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Eleven Minutes

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Eleven Minutes is the story of Maria, a young girl from a Brazilian village, whose first innocent brushes with love leave her heartbroken. At a tender age, she becomes convinced that she will never find true love, instead believing that “love is a terrible thing that will make you suffer. . . .” A chance meeting in Rio takes her to Geneva, where she dreams of finding fame and fortune.

Maria’s despairing view of love is put to the test when she meets a handsome young painter. In this odyssey of self-discovery, Maria has to choose between pursuing a path of darkness—sexual pleasure for its own sake—or risking everything to find her own “inner light” and the possibility of sacred sex, sex in the context of love.

273 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Paulo Coelho

280 books135k followers
The Brazilian author PAULO COELHO was born in 1947 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Before dedicating his life completely to literature, he worked as theatre director and actor, lyricist and journalist. In 1986, PAULO COELHO did the pilgrimage to Saint James of Compostella, an experience later to be documented in his book The Pilgrimage. In the following year, COELHO published The Alchemist. Slow initial sales convinced his first publisher to drop the novel, but it went on to become one of the best selling Brazilian books of all time. Other titles include Brida (1990), The Valkyries (1992), By the river Piedra I sat Down and Wept (1994), the collection of his best columns published in the Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo entitle Maktub (1994), the compilation of texts Phrases (1995), The Fifth Mountain (1996), Manual of a Warrior of Light (1997), Veronika decides to die (1998), The Devil and Miss Prym (2000), the compilation of traditional tales in Stories for parents, children and grandchildren (2001), Eleven Minutes (2003), The Zahir (2005), The Witch of Portobello (2006) and Winner Stands Alone (to be released in 2009). During the months of March, April, May and June 2006, Paulo Coelho traveled to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his pilgrimage to Saint James of Compostella in 1986. He also held surprise book signings - announced one day in advance - in some cities along the way, to have a chance to meet his readers. In ninety days of pilgrimage the author traveled around the globe and took the famous Transiberrian train that took him to Vladivostok. During this experience Paulo Coelho launched his blog Walking the Path - The Pilgrimage in order to share with his readers his impressions. Since this first blog Paulo Coelho has expanded his presence in the internet with his daily blogs in Wordpress, Myspace & Facebook. He is equally present in media sharing sites such as Youtube and Flickr, offering on a regular basis not only texts but also videos and pictures to his readers. From this intensive interest and use of the Internet sprang his bold new project: The Experimental Witch where he invites his readers to adapt to the screen his book The Witch of Portobello. Indeed Paulo Coelho is a firm believer of Internet as a new media and is the first Best-selling author to actively support online free distribution of his work.

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Profile Image for هدى يحيى.
Author 12 books17.4k followers
October 8, 2020
ربما لا نتقبل كشرقيين عملا بهذه الجرأة
ولكنها جرأة الصدق
وجرأة رؤية العالم بعيون مفتوحة
بلا خجل من حقائقه
وبلا تواري عما يدور وراء الغرف المغلقة
في كل بيت من بيوت العالم

إحدى عشرة دقيقة أقامت عوالم وهدمت أخرى
إحدى عشرة دقيقة من الاختباء
إحدى عشرة دقيقة من اللذة أو الأذى
حددت مصير البشرية ولا تزال تفعل

ماريا كسرت قاعدة الفتاة المسكينة التي تبيع نفسها
والفتاة الخجولة التي تترك للرجل قيادة رغباتها‏

كانت قوية .. مثقفة
وتعرف ماذا تفعل بالضبط

ماريا كانت تستكشف نفسها
وتتعرف على العالم من خلال هذا الجسد
الذي أضنى فلاسفة ومفكرين ورجال دين
وآلاف من البشر
يحاولون تقيده تارة ولعنه مرات

ماريا خاضت رحلة عظيمة للتعرف على الذات
رحلة تصوف خاصة وملهمة

ولأن كويلو يعيش في عالم آخر غير عالمنا
لا أخفي مقتي لورديته التي تنافس أعتى كتب التنمية البشرية
فماريا تفوز في النهاية

وتصل إلى حب عظيم كحب بطلات الشاشة البيضاء
وتنتهي حكايتها بقبلة تصالح مع العالم

ومهما كرهت هذه النهاية لعدم واقعيتها
فأنت لا تستطيع إنكار إعجابك بفنية كويلو
وبقدرته على ابتداع رواية جذابة أدبيا وفكريا

ستحب ماريا
وستكره حياتك أكثر
Profile Image for سمية عبد العزيز.
216 reviews744 followers
January 24, 2011
تحديث:

ثغرات في الرواية نسيت ذكرها:

- أولاً شخصية الفتاة البسيطة التي تتحول فجأة إلى شخصية عميقة تكتب كلاماً فلسفياً في مذكراتها - هذا التحول في الشخصية كان مفاجأ ً لي حيث كيف استطاعت هذه البنت البسيطة الخجولة أن تقود دفة الرواية بمذكراتها العميقة !
- ثانياً الرجل العربي الذي دفع المال الكثير مقابل ليلة واحدة, في البداية لم أركز عليه وقلت حسناً هذا يحدث, لكن الآن كلما فكرت فيه وجدته شخصية دخيلة تماماً على الرواية وكأن باولو يحاول أ�� يأكد على صورة العرب التي حاول المستشرقين الأوائل نشرها عنهم- وكان بإستطاعة الكاتب إختيار أي شخصية لكن إصراره على شخصية العربي الثري لم يكن عبثاً
-ثالثاً أن جوهر الرواية يقول أن الجنس ليس كل شي, وهو كما نعرف شيء معروف عندنا ومن أساسيات ديننا أن العلاقة بين إثنين قوامها مودة ورحمة وسكينة, إذا الرواية لا تقدم شيئاً ولا تضيف جديداً لنا

....................
أعجبتني براعة الكاتب في الوصف وتعمقه في أرواح الشخصيات
أعجبني منظوره للحب وتلاق الأرواح
كان بارعاً
لكن هل هذا كل شيء؟! هل تمر علينا رواية كهذه كأي رواية أخرى !!

تسائلت كثيراً عن المغزى من ترجمتها
فالمغزى الذي درسناه من الترجمة ليس نقل كل ما يقع تحت أيدينا بل نقل ما يمكن أن يرقى بنا حضارياً

كيف يمكن أن تفيدنا هذه الرواية
كيف يمكن أن تجعلنا نرى جمال الحياة
أو من أي ناحية صورت لنا واقع الحياة

كل مادار في الرواية ليس من واقع حياتنا
ولا يفترض أن يدور في واقع حياتنا
الموضوع حساس جداً وكبير جداً

هذه الرواية ورواية غادة الكاميليا
تجعلان من العهر شيئاً عادياً
شيئاً يمكن أن يكون موضوعاً للحزن والشفقة
وهو ليس كذلك
لا شيء أسوأ من كلمة عاهرة
ليس فقط دينيا بل حتى ثقافياً عند كل الشعوب

عندما أشفق الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم على المرأة التي زنت كان ذلك لأنها فعلتها مرة واحدة وتابت فوراً
وقعت في الذنب وتداركت نفسها لذا لا يمكن أن نطلق عليها عاهرة

العاهرة هي التي تفعل الأمر مراراً وتكراراً دون أي رادع
ولا ينفع أن يكون هذا الرادع هو شعور بالذنب فحتى الموت جوعاً لا يسوغ لها أن تفعل ما تفعل

وقد قال احمد مطر في بيت ساخر جداً:

أكلُ عيـشٍ ..
كسـبُ قـوتٍ ..
إنّـهُ العـذْرُ الذي تعلِكُـةُ المومِسُ
لو قيلَ لهـا : كوني شريفَـهْ !


أجد الرواية تلامس موضوعاً يجدر بنا مناقشته بدل أن نضع خمسة نجوم ونقول رواية رائعة وكاتب كبير
إنها الآن واقع, تمت ترجمتها وانتهى الأمر, فكيف يمكن أن نحللها
مالذي تقوله الرواية؟ ومالذي لا تقوله!
مالذي يلائم منها واقعنا! ومالذي لا يلائم!!

