By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept: A Novel of Forgiveness by Paulo Coelho (Epub)

Description

From Paulo Coelho, author of the international bestseller The Alchemist, comes a poignant, richly poetic story that reflects the depth of love and life.

Rarely does adolescent love reach its full potential, but what happens when two young lovers reunite after eleven years? Time has transformed Pilar into a strong and independent woman, while her devoted childhood friend has grown into a handsome and charismatic spiritual leader. She has learned well how to bury her feelings . . . and he has turned to religion as a refuge from his raging inner conflicts.

Now they are together once again, embarking on a journey fraught with difficulties, as long-buried demons of blame and resentment resurface after more than a decade. But in a small village in the French Pyrenees, by the waters of the River Piedra, a most special relationship will be reexamined in the dazzling light of some of life’s biggest questions.

User’s Reviews

Amazon.com Review This first United States paperback of By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept comes after huge worldwide sales of the novel of faith, romance, miracles, and the importance of following the heart’s true path. The inspirational tale follows Pilar, a young woman from the Spanish countryside who, sparked by the teachings of a now-mysterious man she has known and loved since childhood, leaves her graduate studies and embarks on a spiritual pilgrimage through the Pyrenees Mountains and reevaluates her life and her future. Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho, author of the international bestseller The Alchemist, is considered to be one of the most widely-read Latin American writers in the world. –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. Review `One of the few to deserve the term “Publishing Phenomenon”‘ INDEPENDENT OF SUNDAY `His books have had a life-enancing impact on millions of people.’ THE TIMES `this (is an) exceptional novel.’ Laura Esquivel, author of LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. From Kirkus Reviews By the Brazilian author of The Alchemist (1993) and the nonfictional The Valkyries: An Encounter with Angels (1995), a more mature work of fiction that may sell big. Coelho adds fiber to his usual dish of inspirational spun-sugar with this new Christian romance, set in Spain and the Pyrenees. The story follows practical law student Pilar, who at 28 has lost her faith and who suddenly finds herself pursued by a childhood friend she hasn’t seen for ten years. One day in December, she receives a letter inviting her to a lecture on religion that that long-lost friend will give in Madrid. Pilar finds that he’s now a believer in the miracle of the “Magic Moment,” an instant in time when God gives us a chance “to change everything that makes us unhappy.” He’s also a fervent believer in the Virgin Mary, the “feminine face of God.” Has her friend become a seminarian, as he’s suggested in a letter to her? Pilar doesn’t know, but he wines and dines her and asks her to accompany him on a trip. Soon the two are sharing confidences (but not their bodies), while visiting churches and shrines, including Lourdes. This is mostly a two-character novel, with a priest used for exposition and as a means of filling in the background of Pilar’s beloved (who remains nameless, being referred to simply as “he” in the narrative) as a Charismatic healer. Yes, he has the gift of laying on of hands, granted him by the Virgin when he spoke to her in tongues at a meeting of Charismatics. Even Pilar finds she can speak in tongues. Mild erotic tension grows as The Bridges of Madison County (will martyr Meryl run off with Clint?) meets The Garden of Allah (will disillusioned Dietrich wed deserter Trappist Boyer?) and Love demands that Pilar’s beloved abandon healing for sexual/spiritual fulfillment. Sex and God whipped into a tasty mayonnaise. ($75,000 ad/promo) — Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. From Booklist Coelho’s The Alchemist (1994) was a surprise smash and made him the second most widely read Latin American author (after Gabriel Garcia Marquez). Here he offers another parable, this time about love, both personal and transcendent. The story’s heroine, Pilar, remeets an old childhood friend, a charismatic seminarian who centers his devotion on Mary and the feminine face of God. Pilar, who has deliberately chosen a narrow life, is literally swept away by her unnamed friend as he takes her on a trip to the French Pyrenees. Each must search their hearts to discover whether the love they want to share can become compatible with the young man’s vocation. Although the story has its charming and vibrant aspects, it is also occasionally muddled, especially in its theology, which is only vaguely explained. Readers will have only the dimmest sense of how (and, for that matter, why) the young man is torn between heaven and earth. Given that lack of definition, it’s no real surprise when the couple gets together at the end. Still, the path they take to get there has a few interesting twists and turns, and Coelho’s familiar message about the spirituality of love will please his devoted following. Ilene Cooper –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Reviews from Amazon users, collected at the time the book is getting published on UniedVRG. It can be related to shiping or paper quality instead of the book content:

