The Alchemist question

Bland old boring "the secret" mumbo jumbo with no inspiration or a good story.

I too found it somewhat Underwhelming, and a bit over-hyped.

well i've read this book 2 years ago and i can say it changed my life. :) it's a good read :)

Another "New Age" fiasco

I never understood what this book was really about. Luckily I didn't judge Coelho by this miserable book.

Although the book in unimpressive, the characters bland, and a lack of plot, I can see why The Alchemist received the praise that it did. The journey and the message is the important part. It was a nice quick read though and gave my brain a break

I wouldn't recommend the book to anyone without first giving them a complete synopsis.

Kirsten wrote: "I'm a very spiritual person, but I have to admit this book kinda went in one ear and out the other. At least I can say I've read it."
Well I forced myself to read it but couldn't read more than 40 pages !!

It got me bored all ways !!

Was a good read. Maybe for some spirituality is not deep intellectuality but paying attention to the now. As shawn the surfer guru tells maxine in Bleeding Edge, here is THE WISDOM. "It is what it is." I need someone to tell me to slow down and pay attention. Added it to my bag of tricks.

I gave this two stars in a "My Books" review. Here is what I wrote: If the author had stuck to a simple tale of a shepard boy's journey and achievements it might have been worth reading. As it is the author reminds me of the "artist" who sold Los Angeles on the idea of the rock. He is a con-man posing the most important questions in life and pretending to answer them.

I wasn't impressed at all. This book was required reading our Senior year in high school (2 years ago), so I was expecting something elevated and classic, or at least well-written, but no. This book was either flat or cliche, or trying really hard to be spiritual in a way that came off as false or superficial, though to those who don't often contemplate spiritual questions Coelho probably seems like some sort of guru (which just makes me dislike him and this book even more). Compared to all of the really great literature that can move your soul this is such a waste of time. The Alchemist has unoriginal insight, and no story or well-crafted style to redeem it. We had to have a class discussion on this book and everyone was talking like they had never read anything so moving and insightful, while I rolled my eyes and thought, "Goodness, would I be a mood killing asshole to throw my honest opinion out there?" Perhaps I'm being judgmental or pretentious for thinking all of this, and if your life was changed or soul moved by The Alchemist I say, "Hurrah, good for you!" Yet I shall personally remain very very unimpressed, and even a bit contemptuous over all of the "philosophic" chatter over this book. Jeeze, I feel like I just tore someones heart out, haha.

I was not impressed. In fact, I was disappointed.
Here is my review of "The Alchemist"
http://abdelseg.wordpress.com/2013/07...

This book has to be one of the worst books I've read, worst than Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. The only good thing is that it was short and wasted only a day of time.

i'm the one who was not at all impressed by this book :(
will give one more try so that i can change my opinion on it!!

Same here. Still surprised on how poor the story was.

Me! Part of the problem is that the idea of a personal journey is overdone nowadays. However, at the time of its publication I don't think it was as popular of a subject, so I appreciate its value. I wrote more about this in my review.

I read it once and in hindsight I think Coelho is pretty much overrated and the only reason why this book got so much hype was that he had a great PR team which managed to get hollywood celebrities pictured towing it with them. The book really didn't make sense for the most part.

Finally a whole lot of people sharing the same feeling on some over-rated book. Feels good!

I found the writing style odd. I like the message, but it didn't draw me in. Parts of it were charming, I guess?

So what I think is, probably his some of the other books are much better than Alchemist.

I recently had the idea of listening to audio books during "dead" time ie. Whilst driving, on airplanes etc. I had heard an awful lot about this book and since it's not the sort of thing I would normally read I decided to give the audio version a go. I don't now if it was the narrator (Jeremy Irons putting on the most appalling accents / voices) or whether I'm just a very shallow person but I really disliked the book. I feel that I have wasted 4 hours of my life that I could have used to watch paint dry (or grass grow).

