Eleven Minutes

Here's a tip I learned from someone after reading this book. When you are picking up a book by a well-known author and the author's name is bigger than the title of the book, chances are they are trying to sell the book strictly by the popularity of the author, not by the content of the book. Years and years ago I read The Alchemist by Paul Coelho, and while I don't remember it all that well anymore, I remember just loving it at the time (and I really should re-read it since I own the book). Well, I should have known from the start that this book was going to be a little different. Coelho starts off in his foreword by saying that in his previous books he's tried to address important aspects of life--family, faith, knowledge, etc--but he feels like it's time to go darker and deeper. Such is the nature of this book. The book pretty well centers around sex and prostitution, addressing aspects of both ranging from societal acceptance to moral responsibility. And let me tell you--it's a little intense at times.

Now, before I come off as totally negative, don't automatically assume you should turn away any opportunity to read this book. But maybe expect to read it twice. Because the first time through, I was still getting a little over the shock of the content to really appreciate and think about the questions and challenges Coelho was addressing, and I really do feel like he showed a lot of courage by discussing these topics in such detail. And, maybe sometime a few years from now, I'll be able to pick up this book again and really understand what I'm getting into, and thus be able to get more out of it.

I do also feel compelled to say that I had a major issue with the ending, which is also possibly why I finished the book unable to really reflect on some the bigger, more challenging issues. I won't say exactly what it was about the ending that bothered me, because doing so would completely give it away, which is something I strive not to do in my book reviews.

All in all, it's not an awful book. Had it not been written by someone with the clout of Paul Coelho, it probably wouldn't have sold many copies, let alone make it to publication. I'm inclined to believe that it is only because of the name Coelho that this book has received any sort of an audience, because it's content is not widely popular (or, in many places, socially acceptable). Part of me is inclined to say that this would make a good book-club book because it really begs to be discussed--but then part of me knows that this would be widely unsuccessful in a lot of book clubs because I don't see too many clubs being super comfortable discussing the ideas about sex and prostitution that are presented in this book. I further don't see many book club members being comfortable discussing how these ideas and prejudices about sex and prostitution are present in their lives and relationships, which I believe is what Coelho ultimately wants his readers to reflect on.