أسئلة كثيرة تم تجاهلها
Profile Image for Ahmad Sharabiani.
9,563 reviews462 followers
September 6, 2021
Onze minutos = Elf minuten = Eleven Minutes, Paulo Coelho

Eleven Minutes is a 2003 novel by Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho. Maria, a young girl from a remote village of Brazil, whose first encounters with love leave her heartbroken, goes to seek her fortune in Switzerland.

She works for a time in a nightclub but soon becomes dissatisfied and after a heated discussion with her manager one night, she quits her job.

She tries to become a model but is unsuccessful. Because she is running out of money, she accepts 1000 francs from an Arab man to spend the night with him.

She then decides to become a prostitute and ends up in a brothel on Rue de Berne, the heart of Geneva's red-light district.

There she befriends Nyah who gives her advice on her "new profession" and after learning the tricks of the trade from Milan, the brothel owner, she enters the job with her body and mind shutting all doors for love and keeps her heart open only for her diary.

Quickly she becomes quite successful and famous and her colleagues begin to envy her. Months pass and Maria grows into a professionally groomed prostitute who not only relaxes her clients' minds, but also calms their souls by talking to them about their problems.

Her world turns upside down when she meets Ralf, a young Swiss painter, who sees her "inner light". Maria falls in love with him immediately and begins to experience what "true love" is (according to the author, it is a sense of being for someone without actually possessing him/her).

Maria is now split between her sexual fantasies and true love for Ralf. Eventually she decides that it is time for her to leave Geneva with her memory of Ralf, because she realizes that they are worlds apart.

But before leaving, she decides to rekindle the dead sexual fire in Ralf and learns from him about the nature of Sacred Sex, sex which is mingled with true love and which involves the giving up of one's soul for the loved one.

عنوانهای چاپ شده در ایران: «11 دقیقه»؛ «یازده دقیقه»؛ نویسنده: پائولو کوئیلو؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش: ماه جولای سال 2003میلادی

عنوان: 11 دقیقه، نویسنده: پائولو کوئیلو؛ مترجم: آزاده تویسرکانی؛ تهران، زرین؛ 1382؛ در 328ص؛ شایک 9644073908؛ از ترجمه آلمانی به فارسی ترجمه شده؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان برزیل سده 21م

عنوان: یازده دقیقه، نویسنده: پائولو کوئیلو؛ مترجم: شهرزاد فتوحی؛ تهران، کتابسرای نیک؛ 1383؛ در 264ص؛ چاپ دیگر تهران، پوینده، 1387؛ در130ص؛ شابک 9789642950140؛

عنوان: یازده دقیقه، نویسنده: پائولو کوئیلو؛ مترجم: کیومرث پارسای؛ مشهد، نی نگار 1385؛ در303 ص؛ شابک 9642617021؛

ماریا، دختری «برزیلی»، از شهری کوچک است؛ او نیز همانند همه آدمها، پاک به دنیا آمده، و در ابتدای نوجوانی، مرد زندگی خود را، در رویاهای خود، به صورت مردی ثروتمند، و خوش قیافه، و باهوش و...؛ تجسم میکرد؛ تا زمانیکه که این شاهزاده ی رویاها، سوار بر اسب سفید بیاید، کاری جز خیالپردازی نداشت؛ در یازده سالگی، عاشق همکلاسی خود شد، اما در فرصتیکه به دستش آمد، سر صحبت را باز نکرد، و زمانیکه خود را آماده ی گفتگو نمود، آن پسر از آن شهر، به جایی دور رفته بود، و بدین ترتیب یاد گرفت، که انسانهای محبوب، و مورد علاقه، سرانجام میروند؛ او در پانزده سالگی دوباره عاشق پسری میشود، و اینبار اشتباه پیشین را تکرار نمیکند و ...؛

اما به دلیل بی تجربگی! آن پسر نیز، او را تنها میگذارد؛ به فکر پناه بردن به صومعه، میافتد، و میخواهد همه ی زندگی خود را، وقف عشقی کند، که نه زخم میزند، و نه داغ بر دل میگذارد، عشق به «مسیح»! پس از آشنایی بیشتر با اندام خویش، و تناقض آن با آموزشهای کلیسا، زندگی مذهبی را ترک میکند؛ و در یکی از تجربه های بعدی خویش، در حالیکه از باکره ماندن، در میان سایر دوستانش خسته و نگران است، خود را تسلیم میکند، در حالیکه هیچ احساسی، در این رابطه هم نبود، این تجارب، او را به این نتیجه رسان��، که مردان چیزی جز «درد»، «ناراحتی»، «رنج» و «ناامیدی»، برایش به ارمغان نمیآورند.؛

همچنین علیرغم اینکه، همه جا و همه کس، القا میکنند، که بخش مهمی از زندگی یک زن را، یک مرد شکل میدهد، او هرگز نفهمید، ارتباط با جنس مخالف چه لذتی دارد؛ او پس از پایان دبیرستان، در مغازه ای آغاز به کار میکند، صاحب مغازه، عاشق اوست، اما تجارب او، به اندازه ای است، که نگذارد از او سوء استفاده شود؛ زمانیکه «ماریا»، برای گذراندن تعطیلات، به «ریودوژانیرو» میرود، در ساحل «کوپاکابانا»، با مردی «سوئیسی» رودررو میشود، که این مرد، به او پیشنهاد کار در «سوئیس» را میدهد؛ کار در یک کاباره، به عنوان رقاصه، و ورود به دنیای هنر! با درآمدی مناسب و...؛

ماریا، تصمیم میگیرد، که مسیر زندگی خود را اینچنین تغییر دهد؛ او پس از ورود به «ژنو»، و مدتی کار در کاباره، متوجه میشود، که حقوق او، با کسورات قانونی، قابل توجه نیست، و معادل یک دهم مبلغ وعده داده شده است! و تازه پس از آن نیز، به دلیل اینکه، یک روز سر کار خود، حاضر نمیشود (به دلیل گردش با دوستی عرب)، از کار خود اخراج میشود؛ او پس از مدتی بیکاری، و هزینه کردن پس انداز خویش، و گشتن به دنبال کار به عنوان مانکن و...؛ نهایتاٌ بالاجبار یا با اختیار، به کار روسپیگری میپردازد، و تصمیم میگیرد، که آنکار را، به مدت محدودی (یک سال) انجام دهد، تا بتواند با اندوخته ی خود، خانه ای برای خانواده، و مزرعه ای نیز، در «برزیل» بخرد، و به وطن بازگردد.؛ ...؛

موضوع داستان البته به خودی خود جنجالی است، و جالب توجه؛ اما نخستین نکته ای که خوانشگر را تحت تاثیر قرار میدهد، آن است، که «ماریا» یک فرد ویژه است: او به کتابخانه میرود، و کتاب میخواند، و کوشش میکند، تا آموخته هایش را گسترش دهد؛ یادمانهای خود را مینویسد، و مدام در حال تجزیه و تحلیل شرایط خویش است؛ واژه های قلمش نیز زیبا هستند.؛ ...؛

نقل از متن: (من دو زن هستم: یکی که میل دارد همه ی شادیها، عشقها و همه ی ماجراهای زندگی را، داشته باشد، دیگری میخواهد برده ی روزانه، برده ی زندگی خانوادگی، و برده ی چیزهائی که برنامه ریزی میشوند، باشد.)؛ پایان نقل از متن کتاب

تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 05/09/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 14/06/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
Profile Image for Pakinam.
974 reviews4,400 followers
January 7, 2024
" الحياة هي أن تخاطر بروحك،أن تقع وتنهض،هي أن تريد صعود قِمة نفسك،وأن تكون غير راضٍ ��قلقاً عندما لا تتمكن من ذلك.."

