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The Alchemist

Paulo Coelho

Start date: April 1, 2016

Finish date: April 30, 2016

Discussion: Book/Genre of the Month

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* The System
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What Members Thought

Dec 28, 2012 Kris rated it really liked it

Shelves: energy-spiritual-metaphysical, self-development

This is a pretty good book. I liked the positive aspect of the boy's view of his accomplishment's of his journey. Alchemists are change agents in our world. Favorite quotes:

"It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting."

"Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own."

"...when each day is the same as the next, it's because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day ...more

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Aug 12, 2009 Sir rated it it was amazing

Shelves: old-books, 2009

I love this book
I've read it over 80 times
Some people get it, some don't
I have it in audio, nook and paperback.
...more

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Jul 02, 2008 Nadia rated it really liked it

Shelves: inspirational-novels, all-time-favourites, literature, my-reads-for-2008

Dreams, symbols, signs, and adventure follow the reader like echoes of ancient wise voices in "The Alchemist", a novel that combines an atmosphere of Medieval mysticism with the song of the desert. With this symbolic masterpiece Coelho states that we should not avoid our destinies, and urges people to follow their dreams, because to find our "Personal Myth" and our mission on Earth is the way to find "God", meaning happiness, fulfillment, and the ultimate purpose of creation.

The novel tells the Dreams, symbols, signs, and adventure follow the reader like echoes of ancient wise voices in "The Alchemist", a novel that combines an atmosphere of Medieval mysticism with the song of the desert. With this symbolic masterpiece Coelho states that we should not avoid our destinies, and urges people to follow their dreams, because to find our "Personal Myth" and our mission on Earth is the way to find "God", meaning happiness, fulfillment, and the ultimate purpose of creation.

The novel tells the tale of Santiago, a boy who has a dream and the courage to follow it. After listening to "the signs" the boy ventures in his personal, Ulysses-like journey of exploration and self-discovery, symbolically searching for a hidden treasure located near the pyramids in Egypt.

When he decides to go, his father's only advice is "Travel the world until you see that our castle is the greatest, and our women the most beautiful". In his journey, Santiago sees the greatness of the world, and meets all kinds of exciting people like kings and alchemists. However, by the end of the novel, he discovers that "treasure lies where your heart belongs", and that the treasure was the journey itself, the discoveries he made, and the wisdom he acquired.

"The Alchemist", is 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. That may sound like an oversimplified version of new-age philosophy and mysticism, but as Coelho states "simple things are the most valuable and only wise people appreciate them".

As the alchemist himself says, when he appears to Santiago in the form of an old king "when you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true". This is the core of the novel's philosophy and a motif that echoes behind Coelho's writing all through "The Alchemist". And isn't it true that the whole of humankind desperately wants to believe the old king when he says that the greatest lie in the world is that at some point we lose the ability to control our lives, and become the pawns of fate. Perhaps this is the secret of Coelho's success: that he tells people what they want to hear, or rather that he tells them that what they wish for but never thought possible could even be probable.

"Such a simple story yet with such profound words found in it. Dreams, don't we all find ourselves engulfed by it almost always? And yet how often, do we pursue it, and when we do, we might just be surprised at just what may be the outcome of it.I loved the inspirational short stories told on the boy's journey to finding his personal legend. A great read, which makes you appreciating your everyday even more. Maktub. It's all written... :) " ...more

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Aug 03, 2010 claire rated it really liked it

The few of us who read this at a similar time & age (late-20), reflected that it would have been preferable or perhaps more meaningful at an earlier age. Very mystical.

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