The dialogue was shockingly bad and trite. Possibly something got lost in translation. The book was Panglossian in its outlook and the message was banal (if I'm generous). All I can say is that I'm glad I didn't have to pay for it.

Ugh. This 'book' is underwhelming misogynistic drivel. Why does everyone think it's so awesome? It's horribly written.

I can find inspirational "it's all about the journey" messages in any book. In fact, I've done that. There are plenty of books that don't treat women like our own personal legends don't matter. We aren't property, we shouldn't have to cover up (married or not),we're made for MORE than child-rearing, and we have our own dreams.

I thought to myself that it was my own fault for setting my expectations too high. At least now I know I am not alone!!!

My book group loved it. I thought it tried to be a parable but failed to be either an engaging novel or a source of spiritual wisdom. Meh.

ugh. my pastor recommended this to me, and i found it boring. like i didn't see what was so special about this book at all and i spent over a month finishing it.

I found this a very anti climatic read, I was recommended this so many times that I felt like I had to see what all the fuss was about. It was disappointing and repetitive nothing new or compelling.

When i read that book almost more than ten years back it left me awestruck. But now after reading many spiritual books, I feel that the book is a little too simple to be called a spiritual book. However, I do think it's not we who find books instead BOOKS find us and they keep us directing from one book to the other in the path of what we seek. So perhaps Alchemist was my kindergarten step into spirituality and made me realize there is more to it than finding the treasure which is right in front of your eyes.

I just finished reading the book. I started off with much anticipation and found the start quite intriguing. But as I progressed towards the end I found certain sermons being rewritten many times and thats where my attention got shifted. The way the book ended was something i never thought. I had expected a better ending that would have resonated the enthusiasm with which Coelho had started the story of the boy. Its an extremely average read except some good quotes that I came across.

Important note: translation makes a huge difference!

I am currently reading this book in two languages at once: the original Portuguese, and the English translation (I'm only aware of one extant English translation, by Alan R. Clarke; please let me know if I'm wrong in that assumption).

I was absolutely stunned and disappointed to discover the differences between the two versions. The English translation is HORRIBLE! Not only is there an utter lack of style, but actual meaning is consistently altered in places where it doesn't need to be. The translator evidently wanted to make the book his own, instead of faithfully communicating the author's original intentions. I'm dismayed that this translation could have been published at all. The original Portuguese is head and shoulders above the English (even if I still don't particularly like the book).

(I am a professional working in the translation field and studied translation in college and grad school.)

Amazed by the opinions here :)
Yes its not original thought - but its still good.
I had heard none of the hype before I read the book - maybe that helped. I didnt come to it expecting it to be life changing and it isnt. I sort of summed up what I already knew.
Having liked it I tried a couple more of his books - didnt like them at all and found myself not liking the author much either.

So somehow I believed that this was some kind of fantasy story. I do not know why besides the mentioning of an alchemist.

But I read it, well listened to it while steadily picking up and putting down heavy things at the gym. The thing is, the general message is extremely heavy handed. Besides the fact that I do not agree with it I think the motivations of the characters aren't really that believable either, nor it the writing style. Kid learns the secrets of the universe because of greed, basically. Even the whole "enjoy the journey, take setbacks in stride, the world runs on love (that he apparently only met once), everything will come to you if you wish for it hard enough" I mean, its not new, its not engaging. Its just....

Count me in as one who's not impressed. I've read it three times - once in college, once in my late 20s, and once again in my early 40s. I'm actually a person who strives to find themes and lessons and messages in what I'm reading. I just have not been able to do that with this book, even over several decades of my life.

me

Kirsten wrote: "I'm a very spiritual person, but I have to admit this book kinda went in one ear and out the other. At least I can say I've read it."

Glad I'm not the only one! I read this book because of the numerous recommendations that I got in favour of this book but they were all in vain. I wish I could've invested my time in opting a better read. It was quite a hype and cliche.

