Create a Landing Page That Performs Great

Eleven Minutes is a novel by Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho that I recently read. It tells the journey of Maria—a prostitute—and her reflections on love and the pursuit of happiness. But don’t let her profession mislead you; her path is, in many ways, more self-aware and insightful than that of many others. 😁

This novel isn’t as captivating in terms of plot as The Alchemist (another well-known work by Coelho). In fact, the title Eleven Minutes remains a mystery until halfway through the book. However, it reminded me of Santiago’s journey in search of his treasure—or even of Siddhartha’s quest for enlightenment (from Hermann Hesse’s novel of the same name).

A person’s profession, often attached to their name when we speak of them, doesn’t necessarily say much about who they truly are.

One of the great things about Coelho’s works is that you don’t need to share the protagonist’s profession to see yourself in the story. The sense of connection comes from fragments of childhood memories, the mix of hesitation and excitement when encountering something new, and the blend of innocence and philosophy when pondering the meaning of life.

Here are a few lines from Maria’s journal that I particularly liked:

“Within me, there are two women: one who wants all the joy, passion, and adventure that life can offer. The other wants to be a slave to routine, to family life, to things that can be planned and achieved. I am both a housewife and a prostitute, living in the same body and constantly at odds with each other (…)”

“When we meet someone, we are two supernatural energies, two universes colliding. If that encounter is not approached with reverence, one universe will destroy the other.”