Like the flowing river …
Szavanna October 10th, 2007
I just started reading the Coelho book “Like the flowing river”.
The preface says : When Paulo was fifteen - he was asked by his mother to explain “what a writer does” after telling her that he wanted to become a writer. He wasn’t sure exactly so he decided to do some research. He concluded that most writers wear glasses, they look depressed, they spend most of their days in bars and they look really “deep”. His mother said to him : “it would be easier to be an engineer. Besides, you don’t wear glasses”. Paulo thought - he would still try to become a writer - even if he doesn’t fit all the above descriptions.
When I was growing up - like most in the neighborhood - I learned to play the violin. I played for 8 years while in primary school and then was accepted at musical highschool - which meant 4 years of very intensive music training, violin, piano, viola lessons, chamber music, orchestra, music theory and more. I was on my way to become a “professional” musician. I was really trying hard - but at the last exam the director of the school told me - “Hm, no, no - you are not a musician”.
I was devastated. I couldn’t look at the violin for a year. Then one day I decided to open the case and played a note. Then another. Then one more. Then I could confirm : I could play the violin! I haven’t stopped since - the violin has become my best friend when travelling and is always here somewhere in the room withing reach. Surely I didn’t become a Yehudi Menuhin - but actually - that is really not “me” - I am not someone that could play the same classical music pieces - day after day after day. I need some variety - music for me has to change and move “like the flowing river”.
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Dear Szavanna,
once more your article got Paulo interested. We will publish in his blog, if it’s ok with you. Write me if you have any restrictions, ok?
Best
Paula
Its a good book. Have you read “A thousand Suns” by Dominique Lapierre?
Hi Vijay - no I haven’t read it. Does it resemble this book?
yeah, its kinda similar. “Like a flowing river” has many short chapters, “A thousand suns” has few but longer chapters (10 or 11, I forgot) and it is a very good book. The author describes his travel experiences around the world - he met a bull tamer from Spain, a person accused of terrorism, toured Soviet Union at the height of cold war etc.
Also, try out “Travels” (http://www.amazon.com/Travels-Michael-Crichton/dp/0060509058/ref=pd_bbs_sr_5/102-8670794-9630508?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192323285&sr=8-5)by Michael crichton. That is also an amazing book. I don’t know if Michael has written any other non-fiction, but I wish he did. He got his degree in medicine, but ended up in the film industry.
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