وتأتي الحكمة أحياناً من أفواه العاهرات!
إيه ده؟إني قلتِ عاهرات،مكتوبة صح يعني؟آه صح وصح جداً كمان :)

كان يا مكان كان في بنوتة حلوة إسمها ماريا..حياتها عادية..شبهنا كلنا في حاجات كتير..وفي يوم من الأيام شافت إنها محتاجة تحسن من مستواها وحالتها المادية فقررت أن تكسب المال بفضل جمالها ..لم تكن ضحية ولم تشعر بالشفقة علي نفسها عندما إختارت بكامل إرادتها أن تكون عاهرة!

"هذا أنا .. مومس بلا شعور بالذنب من رأسي حتي أخمص قدمي ..من الأسفل إلي الأعلي ..مومس وتلك هي فضيلتي، أنا لا أخدع نفسي ولا أخدعك لأن الأمر لا يستحق.."

في هذه الرواية الرائعة بياخدنا كويلو في رحلة ملهمة لنعيش مع ماريا حكايتها ..كيف تركت نفسها للقدر يختار الطريق التي يجب أن تسير فيه..كيف كانت تحاول أن تبحث عن ما يسعدها..كيف كانت تتجنب الحب و لقيته بدون إستئذان بيخبط علي بابها وبقوة...
يا تري حتفتح الباب ولا حتسيبه مقفول؟:)

"الحب ليس في الآخر ،بل فينا،نحن من نوقظه لكننا نحتاج إلي الآخر من أجل هذه اليقظة..لا يكون للكون معني إلا عندما يكون لدينا من نشاركه إنفعالتنا.."

بدأت قراءة الرواية بترجمة أحمد عبد اللطيف وكانت من أسوأ ما يكون ثم قرأتها بترجمة روز مخلوف وكانت متوسطة ومش أحسن حاجة برضو...

الصراحة كنت متخيلة إني حقرأ رواية جريئة فقط و كلها مشاهد جنسية كون البطلة عاهرة..بس الصراحة لم أكن أتخيل إنها حتكون بكل هذا العمق وكل هذا الجمال وكل هذه المتعة...
رواية للبحث عن الذات ..عن الحب ..عن الألم..عن إكتشاف نفسك من خلال تجارب جديدة..حقيقية جداً..واقعية جداً..و صادقة جداً جداً..

تقول ماريا بعض الكتب تجعلنا نحلم وبعضها الآخر يذكرنا بالواقع..والحقيقة يا ماريا إنتي خلتينا نحلم و يكون عندنا أمل إننا نقدر دايماً نغير الواقع 😍

بدأ الكتاب بكلمة كان يا مكان وإنتهي برضو بنفس الكلمة...
وياريت حياتنا كلنا يكون فيها تجارب إتعلمنا منها وخليتنا أقوي و نحكيها إحنا كمان يوماً ما و نقول زيك يا ماريا كان يا ��كان:)

من أجمل ما قرأت لكويلو..من أجمل ما قرأت مؤخراً..بالتأكيد ينصح بها😍
124 reviews198 followers
December 30, 2012
أول رواية لباولو .... أكثر ما شدنى العنوان
Eleven mins 4 what????!!!!

قرأتها الكترونيا على الجهاز فى المنزل و أول ما حد يعدى أغلقها
:D

أول مرة أقرأ شىء مثل هذه الجراءة و الدقة فى التفاصيل
لم أضعها فى قائمة القراءة فى وقت ما أنتهيت منها لخجلى منها

الصدمة الكبرى أن ماريا شخصية حقيقية و هذه النقطة أعطتنى دفعة كبيرة من التفكير
هذه الحياة كانت لإنسانة و ليس لخيال كاتب عجوز
!!!!!!

أعدت قرأتها مرة أخرى بجرأة تعادل جرأتها
الرواية=الحياة من وجهة نظر عاهرة
هى باعت جسدها و لم تبع روحها
حافظت على أحلامها طول الوقت باستثناء إحدى عشر دقيقة من يومها
تشبثت بأحلامها عن طريق النقود و القراءة
!!!!!

لا أنكر انى ضدها و لكنى لست ضدها
تركتنى فى حيرة
ماذا يهم الجسد ام الروح؟؟
الأحلام أم اليأس و الذل؟؟

رواية من الممكن أن تكون جريئة و فاضحة
لا تليق على المجتمع الشرقى
لكنها تحمل معانى نؤمن بها فى أعماقنا و لا نجاهر بها

فكرة جديدة حتى الآن لم أجد مثل هذه النظرة فى رواية
:)

Profile Image for Baba.
3,842 reviews1,299 followers
January 29, 2023
Brazilian Maria intended to work in Switzerland as a club dancer but got herself caught up in the sex industry when she rationalised about the potential earnings. Maria reckons that '11 minutes' is the average length of time for conventional penetrative paid-for sex. Coelho paints a very whitewashed (no pun intended) look at Maria's working girl life in which she, despite having given up on love because of her first heartbreak, finds herself at a crossroads between using sex for emotionless wealth generation or finding sacred sex (=love).

Mystical realist guru Coelho talked/hints about looking at white slavery and people trafficking in the forewords and pre publication interviews for this book, but in reality this felt a lot more like the protagonist Maria uncovering some core truths of the human condition in her 'journey'! The second person telling, view of, and approach to her reality didn't feel genuine, and very much felt like it was all Coelho's voice and views. Still on this reread I have managed to bump up my rating to a stronger Three Star, 5 out of 12, so some improvement?

2022 read; 2005 read
Profile Image for Leajk.
102 reviews80 followers
November 5, 2012
So while living in Switzerland, I had this book recommended, nay practically forced upon me by a male acquaintance (the book was put into my hands at a party and he told me that I should borrow it). Not having read anything by Coelho previously, though with a vague remembrance of my high school teacher violently hating the guy, I set about politely reading it.

Imagine my surprise when I found out that the book was about an immigrant sex worker in Switzerland. It made me more than a little uncomfortable, not because I have anything against sex workers, but because I was also an immigrant living in Switzerland and I was in fact looking for a new job at the moment, and this guy knew that, and well, it wasn't really what I had in mind.

I'm guessing (or hoping) that my friend's intrigue was with Coelho's general pseudo-philosophy and that's why he recommended it. I'm hoping that he wasn't really fascinated and wanting to discuss the plot. The lovely plot of how Maria, the sex worker, has to choose between two of her millionaire clients; one who's a sadistic bad boy and one who is more into delayed sexual gratification (or even abstinence if I remember correctly) but kind of complicated and hard to get close.

The reason for posting this review now, besides being reminded of it while I was reviewing a streak of horrible books, is that I suddenly realised that there was actually already a BDSM-story from a very popular author way before Fifty Shades of Grey. Or rather, from what I've read about Fifty Shades, it's about BDSM only while suggesting that anyone who's into it is really a depraved lunatic.

In the end of this book (spoiler!) Maria denounces her previous wicked BDSM-ways and chooses the right man! Yay! (Urgh.) I'm actually thinking about writing an analysis on the whole phenomenon of writing detailed descriptions about BDSM, while at the same time denouncing it. It is really about trying to have the cake and eating it at the same time.

I might include Cosmopolis by Don DeLillo in that analysis as well after reading a bit about it and seeing the following quote from that book :

"My mood shifts and bends. But when I'm alive and heightened, I'm super-acute. Do you know what I see when I look at you? I see a woman who wants to live shamelessly in her body. Tell me this is not the truth. You want to follow your body into idleness and fleshiness. That's why you have to run, to escape the drift of your basic nature. ...What do I see? Something lazy, sexy and insatiable."

They "[reach] completion more or less together, touching neither each other nor themselves."


First of all the writing style remind me of the previous two authors. But also: what is it with these people (Coelho, James and DeLillo) and writing about young millionaires with a 'depraved' badly written sex lives? Seriously, why are people buying into this? Is this the ultimate wish fullfillment for both genders: the men can imagine they are rich young millionaires having sex with willing sex dolls and the women that they get the bad boy with an unlimited credit card? I really think better of people in general, but of course with the way mainstream media looks, these types of fantasies are only the logical conclusion of more subtle versions on the same theme.

