Manuscript Found in Accra

By: Paulo Coelho, Margaret Jull Costa - translator

Narrated by: Jeremy Irons

Length: 2 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

The latest novel from the number-one internationally best-selling author of The Alchemist.

There is nothing wrong with anxiety. Although we cannot control God’s time, it is part of the human condition to want to receive the thing we are waiting for as quickly as possible. Or to drive away whatever is causing our fear....

Anxiety was born in the very same moment as mankind. And since we will never be able to master it, we will have to learn to live with it - just as we have learned to live with storms.

July 14, 1099. Jerusalem awaits the invasion of the crusaders who have surrounded the city’s gates. There, inside the ancient city’s walls, men and women of every age and every faith have gathered to hear the wise words of a mysterious man known only as the Copt. He has summoned the townspeople to address their fears with truth: “Tomorrow, harmony will become discord. Joy will be replaced by grief. Peace will give way to war....None of us can know what tomorrow will hold, because each day has its good and its bad moments. So, when you ask your questions, forget about the troops outside and the fear inside. Our task is not to leave a record of what happened on this date for those who will inherit the Earth; history will take care of that. Therefore, we will speak about our daily lives, about the difficulties we have had to face.”

The people begin with questions about defeat, struggle, and the nature of their enemies; they contemplate the will to change and the virtues of loyalty and solitude; and they ultimately turn to questions of beauty, love, wisdom, sex, elegance, and what the future holds. “What is success?” poses the Copt. “It is being able to go to bed each night with your soul at peace.”

Now, these many centuries later, the wise man’s answers are a record of the human values that have endured throughout time. And, in Paulo Coelho’s hands, The Manuscript Found in Accra reveals that who we are, what we fear, and what we hope for the future come from the knowledge and belief that can be found within us, and not from the adversity that surrounds us.

©2013 Paulo Coelho (P)2013 Random House Audio

Could Not Turn Off My IPOD!

Would you consider the audio edition of Manuscript Found in Accra to be better than the print version?

Listening to Jeremy Irons narrate was the highlight of this story. I have read print versions of other Cuelho books and have had a bit of a problem following the story. The audio version held my attention from beginning to end.

Would you recommend Manuscript Found in Accra to your friends? Why or why not?

Definitely. The narration was like being at a live performance of a play.

What does Jeremy Irons bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Clarity and imagination. The story is set in Jerusalem in 1099, just before the Crusaders put the city to the sword (one of the worst massacres in history). I put my IPOD in a player and just sat back and listened to the story. I could close my eyes and imagine a dusty square in 11th Century Jerusalem filled with frightened people listening to the old Coptic. This performance was a pleasure.

If you could rename Manuscript Found in Accra, what would you call it?

No

Hit me right in the Soul.

I am glad my father recommended this book to me. I now feel that I have to recommend it to anyone who will listen.

Beautiful wisdoms for a life well lived!

Every part of this book is a memorable moment. This is truly a blueprint for life and living in your personal truth, peace, and harmony.

Life Changing

I read a chapter at my brothers wake and people found it so enthralling I had to let people take pictures of it so they could buy it them selfs. Get both the audio and the book!

enlighting

great message definitely worth the time, I've listened it several times already and everytime I understand more deeply.

outstanding

outstanding book. amazing life lessons. wll highly recommended it for anyone who love fiction.

one of the best

love it and the alchemist and many others. this hit home hard, glad i stumbled across it

Enlightening

Great, detailed story with spirituality. Cohelo is always inspirational, I truly enjoy his work. His stories transcend cultures and time.

A great book

A wonderful book that I found to be poetic. I found this book to be relatable and generally developmental and maturative for a young man coming of age such as myself. I further highly recommend this book.

Interesting short Listen

Set in the time of the crusades within a city in imminent danger of being sacked and slaughtered, this is an interesting short novel that is part religion - part philosophy. The principal character borrows from everything from the new testament to Aristotle in reciting meditations on sundry subjects that are brought up by his questioners. Not at all preachy or particularly sectarian.

The narration by jeremy Irons is absolutely superb. His voice, intonations and rhythm are perfect for this book.