The Zahir, by Paulo Coelho (
official website)
The book is about a famous author who mostly writes about spirituality. He goes on a pilgrimage and on his return his wife, Esther, is missing. As the story unfolds the author becomes obsessed with trying to understand what made her dissappear. Was she angry with him and abandoned him? Found another lover? Killed? Kidnapped? etc.
He sets out to search for her - a search that takes him from South America to Spain, France, Croatia and finally Kazhakstan in Central Asia. His journey is more than just a search for a woman. He searches himself and re-examines his life during the journey and he emerges with a newfound understanding of the power of destiny and the nature of true love.
Rich with imagery, pregnant with spiritualism and sometimes bordering on 'preachiness' (but not enough to take away from the enjoyment of the story), the novel is thought provoking and enjoyable. The themes of love and obsession are themes almost everyone can identify with...who hasn't had some love obsession in the past (or present!) that might have changed the course of their lives, eh?
Coelho is most wellknown for his book 'The Alchemist'. Although 'The Zahir' is positioned as a fictional book, many believe it is somewhat autobiographical in nature. The lead characters such as the wife, Esther, is also a character inspired by someone Coelho knows in real life - a journalist by the name of Christina Lamb, who covers war stories for the Sunday Times (see
here)
Recommended.