this book... 

# "We must never stop dreaming. Dreams provide nourishment for the soul, just as a meal does for the body."

# "We always have a tendency to see those things that do not exist and to be blind to the great lessons that are right there before our eyes."

# "She wanted to dance with someone who would embrace her in the way she dreamed of since adolescence."

# "It's a good idea always to do something relaxing prior to making an important decision in your life."

# "Teaching is only demonstrating that it is possible. Learning is making it possible for yourself."

# "The boat is safer anchored at the port; but that's not the aim to boats."

# "The busiest people I have known in my life always have time enough to do everything. Those who do nothing are always tired and pay no attention to little amount of work they are required do do. They complain constantly that the day is too short. The truth is, they are afraid to fight the good fight."

# "Death is our constant companion, and it is death that gives each person's life its true meaning."

# "We always know which is the best road to follow, but we follow only the road that we have become accustomed to."

# "Have pity on those who are fearful of taking up a pen, or a paintbrush, or an instrument, or a tool because they are afraid that someone has already done so better than they could...."

# "Once a problem is solved, it's simplicity is amazing."

# "I wept because I was re-experiencing the enthusiasm of my childhood; I was once again a child, and nothing in the world could cause me harm."

# "When we both experienced the love that consumes, we shared in the Absolute. The Absolute shows each of us who we really are; it is an enormous web of cause and effect. where every small gesture made by one person affects the life of someone else. This morning, that slice of the Absolute was still very much alive in my soul. I was seeing not only you but everything there is in the world, unlimited by space or time."

# "We are always trying to convert people to a belief in our own explanation of the universe. We think that the more people there are who believe as we do, the more certain it will be that what we believe is the truth. But it doesn't work that way at all."

# "It has been said that there is no such thing as coincidence in this world."

# "What people regard as vanity__leaving great works, having children, acting in such a way as to prevent one's from being forgotten__I regard as the highest expression of human dignity."

# "We must never stop dreaming. Dreams provide nourishment for the soul, just as a meal does for the body. Many times in our ives we see our dreams shattered and our desires frustrated, but we have to continue dreaming. If we don't, our soul dies, and agape cannot reach it."

# "The Good Fight is the one that we fight in the name of our dreams."

# "A disciple...can never imitate his guide's steps. You have your own way of living your life, of dealing with problems, and of winning. Teaching is only demonstrating that it is possible. Learning is making is possible for yourself."

# "Human beings are the only ones in nature who are aware that they will die. For that reason and only for that reason, I have a profound respect for the human race, and I believe that its future is going to be much better than it's present. Even knowing that their days are numbered and that everything will end when they lease expect it, people make their lives a battle that is worthy of a being with eternal life. What people regard as vanity_leaving great works, having children, acting in such a way as to prevent one's name from being forgotten. I regard as the highest expression of human dignity."

# "When it doubt, just take the next small step."

# "Still, being fragile creatures, humans always try to hide from themselves the certainty that they will die. They do not see that it is death itself that motivates the to do the best things in their lives. They are afraid to step into the dark, afraid of the unknown, and their only way of conquering that fear is to ignore the fact that their days are numbered. They do not see that with an awareness of death, they would be able to be even more daring, to go much further in their daily conquests, because then they would have nothing to lose_for death itself is inevitable."

# "When we want something we have to have a clear purpose in mind for the thing that we want. The only reason for seeking a reward is to know what to do with that reward."

# "When I asked you if you wanted to, I was not testing your courage. I was testing your wisdom."

# "We who determine how quickly time passes."

# "Turning to me, he said, 'Take away your hand; it has deceived you. The road of the Tradition is not for the chosen few. It is everyone's road. And the power that you think you have is worthless, because it is a power that is shared by all. You should have refused your sword. If you had done so, it would have been given to you, because you would have shown that your heart was pure. But just as I feared, at the supreme moment you stumbled and fell. Because of your avidity, you will now have to seek again for your sword. And because of your pride, you will have to seek it among simple people. Because of your fascination with miracles, you will have to struggle to recapture what was about to be given to you so generously."

# "And when I think about it, I guess it is true that people always arrive at the right moment at the place where someone awaits them."

# "Let us speak of true love, which grows and grows, and makes the world go around and makes people wise."

# "Crazy doesn't mean you want to conquer America or talk to birds like Saint Francis of Assisi. Even a vegetable vendor on the street corner can show this flame of madness if he likes what he is doing."

# "People who consider themselves to be wise are ashamed to give orders and consider it dishonorable to receive them."

 All the very best with not reading it.!