One last thing. The most enjoyable experience when reviewing this book came when reading the five star reviews of it and read this:

“How can he articulate so many nuggets of wisdom, often through characters the writing of which expresses the irony and profundity of their insights, and yet packaged in stories with such cliche outcomes?!?!”


If even your biggest fans think your writing is cliché, maybe you might want to reconsider your writing style.
Profile Image for Fatima.
186 reviews370 followers
December 20, 2016
ﻓﻘﻂ ﭘﺎﺋﻮﻟﻮﻱ ﺩﻭﺳﺘﺪﺍﺷﺘﻨﻲ ﻧﻮﻳﺴﻨﺪﻩ ﻱ ﻣﻮﺭﺩ ﻋﻼﻗﻪ ﺍﻡ ﻣﻴﺘﻮﺍﻧﺪ ﺩﺍﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﺯﻧﺪﮔﻲ ﺭﻭﺳــﭙﻲ ﻭﺍﺭ ﻳﻜﺴﺎﻟﻪ ﻱ ﺩﺧﺘﺮﻱ ﺗﻨﻬﺎ ﻭ ﻛﻨﺠﻜﺎﻭ ﻭ ﺑﻲ ﺍﺣﺴﺎﺱ ﺑﻪ ﺣﺲ ﻣﻘﺪﺱ ﻋﺸﻖ ﺭﺍ ﺍﻳﻨﻘﺪﺭ ﺟﺬﺍﺏ ﻭ ﺯﻳﺒﺎ ﺑﻨﻮﻳﺴﺪ ﻭ ﺑﻪ ﭘﺎﻳﺎﻥ ﺑﺮﺳﺎﻧﺪ.ﻧﻤﻴﺪﺍﻧﻢ ﭼﺮﺍ ﺟﺬﺏ ﻛﺘﺎﺏ ﻭ ﻣﺎﺭﻳﺎﻱ ﺩﺍﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﺷﺪﻡ ﻣﮕﺮ ﻣﻴﺸﻮﺩ ﻳﻚ ﺯﻥ ﺑﺪﻛﺎﺭﻩ ﺭﺍ ﺩﺭﻙ ﻛﺮﺩ؟ ﻣﮕﺮ ﻣﻴﺸﻮﺩ ﺑﺪﻭﻥ ﻗﻀﺎﻭﺕ ﻋﻤﻠﺶ ﺯﻧﺪﮔﻲ ﺍﺵ ﺭﺍ ﺩﻧﺒﺎﻝ ﻛﺮﺩ ؟ﻣﮕﺮ ﻣﻴﺸﻮﺩ ﺳﺮﮔﺬﺷﺖ ﺍﻭ ﺭﺍ ﺧﻮﺍﻧﺪ ﻭ ﺍﻭ ﺭﺍ ﻛﺜﻴﻒ ﻧﺪﺍﻧﺴﺖ؟ ﺍﺭﻱ ﻣﻴﺸﻮﺩ ﻣﻦ ﻧﻪ ﻗﻀﺎﻭﺗﺶ ﻛﺮﺩﻡ ﻧﻪ ﺍﻭ ﺭﺍ ﺟﺪﺍﻱ ﺍﺯ ﻓﺮﻫﻨﮕﻲ ﻛﻪ ﺩﺭ ﺍﻥ ﻧﻔﺲ ﻣﻴﻜﺸﻢ ﻛﺜﻴﻒ ﺩﺍﻧﺴﺘﻢ ﻭ ﻧﻪ ﻧﻮﻳﺴﻨﺪﻩ ﻭ ﻣﺘﺮﺟﻢ ﺭﺍ ﺑﺮﺍﻱ ﻟﺤﻈﻪ ﺍﻱ ﻣﺤﻜﻮﻡ ﺑﻪ ﺗﺎﺑﻮ ﺷﻜﻨﻲ ﻛﺮﺩﻡ ﻓﻘﻂ ﺑﺎ ﻣﺎﺭﻳﺎ ﺑﻮﺩﻡ ﺩﻳﺪﻡ ﺣﺲ ﻛﺮﺩﻡ ﻭ ﺍﺯ ﻛﺸﻒ ﺣﺲ ﻣﻘﺪﺱ ﻋﺸﻖ ﺩﺭ ﺩﻟﺶ ﻛﻴﻒ ﻛﺮﺩﻡ.ﺑﺎﻳﺪ ﺑﮕﻮﻳﻢ ﺗﻨﻬﺎ ﻋﺸﻖ ﺣﻘﻴﻘﺖ ﺩﺍﺭﺩ ﻭ ﺑﺲ.ﺍﮔﺮ ﻫﻤﻪ ﻱ ﻣﺎ ﺭﻭﺯﻱ ﻋﺸﻖ ﻭ ﻣﻨﺒﻊ ﺍﺻﻠﻲ ﺍﺵ ﺭﺍ ﺷﻨﺎﺧﺘﻴﻢ و یا بشناسیم ، ﺩﻳﮕﺮ ﻣﺎﺭﻳﺎﻱ ﺩﺍﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﻳﻚ ﺭﻭﺳـﭙﻲ ﻧﻴﺴﺖ ﻛﻪ ﺩﺍﺭﺩ ﺧﺎﻃﺮﺍﺕ ﺭﻭﺯﺍﻧﻪ ﻱ ﻳﻚ ﺳﺎﻝ ﺗﻦ ﻓﺮﻭﺷﻲ ﺍﺵ ﺭﺍ برای ما ﺗﻌﺮﻳﻒ ﻣﻴﻜﻨﺪ , ﺍﻭ فقط ﺗﺒﺪﻳﻞ ﻣﻴﺸﻮﺩ ﺑﻪ ﺍﻧﺴﺎﻧﻲ ﻛﻪ زیر نگاه عشق در حال رشد است و دیگر هیچ به جز این نیست و به حساب نمیاید ...
Profile Image for Felicia.
22 reviews20 followers
April 2, 2007
I didn't find this nearly as good as The Alchemist. I do not know if Coelho was trying to really get in the mindset of a woman by over-analyzing sex, but I felt a real woman would be less philosophical and more emotional about her experiences. It seemed to me that she was detached from herself and no matter what shocking things would come her way, she would still never be phased by it and I just felt it was too dehumanized. Philosophical rampages on love and being the mother and friend to her clients turned me off entirely to this book. Don't get me wrong, Coelho is an eloquent and gifted writer, I just did not find this book as enjoyable as his other works.
Profile Image for Odai Al-Saeed.
920 reviews2,723 followers
September 18, 2012
يؤمن باولوكويلو بالتقاء الارواح وان هناك ضوء يجذب انسان لآخر لا يراه آخر.....ان الابداع الروائي في احدى عشرة دقيقة لا يوصف وهذا الكم الهائل من عبر الحياة جدير بالاحترام.. ان إنها من أجمل ما كتب باولو بل من أروع ما كتب من روايات عامة..والترجمة جاءت معززة لانجاح النص..سرد عظيم يستحق الثناء وللاسف الشديد سحبت فجأة من مكتبات السعودية رغم انني لا ارى سببا لهذا المنع فالقصة وان كانت تتحدث عن الجنس فان ما تعود به على القارئ من عبر وفائدة يدعو للسخرية لأمر المنع ولكن الى من تتحدث فلا حياة لمن تنادي...
Profile Image for Lisa.
1,099 reviews3,310 followers
October 29, 2016
Reluctantly admit to having read this subterranean book, and there is absolutely no excuse, as I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER, after The Alchemist. I only remembered having read it because I was trying to find something on my top shelf (the one with the "Let's forget I own them"-books), and it fell into my hands. A quick scan of its content reminded me that even quick scans are a waste of time when it comes to Coelho. Note to self: until I find the company of sheep more educating than reading, his "novels" are a no-go-area.

Too harsh? Maybe. Am in a bad mood, as I can't find the book I really want to read!

