Paulo Coelho approves graphic novel of 'The Alchemist'

On July 6, publisher HarperOne revealed that Paulo Coelho's internationally best-selling title The Alchemist is due out in an author-approved graphic novel adaptation, according to
New York Times blog ArtsBeat. Sea Lion Books, which created the winning design, says the novel will be published in November.

Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho is one of the world's bestselling novelists, having sold a reported 100 million books in more than 150 countries and 67 languages. His 1986 title The Alchemist, a mystical tale told through the eyes of an Andalusian shepherd boy, reached first place on bestseller lists in 74 countries and has sold 65 million copies.

In a press release from Sea Lion Books, Coelho says of the project: "It was an old dream of mine to have The Alchemist as a graphic novel. I had received several proposals but none of them came anywhere near the classical vision I have in my mind for a graphic format. When I saw Sea Lion Books' proposal however it took me less than half an hour to make my decision."

The 208-page graphic adaptation will reportedly feature art by Daniel Sampere and a cover design by Vitor Ishimura.

Meanwhile, Coelho's latest novel, The Aleph, is due out in Brazil on July 29, with a worldwide release and translations expected to follow in 2011.

Find an excerpt of the graphic novel at:

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/arts/alchemist.pdf