Paulo Coelho is widely loved for his inspirational writings. Manuscript Found in Accra is another title from his pen that is likely to hold appeal for Coelho fans all over the world.
Life is a continuous process of change but at times almost all of us find change difficult to deal with. Whether through bereavement, health concerns, financial and career problems or other disappointments, there are times when we all become anxious, uncertain and fearful. These feelings know no cultural boundaries and are as old as mankind.
In Manuscript Found in Accra, a wise man known as “the Copt” offers words of wisdom and consolation to the people of Jerusalem who, in July 1099, were in fear as the city awaited invasion. Individuals from various walks of life pose questions to the Copt on matters such as victory and defeat, love, elegance and beauty, anxiety, solitude, fate and the future.
“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.”
The questions posed in Manuscript Found in Accra touch on universal themes and the Copt’s responses resonate with modern readers facing their own anxieties and fears.
This is a beautifully written book that shows how being mindful of death — the “Unwanted Visitor” — can be the key to living a fulfilled and meaningful life. The questions posed to the Copt will resonate differently with individual readers but the answers provide universal lessons and consolation for the soul.
Highly recommended.
Manuscript Found in Accra By Paulo Coelho; Translated by Margaret Jull Costa is published by Alfred A Knopf. 2013. ISBN: 9780385349833 (Disclosure: An Advance Reader’s Copy (ARC) of Manuscript Found in Accra was provided by the publisher.)