Sorry. Eleven minutes review over.
Profile Image for Lesley.
88 reviews
September 5, 2007
I'm giving this book five stars because I definitely thought it was amazing. BUT ... like every other Coelho book I've read, it let me down in the end.

How can he articulate so many nuggets of wisdom, often through characters the writing of which expresses the irony and profundity of their insights, and yet packaged in stories with such cliche outcomes?!?! So many of his books explore the ephermerality of love, the moment, the permanence of change, the fleetingness of forever... and yet, his characters always seem to end up living "happily ever after."

This one was about my favorite topic(s): sex, pain and suffering, pleasure, enthrallment, identity; the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves ("trust me, I'm telling you stories"), the rationalization of emotion and spiritualization of the mundane--Hey: the mystery of life.

Maria--a prostitute--is exposed to an evening of sado-masochistic role play with a "special client" and finds freedom from herself and her desires during orgasm, tied up and whipped. Then another lover (another "special client") convinces her to not to go down that path, that freedom can be found testing the limits of desire, not the limits of pain. They have their own little role play--their relationship is based as much on fantasy as the other. After a night of bliss, she leaves him to go back to Brazil, cherishing the memory that can be spoiled by "real life."

But, then he intercepts her in Paris with roses (it was their destiny! ick) and they live happily ever after.


So, to sum up (as E just pointed out): The dirty parts I liked. The ending, not so much.

That's my review. Happy reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for AHMED FAYEZ.
Author 9 books185 followers
March 20, 2022
قيمة القصة متدنية -من وجهة نظري- بسبب المشاهد الإباحية المصورة فيها، أو ربما أنا لا تستهويني كتابات الإيروتيكا بشكل عام. ذلك بالإضافة إلى مضمونها الذي يدور حول قصة حياة عاهرة، ويظهرها كضحية بريئة مظلومة، وهذا يختلف تمامًا عن معتقدي الشخصي بخصوص نفس الأمر.
أعتبرها تدني لمستوى الكاتب الذي ألّف الخيميائي!
النجمة الثانية للأسلوب القصصي الجذاب الذي يتمتع به (كويلو) في سرد قصصه أيًّا كان موضوعها، وليس لإعجابي بمضمون الرواية.
Profile Image for Bookshop.
169 reviews46 followers
July 29, 2007
I was burnt by his book titled "Veronica decides to die". When I flipped through his bestseller, "The Alchemist", I was not too impressed either. I thought he was too "Celestine Prophecy". When I asked people what "The Alchemist' was all about, they always said it was about searching for something. But they could never be able to explain what that something was and they quickly moved on to rave about how inspirational the book was. How you can say searching for something you don't even know inspirational is beyond me. I'm too dumb for stuffs like that.

Anyway, I picked up this book in Freiburg's train station while waiting for our train to Titisee. I remembered wrongly that this was the book that Cindy raved about. Having read her review, I wanted to give Paulo Coelho a second chance.

The book is about Maria, a young Brazilian girl who comes from a poor family, dreams of fairy tales and ends up as a prostitute in Geneva. Apparently, this is based on a true story. That's the first mistake. The idea is not unique but I suppose variations can be spun into interesting stories. However, he fails to marry his philosophical style with this true story with a fixed ending, which, to do it successfully, I'm sure must be extremely difficult.

The first few chapters outlining the life of little Maria are engaging enough. I couldn't put the book down at this stage. Once she gets to Switzerland, the lecturing, dreamy, philosophical style that I dislike starts. Maria is no ordinary prostitute. She is beautiful as well as smart (Yawn). She first attempts to justify her reasons or anybody's reasons to be a prostitute. Before that is concluded, she moves on to find a rich and young and handsome painter who worships her (Snore). At the same time, she is tempted into masochism by a rich (again) and famous music producer who is disappointed by his wife's infidelity. She must choose between these two! That is essentially the story. In between the story about Maria, the author inserts graphic descriptions of various sexual acts, sex education, which sometimes read like a newspaper's sex column (ejaculation is not the same as sex, please!), and historical information (the history of prostitution complete with years marking civilization. Pah!).

I also note a few exaggerations in this book. One I cannot stand is this. He describes that the loneliest people are the top executives, commanding lots of money and respect and having great families, when asked to change jobs by head hunters. The reasons? Because this executive cannot talk to his colleagues as they wouldn't let them go (This is misleading. It highly depends on situation) and he can't talk to his family because the wife, who knows nothing about taking risk, wouldn't let him. HELLO?? Despite his attempt to be sophisticated and deep, this is very shallow indeed.

I wrote the review when I was about 3/4 into the story. Toward the end, her struggle between staying in Geneva or going back to Brazil is slow and painfully dotted with unnecessary pretentious and meaningless analysis of love, sex, women, men, the universe, and the rubbish. After reading the ending, I was further disappointed and decided to downgrade the rating by one more star.

The story can be interesting but it has to be done strictly as a biography, as a story-telling.

This book sorts of seals my dislike of his writings. I dislike the content, I dislike the style. I dislike his empty philosophies. I don't know what to learn from his books. Maybe that's because I don't care to interpret. But shouldn't good writings do not require people to interpret their messages but ponder on the contents? Having said that, try and read it especially if you are a fan. You may beg to differ.
Profile Image for Ria.
4 reviews9 followers
July 22, 2008
In comparison to my experiences with his other pieces. I can confidently say that this Paulo Cohelo work tests the reader in a unique and dangerous way.

Each of his novels teach valuable lessons for adults through the interesting happenings of his protagonists. This story does the same. However the lesson taught borders on relationship counseling and sexual education. It was just as compelling and effective as it was uncomfortable. Uncomfortable in the sense that the information being learned as one reads each chapter is not theirs to have. He accomplishes this through the less than innovative approach of journal or diary entries, but envertheless, it is striking how moving it is to read the sexual and romantic discoveries of a conventional young lady.

A book that is difficult to put down. A must-read for many, but especially those who have not yet discoveredy what makes them tick, oo and ahhh. Again, an inspiration!
360 reviews138 followers
March 26, 2012
قال لى احد اصدقائى يوما ان لم يقرأ لباولو كويلو فهو لم يقرا ابدا
لم ابالى بهذة الجملة و قرأت هذة الرواية بعد زمن طويل لانى كنت احتاج شئ ممتعا اقرأه
وفعلا تاكدت من قولة هذا
باولو كويلو لا تعرف كيف يأخذك داخل الرواية يريك ابطالة وبسلاسة يروى ويحكى ولا تستطيع انت ان تقف عند صفحة لانك ستكون شغوف بما يلى
ماريا العاهرة والتى اختارت بيدها هذا الطريق من باب التجربة والمغامرة هى بطلة هذة الرواية فانها كانت تبحث عن ذاتها وروحها وتبحث عن طبع الجنس البشرى والانسانى
وتكمن قوة ارداتها انها عندما قررت ان تتوقف عن هذا الطريق فى الميعاد الذى انتوه فانها تتوقف
وتحدث اثناء ذلك مغامرات واكتشافات كثيرة
فكأن باولو يكشفلنا عن الروحانيات والتفكر فى الذات وهدف الحياة عن طريق ... عاهرة
شئ صادم وجديد ويجعلنا نقف امام نظرتنا للبشر والحياة والانسان
بعدما انتهيت من الرواية شعرت بأنى مصدومة لم اعرف سبب صدمتى ولكنة اعتقد احدث هزة ما فى نظرتى للحياة وجعلنى اعيد التفكير فى اشياء كثيرة
رواية من اروع ماقرات حقا
Profile Image for Agir(آگِر).
437 reviews595 followers
December 31, 2014
بنظرم بهترین کتابی که پائولو کوئیلو نوشته و علتش شاید واقعی بودن کتاب باشه که زنی روسپی زندگی اش را برای این نویسنده تعریف کرده است
يازده دقيقه نمادي است از زمان لذت جنسي
جايي كوئيلو مي گويد دنياي اكنون بر 11 دقيقه مي چرخد
و حتی فروش فیلم های هالیوودی با آن همه خرج و وقت و زحمت زیاد در مقابل فروش فیلم های پورن به یک سوم یا یک چهارم آن می رسد

