Paul Coelho`s `Warrior of the Light: A Manual` has been translated from Portuguese by Margaret Jull Costa. The copyright page notes that the book was first published in Brazil in 1997, and an author`s note notes that most of the material in the book was first published in a newspaper column. `Warrior` is a guide to living a balanced and meaningful life. The text takes the form of a series of inspirational verses bracketed by a parable-like story. Coelho`s approach is interfaith and multicultural: along the way he cites the I Ching, John Bunyan, Lao Tzu, Jesus, Gandhi, Arabic proverbs, and others. God is often mentioned, but not in a religion-specific sense. Along the way such topics as faith, meditation and prayer are dealt with. Quite a bit of the book seems rather obvious and feels like I`ve read it before; at times the tone is a bit too `New Age-y` for my tastes. But there are also some really thoughtful and striking passages, and a welcome touch of wit. The book is sometimes paradoxical. `Warrior` is a contemporary text that reminds me of the tradition of the Dhammapada, Marcus Aurelius` `Meditations,` and other such spiritual/instructional texts. It`s a hopeful and generous-spirited book