This was recommended by a friend whose taste in books is different in many ways, but similar in others. This time it clicked.  (The friend lives in New Zealand.) 

The Dreamseller Collection:
The Calling and The Revolution
by Augusto Cury 2008
translated by Clifford E. Landers 2021
Read by Christian Barillas 15h 48m
Rating:  8.5 / metaphysical–psychology–visionary

This volume (or audio book) contains the first book, “The Calling” and its sequel, “The Revolution,” but the author says it doesn’t matter in which order you read them.    

I much prefer book 1, “The Calling,” or as it is better known, “The Dreamseller.”  In this book a strange and disheveled man, appears on a tall building’s ledge next to Julio Cesar a man who is about to jump to his death. The disheveled man sits down and talks this very unhappy man into coming down on his own. This strange man calls himself “The Dreamseller and he’s on a mission to change people’s ideas so they will love life and act like it.  

The Dreamseller’s teachings and wanderings draw troubled people who are transformed by his teachings. He never forces them, he only talks to them and loves them and accepts them – including a couple alcoholics, an overeater, an egoist, some greedy and vain people as well as the broken-hearted, the judgmental, etc. At first the all-male group comes to live under bridges as they make their ragtag way across the land talking to people, getting in scrapes, and gathering more followers. Some of the followers, a bit later, are women. 

The author, Augusto Cury, is a Brazilian psychiatrist and psychotherapist who has written many books in Portuguese and this one has been translated and sold in 60 countries as well as being made into a movie (2017).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusto_Cury 

As I mentioned, this book contains two novels. The first book, “The Calling,” ends about half-way through and then Volume 2, “The Revolution,” begins.

“The Calling” is excellent – it’s fun and kind of spiritual, it refers to Jesus without being a “Christian” book.  The literary quality is good enough, but that’s not the only reason to read a book. This has a good message and plot, the characters are interesting and it’s a fun read.  

Although Book 2, “The Revolution” gets a bit repetitive, the author says in the introduction that they don’t have to be read in order.  The 1st person throughout is Julio Cesar who was saved from suicide and became a follower or a member of the “family.” He was addicted to intellectual pursuits and his ego. There are two drunks who also follow the Dreamseller, Barnabus is addicted to booze and self-promoting political speeches  while Bartholemew is the other drunk and he just makes messes and is very funny. They are opposites but the same.  

The Dreamseller himself has a mysterious past which is slowly revealed. He says that resistance is cyclical and that the real goal is to become a fully realized human being, aware of one’s defects as well as assets. The Dreamseller radiates acceptance and generosity advocating patience and calm. He becomes hugely famous and garners enemies as well as disciples.

One of the things I didn’t like in the second book was the screaming of the narrator – I think it was just unnecessary although it’s called “scream therapy.”