Finished another book today. The Pilgrimage. Paolo Coelho.
Note - this is the first Paolo Coelho book I read (no I haven't read the Alchemist - and after this - don't intend to!). And I was disappointed.
When I read the description, I was excited. It's about Paolo's journey through Spain on the legendary road of San Tiago towards Santiago de Compustela. I was expecting a rich account of what he saw through his journey and his spiritual upliftment through real life experiences.
Instead, it's a book where the author can't get enough of himself and how spiritually superior he turned out to be! It's a book about Paolo trying to attain his "sword" (maybe I'm not smart enough - but I think this was a spiritual reference to his attainment of kind of a "nirvana") by completing this 700km journey on foot. He has a guide - Petrus - who leads him into a number of other-worldly challenges (like repeatedly fighting a rabid dog - a reference to his personal demons I think) and how he overcomes.... well.... everything.
It's just a self-help money-spinner in my opinion.
To be fair - it's tough writing a book about one's own spirituality without sounding like you're calling yourself God. But then one's own spirituality is such a personal thing - if you really believe in it, don't write a book about it and end up sounding like a pompous ass.
Net - I didn't enjoy it!
Need to stop by at the book store for another one tomorrow!
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