یکی داستان غم انگيز که در هر نقطه از جهان اتفاق می افتد
در دنياي امروز كه پول مهمترين بت انسان ها شده،آدمها هركاري براي بدست آوردنش مي كنند
در همین ایران ما،گاهی دختران نوجوان فقیر برای بدست آوردن شارژی دو تومنی تن خود را به دست مردی می دهند

غريب بودن در اين كتاب یکی از نکات اصلی است
ماريا در سرزميني غريب،تن اش را به مرداني غريب از سرزمين هايي ديگر مي فروشد
ماریا حتی با خودش هم غریب است و دارد کاری انجام میدهد که خود از انجامش اذیت می شود
نوازنده هايي كرد،در پاركي مشغول نوازندن موسيقي كردي هستند تا غريبه هايي به موسيقي ناشناخته سرزميني ديگر گوش فرا دهند و شايد پولي براي زندگي شان بدست بياورند

بخشي از متن كتاب
نه ميل به چيزي داشت و نه از چيزي مي ترسيد.... تنها احساسي رازگونه داشت.... چگونه مي توانست توضيح بدهد؟ احساسي رازگونه ، مرز درد... چون ماريا مي توانست باز هم جلوتربرود. به همه انسانهايي انديشد كه بدون دخالت خواسته خودشان ، رنج مي بردند؛ در حاليكه خودش موجب رنج بردن جسم و روحش مي شد. البته در آن لحظات ، اين موضوع زياد اهميتي نداشت . مرزهاي جسمي را در نورديده و ديگر چيزي در برابرش نمانده بود غيراز جان ، نور و نوعي خلاء كه روزي كسي آن رابهشت ناميده بود. بعضي از رنجها هنگامي به فراموشي سپرده مي شوند كه انسان بتواند درد را تحمل كند

خلاصه از کتاب
ماريا دختري است كه در برزيل زندگي مي كند و در نوجواني عشقي يكطرفه را تجربه مي كند و بعد از آن باورش به عشق از بين مي رود.با لذت جنسي آشنا مي شود و اين تجربه دردناكي براي اوست ولي او بدنش را تنها ابزاري مي بيند كه مي تواند از آن پول زیادی بدست آورد
با اينكه مردي ازو درخواست ازدواج كرده ولي وي به سوئيس مي رود تا ثروتمند شود و هميشه با خود فكر مي كند اگر بخواهد مي تواند برگردد و مرد منتظر او خواهد ماند
Profile Image for Shwan Majeed.
200 reviews172 followers
May 7, 2018
رواية جريئة جدا من قبل الكاتب باولو كويلو ورائعة جدا من جميع النواحي, ما كتبه باولو كويلو في هذه الرواية صدمني ليس بشيء سيء ولكن بكمية الابداع الرائع الذي وجدته في هذه الرواية شيء خرافي ولم اتوقع ابداً, وقبل كل شيء هذه الرواية ليست مناسبة لمن هم قبل من 18 عام او لا يحبون الروايات والكتب ا��تي تحتوي على ايجاءات قصص جنسية ولكن سوف تندم جدا لان قراءاتك لهذه الرواية سوف تكتشف شيء داخلك لم يكن في الحسبان.
هذه الرواية تدخلك الى عالم انت تعرف فقط الجزء السطحي منه والتعمق كل شخص يتخيله حسب ما هو يريد وطبعا بصورة سيئة, ولكن بعد قراءتك لهذه الرواية والعمق الذي سوف تصل له سوف يدهشك الكثير من الاشياء وخاصة اذا كنت لم تعلم او لم تحاول ان تتعمق في هذه الموضوع ومهما تعدى الاسباب ولكن يجب عليك ان تعرف كل شيء مهما بلغ بك الامر لان لن تتعلم بدون ان تسال او تكتشف.
الجميل في هذه الرواية لـ باولو كويلو هو قبل ان يكتب هذه الرواية لم يكن في خاطره ان يكتب عنه ولكن الظ��وف اخذه الى هذه الطريق وطبعا لحسن حظه وحظنا انه اكتشف هذه الشيء واخرج لنا هذه الرواية الرائعة, من الاشياء الذي اخرج هذه الرواية بهذه الابداع هي تعمق باولو كويلو في حياة المومسات والجلوس معهم واخذ عينات من حياتهم وتطبيقه في هذه الرواية واظهار الجانب الانساني لهم لان مهما تكن هن بشر ايظا ولكن طريقة عيشهم والظروف اجبرتهم على هذه العمل او يوجد من هن رغبا بهذه العمل وهذه طبعا يعود لحريتهم الشخصية.
قراءتك لهذه الرواية سوف تكتشف الكثير من الاشياء وتدخلك لقصص وعبر كثيرة جدا وتجعلك تتعاطف مع واقع بطلة الرواية ويكون لديك نظرة تقبلية لهم على رغم تواجد الكثير من كلمات والحوارات الجنسية في الرواية ولكن سوف تعشقها جدا, وايظا اسم الرواية سوف تكتشفها بطريقة مثيرة ..

A very bold novel by the writer Paulo Coelho and very wonderful in all respects, what wrote Paulo Coelho in this novel shocked me not something bad but the amount of wonderful creativity that I found in this novel is legendary and I never expected, and above all of this novel is not suitable for those who are less then 18 years old or do not like novels and books containing sexual abuse stories but you will regret very much because your reading of this novel will discover something inside you was not in mind.
This novel introduces you to a world where you know only the superficial part of it and deepen every person you imagine as you want and of course badly, but after reading this novel and the depth that will reach it you will be surprised with a lot of things especially if you did not learn or did not try to delve into these subjects and whatever the reasons, but you should know everything, no matter how you reach it because you will not learn without asking or discovering.
The beautiful in this novel to Paulo Coelho is before writing this novel was not in his mind to write about it but the circumstances took him to this way and of course for his luck and we noticed that he discovered this thing and brought us this wonderful novel, the things that brought this novel this creativity is deepening Paulo Coelho in the life of prostitutes and sit with them and take samples of their lives and apply in this novel and show the humanitarian aspect to them, no matter how they are human beings, but the way of life and circumstances forced them to work or there are willing to do this work and this is of course for their personal freedom.
Your reading for this novel will reveal a lot of things and your input to the stories and across too many and make you sympathize with the reality of the heroine of the novel and have a receptive view of them despite the presence of many words and sexual dialogues in the novel, but will love her very, and then the name of the novel will be discovered in an exciting way ..
Profile Image for Tamoghna Biswas.
324 reviews128 followers
February 1, 2021
**3.5 stars**

"At that moment, Maria learned that certain things are lost forever. She learned too that there was a place called “somewhere far away,” that the world was vast and her own town very small, and that, in the end, the most interesting people always leave."


You know what the titular eleven minutes imply right? **awkward hypocritic giggle**

This was my first ever book swap, on a train journey across the length of India. The woman I borrowed it from, had always considered Harry Potter as children’s stuff before borrowing my battered copy… anyway though I had an awful lot of time I didn’t quite manage to read this one as I like to, and so had to lend a used copy from a thrift store when I was back home.

It's popular enough to relate the plot in here; anyway in brief it will look something like this: An adolescent woman in the midway of discovering all sorts of bodily pleasure finds herself stranded in a faraway city with no money to bring her back home and hence she begins in there her“dark" days as an escort…until one day she finds love, and on and on.

