From Paulo Coelho, the renowned author of The Alchemist, comes a deeply moving and poetic novel that explores the timeless depths of love, forgiveness, and self-discovery

By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept tells the heartfelt story of Pilar, a strong yet guarded woman, and her childhood friend, now a charismatic spiritual leader. Reuniting after eleven years, their relationship takes them on an emotional and spiritual odyssey in a small village in the French Pyrenees. Against the backdrop of the River Piedra, they confront unresolved pain, long-buried emotions, and ultimately, the quest to find love and freedom and confront some of life’s most important questions.

As their bond deepens, Pilar is drawn into her friend's world of faith and miracles, challenging her own beliefs and understanding of life's purpose and her own femininity. Along this journey, Pilar must wrestle with her fears of vulnerability and the possibility of losing herself in the process of rediscovering love.

Both an ethereal love story and a powerful exploration of how discovering our inner spiritual being--and forgiving ourselves, and others--can reshape our lives in completely unexpected ways. Paulo Coelho’s masterful storytelling and poetic prose inspires us to uncover the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary and the intimate moments that bring magic into our lives, and the every day.

A stunning and unforgettable exploration divine love, human connection, intimate self-reflection, and the sacrifices that come with following one’s true path--and heart.