O Alquimista

I'm not sure I agree with the overall message of the book. I find it's more like it doesn't matter how much you want something, if the universe decides it's not for you, it's not. I don't think we have as much control over our reality as the story is trying to say we do. Sometimes life is just about getting through storms the best we can, and learning to let go. While there are some alright quotes, the rest came off as preachy or was full of clichés.

The Alchemist celebrated its 25th anniversary last year so I am definitely late to the party in only just having picked up a copy to read. The fable of Santiago's quest, retold from a tale in One Thousand And One Nights, has become a contemporary classic and is now available translated into at least eighty languages. It's easy to see why! This uplifting tale is recounted in deftly composed prose and, for me, reading it felt like stepping back in time to eras of oral community storytelling. The Alchemist layers deep philosophical thinking over a simple narrative with which I think we could all identify so the reader has the choice of how they wish to encounter the work. Yesterday I read The Alchemist as a straightforward mystical adventure story. Today I am thinking over its themes and how its calming spirituality might fit my life.

I have read many critical reviews of this book and I can absolutely see the reasons why so many people dislike the book. For me, however, this book came at just the right time of my life, and it had a huge impact on me.

You see, the book is about following your dream. In my case, I felt stuck in a life that didn't suit me at all, unable to move. This book comes with a certain naivety that is freeing. The kind that says, it doesn't matter, just go for it. Yes that sounds like a recipe for disaster for some people, especially since some events in the books might seem to have a rather dubious meaning. But for me it was a lifesaver. And most of the more rational books that I read as well did no remotely have the same effect. The book might suggest to stop thinking sometimes, and that might be just what you need.

You critics are all right, but I will recommend this book to anyone.

The Alchemist is extremely impressing book. If you haven't read this book you really should pick it up. It's very story and can be finished in a matter of hours (at lead I did and I'm a really slow reader). It's a very uplifting and satisfying experience.

The Alchemist is a story about a Santiago, a young shepherd in process of fulfilling his "Personal Legend". Written in 1988, it has since been translated into 67 languages---the most of any living author. One read and you'll see why. A story that even in a content day-to-day, something more may be planned for our lives. And to pursue that is the most fulfilling thing we could ever do. More of a fable than a short story, The Alchemist produces so many life lessons that the story should be read by a person at a much younger age than myself.

I've never had such a hard time writing a review on a story as much as this one. It's hard to fully convey what I'd like about the book without talking to someone who's also read the book. Honestly, in only 208 pages it's more of a short story and can be finished easily. I'd recommend this book to anyone.

"When you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true".

The Alchemist has been called "an exciting novel that bursts with optimism; it is the kind of novel that tells you that everything is possible as long as you really want it to happen," but I must stand up and confess that I did not find it exciting. Perhaps the book is just too religious for me to grasp, but although I thought it a charming tale, I did not really know what to make of it. The simplicity of the writing has also been praised, but I found the story teller's style tiresome to read, too choppy. I realize that Coelho did not write this book in English, but I suspect that the staccato nature of the writing was not lost in translation.

So, if you read this and adored it, feel free to scold me. Perhaps I had unreal expectations.