保羅·柯艾略，1947齣生於巴西裏約熱內盧。少年時代，因叛逆，被視為精神疾病受到三次電擊治療；青年時代，因反對政治獨裁，被投進監獄；1986年，38歲的他踏上去往聖城聖地亞哥之路，心靈頓悟。

從1987年的《朝聖》開始，18部作品以68種文字齣版、655個版本全球在160多個國傢和地區齣版發行，銷售總量超過1億冊，榮獲國際大奬無數，被譽為“唯一能夠與馬爾剋斯比肩，擁有最多讀者的拉美作傢”。

柯艾略以博大悲憫的心胸、奇絕獨特的視角、清澈如水的文字，將哲學沉思、宗教奇跡、童話寓言熔為一體，感動瞭全球上至各國政要、國際巨星，下至平民百姓、販夫走卒在內的數以億計的讀者，甚至目不識丁的人，也對他的文字世界無限神往。2007年，由於其作品的深遠影響力，聯閤國聘請他為聯閤國和平大使。

Twenty-four-year-old Veronika seems to have everything -- youth and beauty, boyfriends and a loving family, a fulfilling job. But something is missing in her life. So, one cold November morning Veronika decides to die. She takes a handful of sleeping pills expecting never to wake up. But she does -- at a mental hospital where she is told that she has only days to live.</P>

This poignant international bestseller by the author of The Alchemist takes readers on a quest to find meaning in a culture overshadowed by angst, soulless routine, and pervasive conformity. Based on events in Coelho's own life, Veronika Decides to Die questions the meaning of madness and celebrates individuals who do not fit into patterns society considers to be normal. Bold and illuminating, it is a dazzling portrait of a young woman at the crossroads of despair and liberation, and a poetic, exuberant appreciation of each day as a renewed opportunity.</P>