A journey to the past. A map for the future. Drawing on the rich experience of his own life, bestselling author Paulo Coelho relives the dreams of a generation that longed for peace and challenged the established social order. In Hippie, he tells the story of Paulo, a skinny Brazilian with a goatee, learning about himself by exploring the world. Travelling on the 'Death Train to Bolivia', on to Peru, Paulo hitchhikes through Chile and Argentina and into Amsterdam. In the famous Dam Square he meets Karla, a young Dutch woman in her twenties who has been waiting to find the ideal companion to accompany her on the fabled hippie trail to Nepal. Together with their fellow travellers, they embark on a trip aboard the Magic Bus, heading across Europe and Central Asia to Kathmandu. For everyone, the journey is transformative. For Paulo and Karla it is a life-defining love story that leads to choices that will set the course of the rest of their lives.

Author Biography

'The extraordinary lies in the path of ordinary people.' Paulo Coelho Paulo Coelho's life remains the primary source of inspiration for his books. He has flirted with death, escaped madness, dallied with drugs, withstood torture, experimented with magic and alchemy, studied philosophy and religion, read voraciously, lost and recovered his faith, and experienced the pain and pleasure of love. In searching for his own place in the world, he discovered answers for the challenges that everyone faces. He believes that, within ourselves, we have the necessary strength to find our own destiny. His first novel, The Alchemist, has now sold more than 85 million copies and has been cited as an inspiration by people as diverse as Malala Yousafzai and Pharell Williams. Paulo Coelho's books have sold more than 225 million copies worldwide and he is the most translated living author. He has won 115 international prizes and awards and in 2007 was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace.