Hippie

Paulo Coelho transports us back in time to relive the dream of a generation that yearned for peace and dared to challenge the established social order—authoritarian politics, conservative behavioural norms, excessive consumerism, and an unbalanced concentration of wealth and power—in Hippie, his most autobiographical book to date.

Hippie paradises started to appear all over the globe after the “three days of peace and music” at Woodstock, the 1969 event in Bethel, New York, that would alter history forever. Long-haired youths in colourful costumes, meditating, making music, and talking about sexual freedom, the expansion of awareness, and the pursuit of an inner truth could be seen at Amsterdam's Dam Square. They represented a generation that refused to follow in the footsteps of their parents and live a mindless, robotic existence.

Paulo is a young, thin Brazilian man with long, flowing hair and a goatee who aspires to be a writer at this point in time. He embarks on a voyage with a lover in pursuit of freedom and a greater purpose in life. They first go to Peru aboard the well-known "Death Train to Bolivia," after which they hitchhike across Chile and Argentina.

His journey takes him even further, to the well-known plaza in Amsterdam, where he meets Karla, a twentysomething Dutch lady. Paulo is persuaded to go with her to Nepal on the Magic Bus, which connects Kathmandu with Europe and Central Asia. Along the route, they will encounter intriguing fellow travellers, each of whom has a unique tale to share and who will change over the voyage, altering their priorities and values. Paulo and Karla examine their relationship as they travel together, coming to terms with all that has happened to them and coming to a decision that will determine how their lives will go forward on all fronts.