⭐ I didn’t know what to expect when Paolo Coehlo was recommended to me as an author to read. I went ahead based only on the influence and change my mentor had on other aspects of my life and I was not disappointed. This book is fantastic! It read to me more like poetry or song and I thoroughly enjoyed it start to finish. Read and it will have you thinking about the many facets and strength of love, and our purpose of awakening , along with the beautiful stories of the main characters. The Alchemist is also a five star novel, although written differently and more focused on self development, it is just as impactful. Wow!

⭐ I’m in a book club so when it comes to ordering the book of the month. Amazon is my go to book store. I absolutely love ordering through Amazon and there’s several reasons why. 1. I always find it here and know for sure I will not be disappointed when looking for a specific book. 2. I get options. Yay!! I either can get a hardcover which most of the time I do. I have an option of getting it on Audible. Double yay and I’ll tell you why. I’m a mother of 6 kids. Yep…doesn’t give me much time to read so audio books are a must for me. I also have an option of getting it on kindle. So if I can’t really wait for the actual book. I’ll definitely get it on Kindle. The list of options goes on and I love it. When it was time to order this book. Boom! I saw it, ordered it and received it a few days later. How awesome is that!! This book is great and I found out as I was reading it (in my head) that it’s even better when you read it out loud. Try it! You’ll love it and makes the book more interesting. The book is a perfect size, not too big nor too small and definitely not bulky. Looking forward to purchasing more books through Amazon!

⭐ This book was awful. I have read several books by Paulo Coelho and have thoroughly enjoyed them all. I purchased this book for a retreat and was so excited to finally sit down and read it. I felt cheated after reading it :). This book was boring, dry and painfully hard to finish. I kept thinking it would pick up and get better and it never did. I truly do not know what the point/message of this book is.

⭐ Two childhood friends go on a journey together from Spain to the surrounding communities of the Pyrenees mountains. On their journey Pilar and her friend discuss the meaning of love, forgiveness and how to lead an adventurous life by taking risks to fulfill a dream. There is also the Pere who seems to become a mediator or advocate, a friend, between the man and woman. First of all, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, BY THE RIVER PIEDRA I SAT DOWN AND WEPT by PAULHO COELHO. I’ve had good conversation whether confrontational or peaceable while reading through the pages. Whatever the tone of the moment ideas flowed like good wine pass the three people to me. The transition to another world of spirituality and beauty made me see that moments in my life can be full of meaning.I began the novelthinking one way, then, all of a sudden there was a switch in my mind. At first the male companion seemed to be the one capable and willing to teach Pilar the way to a spiritual life. I thought Pilar seemed more romantic. You know woman want romance. Man wants to pontificate about his great deeds. It is only after her male companion comes back from a time of solitude in the mountains do I see he is the one who will be changed by the woman’s thoughts about forgiveness and what dream to follow in life. Oddly, when he comes from the mountaintop and meets the woman he grabs her and gives her a deep and intimate kiss. The kiss seems to say ‘I want your body.’ He is now willing to give up his life of spiritual growth in order to build a home with a white picket fence and do all that he thinks this woman, most women want for their lives. Here is the twisted dance. Pilar doesn’t want any of the above. She wants to talk about spirituality.She wants to give her life away in service to other people. This is the walk, the journey she wants to share with her companion. I suppose both are striving to sacrifice themselves for one another in different ways.In order that Pilar’s strong spirituality is not overlooked. Paulo Coelho mentions Saint Teresa of Avila along with Bernadette of Lourdes and Of course, the Virgin Mother who understands our suffering because she experiences the death of Her Son. Broadening his points the author includes Psalm 137. I still have parts of the Psalm rushing through my head like fresh water. I will feel neglectful not to add the Psalm to the end of my book review. Most of the journey is through the French countryside. I feel the flavor of their journey will seem more lasting and real if I leave the Psalm here in the French language. Of course I can only read it in the English.illuminatedleavesPsalm 137English Standard Version (ESV)How Shall We Sing the Lord’s Song?137 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows[a] there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs,and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you,if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!7 Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem,how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!biblegateway

