The latest novel from the #1 internationally best-selling author of *The Alchemist.*

There is nothing wrong with anxiety.
Although we cannot control God’s time, it is part of the human condition to want to receive the thing we are waiting for as quickly as possible.
Or to drive away whatever is causing our fear. . . .
Anxiety was born in the very same moment as mankind. And since we will never be able to master it, we will have to learn to live with it—just as we have learned to live with storms.
 
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July 14, 1099. Jerusalem awaits the invasion of the crusaders who have surrounded the city’s gates. There, inside the ancient city’s walls, men and women of every age and every faith have gathered to hear the wise words of a mysterious man known only as the Copt. He has summoned the townspeople to address their fears with truth: 

“Tomorrow, harmony will become discord. Joy will be replaced by grief. Peace will give way to war. . . . None of us can know what tomorrow will hold, because each day has its good and its bad moments. So, when you ask your questions, forget about the troops outside and the fear inside. Our task is not to leave a record of what happened on this date for those who will inherit the Earth; history will take care of that. Therefore, we will speak about our daily lives, about the difficulties we have had to face.” 

The people begin with questions about defeat, struggle, and the nature of their enemies; they contemplate the will to change and the virtues of loyalty and solitude; and they ultimately turn to questions of beauty, love, wisdom, sex, elegance, and what the future holds. “What is success?” poses the Copt. “It is being able to go to bed each night with your soul at peace.” 

   

Now, these many centuries later, the wise man’s answers are a record of the human values that have endured throughout time. And, in Paulo Coelho’s hands, The Manuscript Found in Accra* reveals that who we are, what we fear, and what we hope for the future come from the knowledge and belief that can be found within us, and not from the adversity that surrounds us.  

This eBook edition includes a Reading Group Guide. 

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From Booklist

Coelho’s quietly beautiful book is difficult to categorize. Unlike many of his novels, it is not an allegory, nor does it revolve around a mystical or physical pilgrimage. Instead, it consists of a series of queries posed by a population under siege and the powerfully simple, yet evocative, answers provided by an essentially unidentified wise man. As Jerusalem is surrounded by belligerent Crusaders in AD 1099, its diverse citizens—Jews, Muslims, and Christians, who have lived together in peace for centuries—gather in the square to seek the counsel of the Greek, known familiarly as the Copt. The Copt advises them to speak of their daily lives and search their hearts, minds, and souls for questions pertaining to universal truths. As the Copt thoughtfully answers questions posed about a variety of everyday subjects, including solitude, love, utility, luck, miracles, beauty, sex, anxiety, grace, and elegance, he bequeaths to his audience an “invisible sword” with which to fight intolerance and ignorance. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The sublime Coelho continues to break stylistic boundaries with this series of spiritual musings grounded more in history and morality than in his trademark brand of mysticism. --Margaret Flanagan

Review

‘One of the few to deserve the term “publishing phenomenon”’ Independent on Sunday

‘His books have had a life-enhancing impact on millions of people.’ The Times

‘His writing is like a path of energy that inadvertently leads readers to themselves, toward their mysterious and faraway souls.’ Le Figaro

‘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

‘An exceptional writer.' USA Today

‘I love The Alchemist.’ Oprah Winfrey

‘The Alchemist is a beautiful book about magic, dreams and the treasures we seek elsewhere and then find on our doorstep.’ Madonna

‘One of my favourite books is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho…I feel very strongly that we are who we choose to be.’ Will Smith

‘I always recommend The Alchemist’ Russell Crowe

‘The Alchemist is a story about the endless search of finding out who you truly are. On the road for most of our lives, sometimes it’s difficult to find something to grasp on to, to define who you are and where you belong—and reading The Alchemist truly made me appreciate my family and band and those close to and around me. It brought some stability into our wild ride of a life.’ Joe Jonas