The famous 66-year-old Brazilian writer talks about wealth, travel and the delights of having a cup of coffee with strangers.
To write is to share. The desire to share - thoughts, ideas, opinions - is inherent in human nature itself. I realized quite early that the best way for me to communicate with people is through my books, but it took me many years to realize that I wanted to do this professionally.
I remember my birth. Someone entered the room and I said to myself, "This is my grandmother." Nobody believes me. I even asked the doctors if this was possible - everyone says that it is impossible, but I remember well what I saw that day.
Writing a book is a deeply intimate process. I am a very superstitious person. If I start talking about a book, or even just say the title before I finish it, I feel the energy I need to be creative leaves me. This is such an intimate process that I do not even discuss it with my wife.
My connection with Brazil is rather abstract. I am Brazilian by blood and mindset, but this is where my connection with Brazil ends. I'm not used to going back in time, and despite the fact that I have an apartment in Brazil, I rarely go there. If I move, then I move permanently.
I've made a fortune. I like to put on a very nice coat when going out on the street in Geneva [where Coelho currently lives] on a winter evening, but it seems to me that I have always been a rich man. I could afford a lot of pleasure even when I was not particularly rich. Traveling, archery, writing and reading books do not cost much.
I can control my fate, but not my fate. The concept of fate implies that a person has the ability to turn right or left, and fate is a one-way street. It seems to me that each of us has a choice in how exactly we realize our fate, but the fate of a person is always a foregone conclusion.
I don't miss the days when I was a hippie. I had a great time and traveled a lot, spending almost no money doing it. But I could not stay in this state for a long time, I cannot forever use drugs and wander the planet.
People are polygamous by nature. We are polygamous because we have to preserve our lineage. But I believe in marriage. I myself have been married for 34 years. For me, the most important thing in life is love.
If you make me angry, I behave like an animal. I am Hispanic by temperament. And if I'm in a bad mood, you will definitely feel it. I've always been a lousy diplomat because I say what I think.
Many people would like to become vampires. Fighting the aging process is useless. I am very glad that I did not die when I was young, so I grow old without any regret. This is happiness.
I have a lot of free time. Many people think that if you are a successful writer, then you are a very busy person. But this is not about me. I spend a lot of time walking and drinking coffee with strangers.
I sometimes go to small bookstores to see if my books are on sale there.
Source: Shahesta Sheitley The Guardian inosmi.ru
