Paulo today : Budapest, Prague, Hamburg, Cairo -- Childhood -- Schooldays -- First play, first love -- First encounter with Dr Benjamin -- Batatinha's d�ebut -- Ballad of the Clinic Gaol -- Shock treatment -- The great escape -- Vera -- the marijuana years -- Discovering America -- Gisa -- The Devil and Paulo -- Paulo and Raul -- A devil of a different sort -- Paulo renounces the Devil -- Cissa -- London -- Christina -- First meeting with Jean -- Paulo and Christina, publishers -- The road to Santiago -- The Alchemist -- The critics' response -- Success abroad -- World fame -- Becoming an "immortal" -- The Zahir -- One hundred million copies sold.

Traces the noted author's roots in Brazil to his time as a musician and pop lyricist to his wild days of rock and roll to the publication of his novel "The Alchemist."