The Witch of Portobello: A Novel (P.S.)
by Paulo Coelho
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Book Summary Information
Author: Paulo CoelhoEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-02-05
ISBN: 0061338818
Number of pages: 312
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Book Reviews of The Witch of Portobello: A Novel (P.S.)
Book Review: A sampling of the prose: "Do all gypsies believe in the Great Mother?"
Summary: 1 Stars
I purchased this book based on the "first pages" available to read here. I'd like to offer potential readers a more representative sampling. The excerpt below is from Athena's calligraphy lessons:
"The brush with which you are making these lines is just an instrument. It has no consciousness, it follows the desires of the person holding it. And in that it is very like what we call `life.' Many people in this world are merely playing a role, unaware that there is an Invisible Hand guiding them. At this moment, in your hands, in the brush tracing each letter, lie all the intentions of your soul. Try to understand the importance of this.
I do understand, and I see that it's important to maintain a certain elegance. You tell me to sit in a particular position, to venerate the materials I'm going to use, and only to begin when I have done so . . .
Elegance isn't a superficial thing, it's the way mankind has found to honor life and work. That's why, when you feel uncomfortable in that position, you mustn't think that it's false or artificial: it's real and true precisely because it's difficult. That position means that both the paper and the brush feel proud of the effort you're making. The paper ceases to be a flat, colorless surface and takes on the depth of the things placed on it. Elegance is the correct posture if the writing is to be perfect. It's the same with life: when all superfluous things have been discarded, we discover simplicity and concentration. The simpler and more sober the posture, the more beautiful it will be, even though, at first, it may seem uncomfortable."
Here's another quote, from Athena:
" . . . But that's all a way of avoiding those moments when nothing is happening, because those blank spaces give me a feeling of absolute emptiness, in which not a single crumb of love exists. My parents have always done everything they could for me, and I do nothing but disappoint them. But here, during the time we've spent together, celebrating nature and the Great Mother, I've realized that those empty spaces were starting to get filled up. They were transformed into pauses--the moment when the man lifts his hand from the drum before bringing it down again to strike it hard. I think I can leave now. I'm not saying that I'll go in peace, because my life needs to follow the rhythm I'm accustomed to. But I won't leave feeling bitter. Do all gypsies believe in the Great Mother?"
If this is your cup of tea, enjoy!
Summary of The Witch of Portobello: A Novel (P.S.)
How do we find the courage to always be true to ourselves?even if we are unsure of who we are?
That is the central question of international bestselling author Paulo Coelho's profound new work, The Witch of Portobello. It is the story of a mysterious woman named Athena, told by the many who knew her well?or hardly at all. Like The Alchemist, The Witch of Portobello is the kind of story that will transform the way readers think about love, passion, joy, and sacrifice.
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