I had been looking forward to reading this book, having had it sat on my shelf for a while and seen it on multiple "must read" lists. What a disappointment!
I can't imagine how this book gets the attention it does, as it definitely doesn't deserve it. The story is linear, the dialogue is stilted, the character development is non-existent, and I probably cared more about the sheep than any character in the book. Everything about the story feels so contrived and artificial.
Also annoying were the constant (failed) attempts at profundity and revelations of blindingly obvious "life lessons".
For anyone with this book on their bucket-list, then do yourself a favour and find another one; it's a quick read, but it's still a waste of time and effort.

The story itself is kind of forced, but the core message I brilliant.
I loved it!
Can't say I'd read it again, but it's a good book nevertheless.

Me too. My friend raved about it. ( She also worshipped Wayne Dwyer, which should have been a tip off.) I read it once. Left me cold. Wondered if it was just me. Read sgsin 10 yrs latar. Still nothing. Boring. Pseudo symbolism.
Gack.

And I agree with another reviewer on their comparison to Jonathan Livingston Seagull, which seemed trite to me. But if people get domething out of this stuff, great!

Personally, I now go to my Own Inner Being for the Truth.

I appreciate what he may do for some readers. I think for some, there's a treasure in its simplicity. When I read "The Alchemist" however, I remember feeling a similar way as you. I was frustrated with the repetition of "The Alchemist," its lack of refinement, as well as a lack of detail. It was over so fast though that I didn't have time to feel angry about it, but I was unimpressed. I maybe too generously gave it a 3/5. I didn't feel a sense of outrage for it, because nobody had hyped it up or personally recommended it to me. I got it for $3 used at a foreign bookstore in Korea and so I wasn't put out much financially. Ultimately, "The Alchemist" quenched my curiosity for the author and I can't see reading anything else of his, though I do think I understand why his books are beloved by some.

The only lesson that The Alchemist gave me was to preserver. But even that, the whole book was tainted with unrealistic magic that it took all the meaning away. It wasn't spirituality, it was unnecessary. Waste of time

this is my favorite book

Nope I loved this book, I have effectively read over 4000 books, over 10,000+ educational videos on youtube and talked to over 10,000 people and this book is one of the best out there.

If you know how to read it, you can EASILY get over 200 lessons

https://imgur.com/a/YIIYj1M

People are just mad they're intellectual dilettantes as Charlie Munger says, well read enough to FEEL profound (hence why they hate this book), not well read enough to know what true profundity is; simplicity.

As the book says "Only the wise are able to see and understand simple things"

"Simplification is the ultimate sophistication"-Leonardo Da Vinci,

"It was the same with information. A rite of purification became necessary.

And then, when it was made simple, distilled, counted in bits, information was found to be everywhere.” ― James Gleick, The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood

“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.”
― E.F. Schumacher

“Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”-Steve Jobs

"Most important of all; keep WATCH, observe, work STRENUOUSLY, rewrite everything five times, CONDENSING and so on"-Anton Chekhov on system improvements, always streamlining and always paying attention to your environment

"It is vain to do with more what can be done with fewer"- William Ockham on resource optimization

"Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art."~ Frédéric François Chopin

"Math is just condensed info"-Brian Greene on math's simplification of the world

EΨ=HΨ, Schrodinger's equation that describes wave functions or the things that make up our universe, 4 letters to describe the universe, notbad huh? I should take notes haha!

E=MC2, Einstein's simple theory of relativity of space and time, 4 letters for all

Z = Z2 + C, Mendelbrot Set, the reason we have modern day graphics

dx/dt=a(y-x), dy/dt=x(p-z)-y, dz/dt=xy-bz, the way we understand "chaos" from Lorenz is a basic XYZ formula

V-E+F=2, Euler's equation or our understanding of spheres
F=G MN/r2 Newton's equation of gravity

...........

It is what it is though, all paths lead to one, they'll have their day, they still can in this lifetime, but it's probably not going to happen.

