Paulo Coelho de Souza, better known as Paulo Coelho, was born on 24 August 1947 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Before committing fully to writing, he had varied careers as a theatre director and actor, lyricist, and journalist. Coelho embarked on a pilgrimage to Saint James of Compostella in 1986, an experience that inspired his book The Pilgrimage. The following year, he released The Alchemist, a novel that, despite slow initial sales, eventually became one of the best-selling Brazilian books of all time.

Coelho is one of the world's most read authors, having sold over 320 million copies of his books in more than 170 countries, translated into 88 languages. He has received numerous international awards and recognitions, including the Chevalier de L'Ordre National de La Legion d'Honneur from the French Government, the Galicia Gold Medal, and the Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum. In October 2002, he was elected a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters. Coelho is also a special advisor to UNESCO for the program of spiritual convergence and intercultural dialogues and a United Nations Messenger of Peace.

He writes weekly newspaper columns published around the world and is married to Brazilian painter Christina Oiticica. Notably, Coelho's work has garnered a massive following on social media, with millions of followers across platforms. His most renowned work, The Alchemist, has secured his place as a significant figure in contemporary literature.