Told compactly enough with a rarely shifting narrative unless we “need” to take a peek in Maria’s journals, the story can be described as insightful and melancholic with some unique-back-then-but-not-now thoughts. Moreover, it does begin with one of the most memorable lines I have ever encountered at that age back then:

“Once upon a time, there was a prostitute called Maria. Wait a minute. “Once upon a time” is how all the best children’s stories begin and “prostitute” is a word for adults. How can I start a book with this apparent contradiction? But since, at every moment of our lives, we all have one foot in a fairy tale and other in the abyss, let’s keep that beginning. ”

Not without its downsides, though. Too many pages have been devoted to sex, more than to the extent where it can simply fall under the erotica genre, which it isn’t, obviously. It’s far too deep than the likes of that genre , yet a bit wearisome. I get it, it’s her life story, and undoubtedly the seductive part plays the foremost role. But when you’re telling someone’s life-story, her job doesn’t speak the whole of it. It does feel like everything, especially the helplessness of a lost girl does get lost while the author puts an emphasis on the kinky stuff, probably to make it reader-friendly for all groups of people, especially teenagers, many of whom I know personally to regard it in the same way as Mills and Boons.

I don't know. I didn't feel transformed after reading this work, even after the glamorous writing style. I had to hide it from my elders' inquisitive glances the first time, but the second time also didn't help much. As this has become a genre of its own, with masterful works both in movies and literature. Good for a one-time, but not good enough for one who wants to pick up Coelho's best. Or so I feel.

"Life moves very fast. It rushes us from heaven to hell in a matter of seconds."
Profile Image for ⊱ Poppy ⊰.
340 reviews295 followers
November 5, 2016
All you need to know for picking this book.

“At every moment of our lives, we all have one foot in a fairy tale and the other in the abyss.”


“While she was waiting for her Prince Charming to appear, all she could do was dream.”

“She had to content herself with loving and suffering in silence until the end.”


“When we meet someone and fall in love, we have a sense that the whole universe is on our side. And yet if something goes wrong, there is nothing left! How is it possible for the beauty that was there only minutes before to vanish so quickly? Life moves very fast. It rushes from heaven to hell in a matter of seconds.”

“…but something always went wrong, and the relationship would end precisely at the moment when she was sure that this was the person with whom she wanted to spend the rest of her life. After a long time, she came to the conclusion that men brought only pain, frustration, suffering and a sense of time dragging.”


“I can choose either to be a victim of the world or an adventurer in search of treasure. It’s all a question of how I view my life.”

“(Don’t) listen to the malicious comments of those friends who, never taking any risks themselves, can only see other people’s failures.”

“If I can walk on my own, I can go wherever I like.”

“Life always waits for some crisis to occur before revealing itself at its most brilliant.”
Profile Image for Shaimaa Rady.
21 reviews62 followers
March 10, 2011

إن لقاء المرأة بذاتها لعبة تنطوي علي الكثير من المخاطر ، عندما ألتقي بذاتي نصير طاقتين ، عالمين يتصادمان ، أما إذا كان اللقاء يفتقر إلي الانسجام المتوازن ، فأنه يتحول إلي إنفجار مدمر للذات البشرية الواحدة . :)

عندما لم يعد لدي ما أفقده ، نلت كل شئ ، وعندما توقفت عن أن أكون ما كنته ، وجدت نفسي.


لا تعرف إذا كان سيعود مرة أخري ام لا..؟ لكنها للمرة الأولي في حياتها تشعر إن مجيئه لن يغير شيئا..!! يكفي أن تكون معه بالفكر ، وأن تضفي خطواته وكلماته وحنانه ، ألوانا من المتعة علي عالمها الخاص :)


مازالت تفكر فيه ، لأنه من جعلها تتكلم ...!!


Profile Image for Paras2.
321 reviews67 followers
May 20, 2019
Warning, this is a rant.
.
Sometimes a writer thinks that he's flowing with genius and ideas, and that merely basing a story on a real life event would create a masterpiece. well, i thinks it's time they stopped doing it and people stopped canonizing unworthy so-called writers.
this is the second book of Coelho that i've read and it hadn't fail me in disappointment. Obviously, from his afterword, it's evident he's thinking he's doing something earth-shattering and ground-breaking by writing about sex and prostitution.... but you know what dude? Marquis de Sade had written about it wayyyyy before you were conceived and it's called libertine literature. and he had the bravery to portray it as real as it was, and not put on a spiritual spin on it as you did.
this book was a complete waste of time and i should have dropped it but i didn't want to add one more to my rising pile, so i bit down my anger and finished it.
the fact that he wrote it as if he was a woman and he could understand women angered me beyond my limit. there's no realism in this book whatsoever, like no mention of a week off cuz of monthly period.
it was a basic trope, falling in love with a prostitute, as Shakespeare did, and so many other unfortunate men, and the story of the whore's redemption and regaining her "light".
what a load of crap!
i should have put this book down when i saw it was opening with scripture. -____-
Profile Image for Tahani Shihab.
592 reviews1,105 followers
July 16, 2021
رواية رائعة، من أجمل ما قرأت للكاتب باولو كويلو.
Profile Image for مجیدی‌ام.
213 reviews142 followers
September 2, 2015
یازده دقیقه، رمان نیست، یه چیزی فراتر از حد بیانه!
من آثار زیادی از پائولو نخوندم ولی همه میگن این رمان متفاوت ترین رمان پائولو هست ، جالب اینکه از نظر من این رمان با رمان های تموم نویسندگان متفاوته!
یه حس خاصی داشت بعضی از قسمت های کتاب و گاهی وقتا منو تو حس و حال "پیرمرد و دریا" می برد!
بقدری جذاب بود که کتاب در 8 ساعت بطور پیوسته تموم شد.
*** دقت کنید فایل پی دی اف 60 صفحه ای این کتاب رو اصلا نخونید که حتی ارزش ورق زدن هم نداره، کتاب اصلی 300 صفحه کامل هستش.
Profile Image for Alaa hussien.
36 reviews31 followers
April 2, 2013
بصراحة .. لو كانت لدي ابنة .. لمنعتها من قرائته ..
كتاب جريء جدا" ..

ما لفت نظري بالقصة .. ..
هو بحث ماريا الدائم عن الحب الحقيقي .. وحينما لم تجده .. تحولت لإنسانة لا يهمها سوا جمع المال مهما كانت الوسيلة "الغاية تبرر الوسيلة" ...
.. ن لكن كثير من الفتيات انجرفن في هذا الموضوع .. ولا ألوم معظمه ..
أذكر جملة قرأتها لحبران خليل جبران يقول بما معناه بان المخطىء بريء لأنه تعرض لمجتمع أو ظروف دفعته لهذا الفعل ...

أحببت فكرة جديدة وهي أن الألم تأتي معه اللذة ..
وربطتها بأي ألم قد يتعرض له الإنسان ... تكون النتيجة اللذة ..
لكن طريقة توجيه الألم وعلى ماذا نتألم .. هنا النقطة الرئيسة


أعطتني الرواية .. حقيقة : أن المرأة دائما" تبحث عن شيء ي��عد عنها الشعور بالوحدة / وأن الرجل يبحث فقط عن الجنس

شعور ماريا الدائم بالذنب .. وبأنها مخطئة وتشعر بالعار .... لفت نظري
وكيف أنها رغم إصرارها على إغلاق قلبها عن أي حب جديد إلا أنها أحبت ...
لفت نظري أيضا" ...

لكن كما قال الكاتب نفسه .. بأنه حتى ولو كانت ال "نهاية" للقصة جميلة ..
فسأكتفي بهذه الجمالية .. ولن أتخيل بقية حياتهما .. إما تخونه أو يخونها أو يعيشا أوفياء مع ملل مقيت مميت ...



