Review: Manuscript Found In Accra by Paulo Coelho

December 7, 2013

Author: Paulo Coelho
Publisher: Harper Collins
Year: 2013
ISBN: 9780007520503
Rating: ★★★½☆
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Paulo Coelho has always been an author whose books have myriad shades of oxymoron. While I became a big fan of ‘Alchemist’ on one hand, ‘Veronika decides to die’ made me sink to morbid melancholia. ‘Manuscript in Accra ‘was something which I picked up with certain degree of apprehension.

My fears of a repeat of tragic novel were quickly put to rest. Instead, it is pleasantly uplifting. I usually do not prefer comparing novels, however, this one begged to be discussed for its close resemblance with the ‘Prophet’ by Khalil Gibran. In fact it mirrored it so well suggesting it to be a sequel.

The book is an immaculate cocktail of Fiction and Philosophy without any mundane reiterations. It touches upon various circles of life and greatly influences the thinking of a common man. The protagonist in his multitude sermons touches upon sensitive topics of anxiety, difficulty, love, sex solitude, patience, inner soul, success and defeat.

The book could successfully uplift any person who is even remotely disappointed with critical matters of life. It throws light on neutralizing fear and extricating oneself by abnegating expectations. It is crisp, concise and concrete.

This is no ordinary book. It has the right ingredients which blend wisely to take the reader to the next level of spirituality. However, one must not be surprised if it fails to make an impact among teenagers who read more for entertainment rather than seeking a lecture on life.

This is the kind of book which I would gift my grandfather, yet want to buy for myself as well. It helped me transform into believing that my problems are only as big as I make them in my mind. The book surely acts as a beacon for those sailors of life whose reason and passion are the rudder and sails of a struggling ship making its way to shore of success.

The book marvelously defines success, ‘It is being able to go to bed each night with your soul at peace’. It made me wonder how many people in this world are actually successful.

The passages of this book are thought provoking and at times it compels the reader to transcend from a narrow outlet of happiness to develop a peripheral vision. All of us are gifted with the ability to make decisions but the circumstances determine the legitimacy of our decision. The book is slim and content is vivid and I would go on to recommend it as a must read. I would end this review of what I consider the best lines from the book, ‘Let us be masters of tongue and not the slaves of our words’.

Farrukh Kidwai

Writer at IndiaBookStore
Love to read Non-Fiction, Auto biographies, A software programmer but not a very good one, an adventurist

32 Comments

  • Vidya Sury April 15, 2014 at 12:18 PM

    That’s a wonderful review! I’d love to read the book!

  • Rohit Dhamija April 15, 2014 at 12:53 PM

    I have read almost all books written by Paulo Chelho, looking forward to read this book too!

  • Chander Shekhar April 15, 2014 at 12:55 PM

    An awesome read !!!

  • Neeti Choudhari April 15, 2014 at 12:58 PM

    I am about to read this book!! Thanks for the review! 🙂

  • Kirti Nemani April 15, 2014 at 1:18 PM

    Really excited after reading the review! Will order it soon!

  • Divija Rao April 15, 2014 at 3:17 PM

    wow! the review makes me want to read the book more
    It seems to be a book to be chewed and digested (#Sir Francis Bacon)

  • Tanya Jain April 15, 2014 at 4:03 PM

    Very well written review! Describes the book perfectly!! 🙂

  • Javed Sheikh April 15, 2014 at 6:21 PM

    great review!!

  • Divya Gattani April 15, 2014 at 11:24 PM

    Wow !! Indeed a great review ! 🙂 Looking forward to read the book 🙂

  • AVNEET April 15, 2014 at 11:33 PM

    Awesome !!! 🙂

  • NAVNEET GATTANI April 16, 2014 at 9:13 AM

    Superb!! looking forward to read it .

  • Privy Trifles April 16, 2014 at 9:16 AM

    I loved this book and I loved loved loved this review!

  • Ritesh Jena April 16, 2014 at 10:33 AM

    Liked the review. Looking forward to read it.

  • Radika Sriram April 16, 2014 at 11:56 AM

    This review just makes me want to grab a copy of the book, sit on a hammock in my garden and read on 🙂

  • Kajal Sharma April 16, 2014 at 1:36 PM

    Very excited about the book 🙂

  • HImanshu Gautam April 16, 2014 at 1:44 PM

    After reading that review of the book. i am going to buy that book 🙂

  • jumsumtak April 16, 2014 at 1:50 PM

    would love to get my hands on this jewel of a book!

  • arvindpassey April 16, 2014 at 5:29 PM

    Like all other books by Paulo Coelho, this one too takes you deep within for rare insights. Loved the review too.

    Arvind Passey
    http://www.passey.info

  • Kavya Seetala April 16, 2014 at 6:47 PM

    I feel all Paulo coelho’s books are uplifting.

  • aditi gaur April 16, 2014 at 7:27 PM

    seems to be a book of universal appeal

  • Aditi Saha April 16, 2014 at 8:16 PM

    has always been My favorite author!!!

  • rahul April 16, 2014 at 10:23 PM

    Looking forward to it.

  • akashdeep April 16, 2014 at 10:36 PM

    I need to pick this one!

  • preyanshu03 April 16, 2014 at 11:15 PM

    Nice…

  • Pradeep K April 17, 2014 at 8:32 AM

    will give it a try 🙂

  • Ravi Raj April 17, 2014 at 8:39 AM

    Wow.. Nice… will give it a try…

  • Reader April 17, 2014 at 9:39 AM

    Will indeed consider reading this!

  • mahesh April 17, 2014 at 11:15 AM

    looks nice!

  • jinesh April 17, 2014 at 12:24 PM

    love his books!!

  • SanJana April 17, 2014 at 2:28 PM

    Paulo Coelho <3

  • prashu April 17, 2014 at 3:30 PM

    Wow interesting….The next one in my “To read list”

  • Jyoti April 17, 2014 at 3:36 PM

    Good

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