"Hippie" by Paulo Coelho

It's been a long time since I read Paulo Coelho. The first book that I read, of course, was "The Alchemist". It was sensational and pleasant and inspiring. I took it with me when I left my country and migrated to the UK. It really helped me with "the unknown" that was waiting for me on the way. I was hugging it in the bus, as if it was some Bible. That was, perhaps 15 years ago. I did read other books by Paulo Coelho - "The Fifth Mountain", "Veronica Decides to Die" and "Eleven Minutes", but I remember not liking them as much because they were more modern and lacked "the exoticism" of "The Alchemist". I decided then, then perhaps "The Alchemist" was and will be the only Paulo Coelho's book that I'm really into (because others loved all of them).

Paulo Coelho's "Hippie" takes you  to another worlds just like "The Alchemist"

However a week ago, while browsing baby toys on amazon, I found this colorfully illustrated book by Paulo Coelho called "Hippie". I couldn't ignore it and had to buy it. It was very cheap and it was hardcover and the cover was beautiful and bright. 

"The Hippie" is a very attractive book. It has loads of countries, travel, languages, religions, colors and experiences. I really wanted to learn something about hippies. I've heard a lot about them and I was called one myself, but I really never knew exactly who were they. I thought it's going to be author's autobiography as it had his photo at the back, where he looked like a hippie. It felt a bit like "The Alchemist", so I was very pleased.

The book reminded me a lot of the "old days" when we hitch-hiked and traveled to the neighboring countries. I could also resonate with the "communist countries" as my country was also communist at some point. I could also resonate with the city square in Amsterdam where you people watch and try to talk to someone but are always too shy because others look "way too cool". I wasn't born in the 70's but I always loved that era - the clothes, the hair, the fashion, flowery shirts, long hair, etc. 

"The Hippie" is somewhat divided into two parts: Paulo and his Yugoslavian girlfriend travelling South America, and  Paulo and his Dutch travel partner/girlfriend Karla travelling to Nepal through Eurasia.
The South American story was a bit traumatic and difficult but the Europe story being a bit fun and lighter. Paulo's visit to Turkey has been "the longest" and it again reminded me of "The Alchemist's" Santiago travelling to to the Arabic country and experiencing "the small streets and bazaar". So it really took me there and I felt that mood and I really like the mood of "an old mosque" and "a hundred year old cafe".

"Paulo Coelho's books are less about WHAT is happening and more about HOW it's happening."

The ending of the novel also reminded me of "The Alchemist's" in a way that it was open for interpretation. It was kind of saying that "what matters is the journey and not the destination" but it also shows how novel's characters got to know themselves better, how their priorities became more clear. However, deep down in my heart I was hoping to get more of that Indian/Nepali experience at the end of the book. 

It was a great read and also loved to learn about the Paris riots in 1968 and other historical facts, the book was deep, it was "searching" and the writer's style reminded me of my favorite Lithuanian writer's Jurga Ivanauskaite's style (I adored her but she passed away and I was really upset about that). I don't know what connects Jurga Ivanauskaite and Paulo Coelho (maybe they were inspired by the same muse). I thought that I will buy more of Paulo Coelho books, because I feel, somehow, connected to my favorite Lithuanian writer  through them as well.