Paulo Coelho, born in 1947, is an award-winning Brazilian author and novelist. His written works include novels like The Alchemist, The Winner Stands Alone, The Valkyries, Veronika Decides to Die, The Zahir and Aleph. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Coelho attempted to pursue a career as a writer since a young age. However, owing to parental opposition, he decided to obtain a degree in law. He dropped out after a year and became a songwriter after moving back to Brazil. He dabbled in acting, theatre direction and journalism for a while before deciding to become a full-time writer in 1986. His books have sold numerous copies worldwide and have been translated to over eighty languages.