هي الرواية أعجبتني ولم تعجبني في نفس الوقت ...
لكنها من الروايات التي دفعتني لأنهيها بوقت قصير ....
Profile Image for ندى.
136 reviews83 followers
May 25, 2012
فكرت كثيرا فيما ساقوله عن هذه الروايه
سيئه الى ابعد الحدود
اسوا كا قرات وما ساقرا
لا تستحق اى نجوم

لا انكر انها احتوت على فلسفه
الا وهى حياة الفتاة ماريا
نظرتها للحياه من جهة عملها
اوضحت دوافعها لاتخاذ هذه المهنه وصراعاتها
ولهذا اعطيتها هذه النجمه

لكنها سيئه فى كل ما عدا ذلك
روايه اظهرت براعه باولو كويلو
فى ان يعبر عن فكرة جيده
بطريقه بالغه السوء

استات كثيرا وانا اقراها
فكرت كثيرا فى الا انهيها
لكنى اردت ان اعرف نهايتها
على اخرج منها بشىء

احسد من لم يقراها
ولم يلوث ذهنه بما ورد بها

بالغ فى وصف بلا مبرر
واورد تفاصيل بطريقه مسيئه للغايه

لا ادرى حقا ما وجه الاستفاده منها
باختصار تصيب بالغثيان فعلا
Profile Image for Joyzi.
340 reviews427 followers
March 7, 2011
Book Review

Once upon a time, there was a bird. He was adorned with two perfect wings and with glossy, colorful, marvelous feathers. In short, he was a creature made to fly about freely in the sky, bringing joy to everyone who saw him.

One day, a woman saw this bird and fell in love with him. She watched his flight, her mouth wide in amazement, her heart pounding, her eyes shining with excitement. She invited the bird to fly with her, and the two traveled across the sky in perfect harmony. She admired and venerated and celebrated that bird.

But then she thought: He might want to visit far-off mountains! And she was afraid, afraid that she would never feel the same way about any other bird. And she felt envy, envy for the bird's ability to fly.

And she felt alone.

And she thought: "I'm going to set a trap. The next time the bird appears, he will never leave again."

The bird who was also in love, returned the following day, fell into the trap and was put in a cage.

She looked at the bird everyday. There he was, the object of her passion, and she showed him to her friends, who said: "Now you have everything you could possibly want." However, a strange transformation began to take place: now that she had the bird and no longer needed to woo him, she began to lose interest. The bird, unable to fly and express the true meaning of his life, began to waste away and his feathers to lose their gloss; he grew ugly; and the woman no longer paid him any attention, except by feeding him and cleaning out his cage.

One day, the bird died. The woman felt terribly sad and spent all her time thinking about him But she did not remember the cage, she thought only of the day when she had seen him for the first time, flying contentedly amongst the clouds.

If she had looked more deeply into herself, she would have realized that what had thrilled her about the bird was his freedom, the energy of his wings in motion, not his physical body.

Without the bird, her life too lost all meaning, and Death came knocking at her door. "Why have you come?" she asked Death. "So that you can fly once more with him across the sky," Death replied. "If you had allowed him to come and go, you would have loved and admired him even more; alas, you now need me in order to find him again."


So now I think that passage from the book already ate up my review so I'll just add some extra things.

First: As expected from Paulo Coelho this is another philosophical somewhat self-help, inspirational novel. This book was actually dedicated to a fan named Maurice Gravelines and Coelho met this guy unintentionally when he visited the Grotto in Lourdes. When they met the guy was like "You know, you look just like Paulo Coelho." And then Coelho said that yeah it was really him. And then the guy embraced him and he said to Coelho that, "They(Coelho's books) make me dream." I think that pretty sum up what kind of books Coelho's are.

Second: This book actually talks a lot about sex so I really recommend this book to adult readers, 18 years old and above. The novel has some masturbation scenes, BDSM, a blowjob scene etc. It just talks a lot about orgasm and in the other hand it also talks about the sacredness of sex and some history of prostitution blah blah blah. So really, adult readers or if you're sensitive about sex or anything about it maybe this book is not for you.

Third: My only complain about this book is that...there's actually a Filipino character in this book and she's a prostitute in the book and she's Maria's friend. My only problem about her is her name which is Nyah. I just really find her name weird and not very quote and quote Filipino. Maybe the author did not have time to research on it but the common names of Filipinos are similar to Spanish names and American names so I just really find it odd that her name's Nyah since it doesn't sound like a Filipino name. Maybe he could just name that character Juana or Ana or Susan but to name her Nyah, it was just odd. *shoulder shrug*

Thoughts before Reading

Finally this has been available in our library. So many people have been borrowing it, and when I go to the libray its always unavailable. Now it's my time to read it and I'm so excited since one of my classmate really like it and he said that this is his most favorite Coelho book. I'm curious to know why.
Profile Image for Muhammad Galal.
573 reviews705 followers
February 26, 2016
-- ثاني قراءاتي للكاتب بعد " الخيميائي " .
-- ترجمة " ماري طوق " .
-- أعجبني استغراب "ماريا " لانفعالات النّاس في مدينة الألعاب قبل و أثناء خوضهم الألعاب .
-- أعجبني جو سرد الأحداث ، ومذكرّات " ماريا " في نهاية كل يوم .
-- لي ملاحظات كثيرة على الترجمة ، لم تعجبني
مثل كلمة البيروويات " أهل بيرو " ، والأصح البيروفيّات ، وكلمة " رومانطيقي " ، قصدها تقول رومانسي أو رومانتيكي! ، " ضيّعت أي رومانسيّة موجودة في الكلمة !:D "
-- طوال حياتها فهمت الحب شكلًا من أشكال العبوديّة المبرّرة .
-- " إحدى عشرة دقيقة " تمثّل معاناة فتاة ليل ، ساردة لنا خبراتها في الحياة و معاناتها ، وشوقها للحب لتتخلّص من هذا الذل و العبوديّة .
-- في صفحة "55" : ألمح كويلهو على لسان بطلة روايته " ماريا " لروايته " الخيميائي " ،
لا ينبغي لكاتب " من المفترض أنّه فذّ و كبير " أن يتحدّث على لسان إحدى شخصيّاته عن رواية سابقة له ، من الآخر جو دعاية رخيص لم أستسغه و لم أقبله بالمرّة .
--سؤال بس لإخوتنا اللي زعلانين من علاء الأسواني ،
تفرق ايه الرواية دي عن رواية " شيكاجو " ؟! :D
بالعكس . شايف شيكاجو أعمق منها لأنّها متشعبّة في أكثر من قضيّة .
-- ملاحظات على آخر صفحات الرواية : ذكرت يا كويلهو حوالي عشرة أسماء أو أكثر وبعد أن تذكر الاسم تردف قائلًَا " و هذا اسم مستعار " !
إذا كانت تلك ليست أسمائهم الحقيقيّة .. لمَ ذكرتهم من الأساس ؟!

Profile Image for Arch_angelic.
44 reviews
May 25, 2012
I haven't read any of his works before, a friend told me that "Eleven Minutes" is very good, a story of finding true love and where sex should play part in the search for it but without a sense of vulgarism in the plot. Other friend told me that it is Paulo Coelho at his best. So I decided to borrow the book from the bookshop where I work and read it all the way till the last page. And I have to say both of my friend is right, this book is so good to read. It talks more than just finding true love and sex, for me it's more about searching and understanding yourself where at the end you'll find true compatible feeling in loving someone.

So many quotable lines, if the book is mine I'm sure I've mark most of the pages. I think I need to buy one and put it in my bookshelf. One day, I'll make "that someone" read this book, this book is a must read book for any couple who want to understand each other better.
Profile Image for Nazanin.
1,188 reviews785 followers
February 6, 2019
اگر قرار است به کسی یا چیزی وفادار باشم، چه کسی بهتر از خودم؟ اگر به دنبال عشق واقعی هستم، نخست باید از رفتن به دنبال عشق های بی ارزش احساس خستگی کنم. تجربه من در زندگی، اندک است. ولی به من می آموزد که هیچ کس صاحب هیچ چیز نیست... همه چیز تنها نوعی توهم است و این توهم، در مسایل مادی و معنوی وجود دارد. اگر کسی چیزی را که در شرف رسیدن به آن باشد از دست بدهد، در نهایت می آموزد که هیچ چیز به او تعلق ندارد... و اگر هیچ چیز به من تعلق ندارد، پس نباید اوقاتم را صرف محافظت از چیزهایی کنم که مال من نیست و بهتر است به گونه ای زندگی کنم که انگار همین امروز، نخستین (یا آخرین) روز زندگی من است
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