Kobe Bryant saw it
Warren Buffet saw it
I've seen it

People stop learning as they age or as Kobe said "when I got to the NBA I felt like (going after players) got even EASIER because they lacked the passion, the drive or the energy to get better, they were just playing for financial stability"

"I thought EVERYONE was going to be amazing in the world, but I got out there in the big bad world and it was like I was alone" Warren Buffet

These people who dislike the book can't even tell you what intelligence is, I bet right now someone reading this will know in their heart of heart how I got them, but may attempt to say something anyways. The world is such a funny place, we don't even have an agreed upon definition of the word they all claim Coelho or this book lacks, so they use a word with no meaning :)

“Thinking is difficult, that’s why most people judge.”
― C.G. Jung

"Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens." - Carl Jung

The secret of the Alchemist is for everyone, but you have to deserve it:

"Every life has the potentiality of greatness." - Henri-Frederic Amiel

Kobe, Will Smith, Pharell, Tony Robbins, Kyrie Irving, Madonna.....I guess the commenters here know better than them LMFAO

I could keep going but I won't, an alchemist could appear in front of these people, they wouldn't even know what to look for, what one would look like or have the courage to even approach him :)

“Courage is the quality most essential to understanding the Language of the World.”-Paulo Coelho

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

To quote Alexander the great (you know you're a boss when you have Great after your name):
"Through every generation of the human race there has been a constant war, a war with fear. Those who have the courage to conquer it are made free and those who are conquered by it are made to suffer until they have the courage to defeat it, or death takes them."

https://www.nature.com/articles/s4159...

Predator-induced fear causes PTSD-like changes in the brains and behaviour of wild animals

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imposto...

Impostor syndrome (also known as impostor phenomenon, impostorism, fraud syndrome or the impostor experience) is a psychological pattern in which an individual doubts their skills, talents or accomplishments and has a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a "fraud".[

It has been estimated that nearly 70% of individuals will experience signs and symptoms of impostor phenomenon at least once in their life.

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity.”

I think it is super cliche and superficial like all his books, it is very standard bland phrases written as he was some messiah.

Although I am not a spiritual person, still I am so confused how this book is so well-known and read by almost every other person. How this book even became so popular in the first place? The language used in the book is corny at best. All the talk about stars, moons, sun, wind, soul of the world, language of the heart is so cringe-inducing, it feels very similar to Bollywood drama movies.

I feel less alone now. Thank you to this thread!

It's uninspired bloat with the core message being an encouragement to just shit on everyone else and do your own thing cause everything is just going to magically work out in the end. And that's not mentioning the fact that you're indeed just completely ignoring the consequences your actions might have on the people around you

I do not like Paulo Coelho’s books at all. They are for children) I like deep physiological books.

I think it isn't supposed to be an absolutely lifechanging, spirit-altering book for sure. There's a lot of hype about it because I do feel it is a genuinely good read, but it is easy to fall into the "That book was life changing HAVE TO read it!" trap and expect it to be like Siddhartha, or The Prophet.
The messages and wisdom within the book are certainly there, but they don't smack you in the face. The wisdom is strewn throughout, but can easily be something you lose interest in due to the storyline, and how it all wraps up (the most disappointing part for me). Credit is due for this great book, just not the overzealous, fantastical credit it has for some reason!

Kirsten wrote: "I'm a very spiritual person, but I have to admit this book kinda went in one ear and out the other. At least I can say I've read it." Thank you so much for this post, I thought I am a weirdo, because I did not like the book at all!

I just read it because it's part of a summer school program I'll be teaching and I *hate it*! To me, it's pandering to the deeply religious who need to hear that their chosen deity listens to them and will make their wishes come true. (And if he doesn't, it wasn't REALLY their wish.)

certianly not me . This book is one of the most overrated books of all time imo .

The book isn't for "spiritual" person. It's for those who like to think they're spiritual. It was fun reading when I was young and on the first step in my search for knowledge, I thought I was so spiritual and smart (like many people think) when in reality I was actually not smart enough to understand the better sources.
For spiritual person there are more serious books, on actual spiritual practice.