⭐ An inspiring read even for those who are not Catholic. I say this because there is a lot of Catholicism in this book, but it is written not necessarily in support or non-support of Catholicism, but more about the feminine side of God, spirituality, the Virgin Mary, higher force, whatever name you want to put to the softer side of spirituality. The real delight of this book is its viewpoint of love- Love is always a good thing. I found myself agreeing with this sentiment the more I read the book. My favorite part was where the main character reasons that if one is going to fall in love, one may as well fall far because if there is going to be pain, it doesn’t matter whether one falls from the third floor or the tenth floor, it hurts the same. This book is written as a love story but is an intelligent read, not a sappy romance.

⭐ I read this book on a recommendation from a friend of mine and am certainly glad to have done so. Though I had never read any of Coelho’s works before, with The Alchemist being his most popular title, this was just as good a title to start with. His writing is meaningful yet somewhat simplistic. You grow to understand and love the two main characters who have reunited after about 10 years apart and come to a realization of what draws them together and what they both learn from one another. My main complaint was the style of writing in that it left me yearning for a bit more depth and sophistication. But overall a wonderful, eyeopening read. One that reminds you live fully and not be afraid of love.

⭐ All of Coelho’s stories use the symbolism of a journey. Each ends up being a journey from brokenness to greater wholeness. Each tale ends up describing a deep fundamental change in the life of his characters that inspires readers to look at their own lives and set out on their own journeys.This tale combines both a spiritual journey and the quest for love. There are many sub-themes that are beautifuly worked into this tapestry; the relationship between erotic love and divine love…the need to dream and to follow one’s dreams, the fear of seeing your loved one hurt by your dreams, the feminine face of God as a necessary element of our relationship with God…This story draws heavily on Coelho’s Catholic heritage–Brazil being a most Catholic of countries. For those who share in this heritage it adds to the story, drawing on images and experiences that are easy to relate to and understand. For those who do not share this heritage, Coelho does not make that lack an obstacle to entering into the story. The story is complete in itself and will entertain you, nourish you and get you reflecting.The book is very much in the style of The Alchemist, in that it is clearly a fable for our instruction. For me it had something of an otherworldly quality, rather than the more gritty feeling of Valkyries or even Pilgrimage. Yet, all the events described were concrete–even more so than Pilgrimage. I think the otherworldly quality comes from the sense of love that pervades the tale like a soft mist. Afterall, love is something of a divine madness, the intersection of the otherworldly with our very worldly lives. Perhaps, Coelho meant to capture that quality in his telling of this tale. If so, he has done an admirable job of it.

⭐ This is a story about discovering yourself and using someone you’ve spent time with in your past. An old friend/ love finds a woman who is on a set path but has never truly lived life on her own because of youth and seeking education. She finds religion and love though this man only for him to leave her.Personally I think the man is someone I’d never stay with, because his religion was about all his beliefs in a very overzealous fashion. This poor woman had no room to take it all in and was put in a position to believe her own life and friends had no value until she meet this man. I would of enjoyed the story more if she would of taken the time to step away, finish her schooling and travel on her own to find herself.

⭐ I can say that after reading this, I probably liked it more than The Alchemist. The elements of love, spirituality, the sacred gift, love lost and regained, sacrifice, denial, searching and wondering are experienced over and over again – touching the soul. I felt that I could relate to it more, and the emotions it brought forth were powerful and broad. Coelho also introduces the reader to the concept of the Sacred Feminine in the form of the Virgin – and at one level, the book resounds the elements that were also present in The Alchemist – unity and universalism, the power of fufilling life’s purpose, the mission of living, the role of God. Yet, this book, by emphasizing the element of romantic and sacred love with more force than The Alchemist, added a powerful element just hinted at by Coehlo in his first work – that of the power of romantic yet sacred love. A worthy read.

⭐ I had read nothing by this author before, despite his being famous. I liked the ethics in the book which were thoughtful, not dull, and the story line and characters kept me highly interested. (I am a librarian and huge fan of reading.)

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