The Zahir is
a 2005 novel by the Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho. Just as in an earlier book,
The Alchemist, The Zahir is about a pilgrimage. The book touches on themes of
love, loss and obsession.
The Zahir
was written in Coelho's native language, Portuguese, and it has been translated
into 44 languages. The book was first published in Iran, in Persian
translation, by Caravan publishing. Iran has never signed any international
copyright agreements. By being published first in Iran, the book falls under
the national copyright law of Iran. This copyright measure created an unusual
situation where a book is first published in a language other than the author's
native language. However, the book was banned in Iran a few months after its
publication, during the 18th Tehran International Book Fair.
