Celebrated Brazilian author Paulo Coelho has released his latest novel recently. Titled Manuscript Found in Accra, it examines "values that span time".

It is Coelho's 22nd offering. His previous works, including The Alchemist, Veronica Decides to Die and The Zahir, have sold over 140 million copies in 73 languages.

The latest novel plays with fiction and reality in telling a story about a Greek sage known as Copta, who features in a manuscript discovered by an Englishman centuries later.

"Distinguishing fiction is really hard not just for writers, but for anyone. We live under a barrage of information that we believe is real, even when it can't be," Coelho says.

This story "is based on values, and values are never fiction. They pass through time," the writer adds.

The titular manuscript is a 1307 retelling of a meeting between Copta and the people of Jerusalem, just before the Crusaders arrived in the late 11th century.

Copta "urges men and women in the city to seek wisdom in everyday life", the publishing house wrote in a statement marking the release of the new novel, which will have a first run of 100,000 copies.

The award-winning author has held a seat at the Brazilian Academy of Letters since 2002.

Agence France-Presse