Have you ever wondered if you had a specific purpose in life, that nagging feeling that you were meant to do something, a destiny for which you've been placed on Earth, and all you have to do is to discover what it is? If so, then after reading The Alchemist you may have a better idea of what it is that you are feeling.
This book was originally published O Alquimista in Portuguese in 1988. It was first translated into English in 1993. Since then, it has sold millions of copies all over the world. The author did not expect his book to be as successful as it has been. In his introduction, he attests to this unforeseen accomplishment.
At the time, I was struggling to establish myself as a writer and to follow my path despite all the voices telling me it was impossible... And little by little, my dream was becoming reality.
After reading those two sentences, I realized that as simple as they may appear, they summarize beautifully the underlying message of his book.
One night Santiago, an Andalusian boy, dreams about the pyramids of Egypt, and because of the dream, he sets off on a journey that takes him from his homeland in southern Spain, across the Mediterranean sea to Egypt, in search of a treasure buried near the pyramids. The Alchemist is a fable about Santiago and the journey he takes to find his treasure. Along the way he meets people including a gypsy woman, a thief, a merchant, an Englishman, and the soldiers of the desert, all of whom play a critical role in helping Santiago complete his odyssey.
The Alchemist is inspiring, thought-provoking, and beautiful. It is about dreams. Not just any dream, but the dream we have that extends from a thought we've all had at one time or another: 'I exist for a reason.' Paul Coelho describes an idea that he refers to as a Personal Legend, or our destiny, and his story of Santiago serves as an example of his idea. Coelho does not offer a word-for-word-how-to manual on how to go about finding your own Personal Legend. Instead, like any good fable, it is filled metaphors and allegories, where scenes and images are not to be taken literally, and that are meant to make the reader think for him or herself and about their own lives.
Article comments
1 - Isabel
Hi,
I would like to ask you to include Paulo Coelho´s official websites here for his readers to find free downloads and latest news about the writer´s schedule:
www.paulocoelho.com
www.warriorofthelight.com
Thank you very much,
Isabel
2 - LaLibreFatiha
I find it therapeutic for me.
Good read in enhancing your confidence and u kinda view your life in a more clear and larger perspective.
Also more or less similiar book , u can read Dont be sa by Aidh Abdullah al Qarni.
3 - t
i was wondering if anyone could post where i could find mysticism and culture in the alchemist ...
4 - m_kafka of Delial
Alchemist is an allegory filled with meaning. Meaning has to be extracted by each reader for him/herself. Meaning varies depending on the level of being of the reader. It isnot a matter of concern that what each one understands is different. It is a matter to feel great, 'cos anything vital is prone to diversity in its nature and interpretation.
The shining and bright part about 'Alchemist' is that it brims with hope and possibility and dreams and happenings. It goes on and on. The beauty, desirability and joyousness of exstence beams out of every page. It is a book which makes you aware of living, hope, joy, dreams, fulfillment, elusiveness, search, promise, love and compassion, in a subtle and noiseless way.