The Winner Stands Alone (P)

Immerse yourself in "The Winner Stands Alone," a profound meditation on personal power and the innocent dreams undone by success, set against the glamorous backdrop of the Cannes Film Festival. In this gripping novel by Paulo Coelho, the story unfolds over twenty-four hours in the dazzling worlds of fashion and cinema.

Meet Igor, a successful and driven Russian entrepreneur who will go to the darkest lengths to reclaim his lost love—his ex-wife, Ewa. Convinced that their life together was divinely ordained, Igor once vowed to destroy whole worlds to win her back. As he pursues his obsessive quest, a conflict between individual evil and society emerges, derailing morality and leading to dramatic consequences.

Journey behind the scenes at Cannes to encounter the "Superclass" of producers, actors, designers, and supermodels, as well as aspiring starlets, faded stars, and jaded hangers-on. Through the interwoven stories of these characters, Coelho paints an engrossing picture of a world consumed by glamour and excess, revealing the potentially dire consequences of our obsession with fame.