full book review of alchemist

Book Review: The Alchemist By Paulo Coelho

Last Updated on September 24, 2023 by Louisa

In a world filled with countless adventure stories and tales of heroism, romance, and adventure, Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist” shines as a beacon of light, shining brightly above the rest, in this timeless adventure novel filled with profound and timeless wisdom.

The Alchemist isn’t just a novel, it’s a spiritual awakening. Paulo Coelho is well known for writing not only incredible stories but also for expressing philosophical wondering and deeply thought-provoking messages.

He is one of the most famous, and greatest, Brazilian authors, and it was The Alchemist that put earned him the acclaimed recognition he receives today.

Selling 300 million copies worldwide since its release in 1993, The Alchemist should be the first book anyone read if you’re not familiar with Paulo Coelho.

And in this honest book review of The Alchemist, you’re about to find out why…

Affiliate Disclosure : This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through any of these links.

Book Review of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The alchemist book review.

The Alchemist is an enchanting novel that takes you on a transformative journey that will have you questioning life, our purpose, and our place in the world. Not only that, but the philosophical messages remind us of the power of dreams, the importance of self-discovery, and the remarkable possibilities that lie beyond our comfort zones. In The Alchemist, the reader follows a young boy (who remains nameless throughout) as he chases his dream of finding the lost treasure, after being told where to look by a King he meets in the market. Along the way, the boy learns about free will, the power of Maktub, a term used to describe “what is meant to be”, as well as finds love, resilience, and passion. Accompanied by an Alchemist, the boy learns to bend the powers of the Earth to his will, enabling him to fulfill his purpose and reach his goals. The Alchemist has one important message: never give up, no matter what obstacles you face.

By Louisa Smith

A novel that has you contemplating life, the world, and our purpose within it. Deeply profound, enlightening, and poetic. Truly, The Alchemist is one of the best adventure novels of all time.

What I Liked

Of course, the best thing about The Alchemist is Coelho’s writing style, which effortlessly weaves together simplicity and elegance, creating a mesmerizing narrative that transports you to the mystical realms of your imagination.

The lyrical prose flows like a gentle breeze, enchanting us with its beauty and evoking a sense of wonder with every word.

Of course, The Alchemist is most famous for its philosophy. Despite being less than 200 pages, it’s a book you want to read slowly, taking in each profound thought and idea slowly and taking time to contemplate.

As you navigate your way through the story, you’ll be questioning the meaning of life and the transformative power of love, determination, and passion.

I loved how the boy renamed nameless throughout, allowing you to put yourself in his shoes.

Even though the story is simple, its messages and Coelho’s deep philosophical depth are what make this book a masterpiece.

Coelho skillfully explores the concepts that invite you to question your own beliefs and preconceived notions about the world.

The character development was also excellent, as you follow the young boy in first person, gaining insight from his own perspective. As each philosophical quip is dropped, the reader learns along with the boy, who is receiving a spiritual awakening.

What Could Have Been Better

The Alchemist isn’t a novel that’s enjoyed for the storyline. It delivers a powerful message, but when it comes to the plot, this is somewhat predictable.

Coelho follows a well-trodden path, utilizing common storytelling tropes and archetypes, and there’s no real element of surprise about what comes next in terms of the narrative.

While I liked the character development of the boy, the supporting characters lack depth. Perhaps this is done to keep the attention on the boy and his journey, but there could have been more development from the secondary characters.

Each person the boy meets has an impact on him in some way, but as he moves on through the narrative, they get forgotten about.

The focus of The Alchemist is on the overarching themes and symbolism, which means that the plot and individual growth of the supporting characters get put to the side.

Despite these minor shortcomings, I still feel that The Alchemist remains an extraordinary literary masterpiece and I’m not surprised it has captured the hearts and minds of millions of people around the globe.

Coelho’s ability to infuse spirituality and philosophy into a captivating story is a testament to his brilliance as a writer.

Related Reading: Quotes from The Alchemist

Similar Works

Of course, Paulo Coelho’s other works are equally as profound and enlightening, especially The Pilgrimage, which is all about his own personal pilgrimage journey.

Another profound book by Paulo Coelho that I thought was similar was Manuscript Found in Accra, which is about a preacher who shares the answers to life’s questions and the rules for sacred human values.

If you’re looking for something that leaves you contemplating life, then I highly recommend you pick up these other two novels by Paulo Coelho.

Related Post: Books Similar to The Alchemist

The Alchemist Trigger Warnings

The Alchemist doesn’t really contain trigger warnings, but there are some scenes that contain the following…

Gender Bias
Aggression and physical assault

The Alchemist has the following themes:

Travel and Self-Discovery
Free Will vs Fate
Pursuit of a dream
Maktub (What is Meant to Be)
Value of the small things
Coming of age

Where to Find It?

You can find The Alchemist at most retail bookstores, or you can find it from one of these links…

View it on:

The Verdict: Would I Recommend The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho?

The Alchemist has a permanent place on my bookshelf and is a book I will reread for years to come. While the plot isn’t anything special, it’s philosophy, symbolism, and profound messaging have changed my way of thinking about the world.

It’s a book that will enlighten you, awaken you, and maybe even light a fire in you, encouraging you to dream big and chase the stars.

I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for something insightful and thought-provoking.

Have Your Say…

Now you know what I think, let us know what you think! Share your thoughts about The Alchemist in the comments.

The Details

Pub Date: April 25th, 1993
ISBN: 978-0061122415
Page Count: 197
Publisher: HarperOne

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About Louisa Smith

Editor/Founder - Epic Book Society

Louisa is the Founder, Editor, and Head Honcho of Epic Book Society. She was born and raised in the United Kingdom and graduated from the University for the Creative Arts with a degree in Journalism. Louisa began her writing career at the age of 7 when her poetry was published in an anthology of poems to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee. Upon graduating university, she spent several years working as a journalist writing about books before transitioning to become a Primary School Teacher. Louisa loves all genres of books, but her favorites are Sci-Fi, Romance, Fantasy, and Young Adult Fiction. Read more Louisa's story here .

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: A Complete Book Review

Paulo Coelho, born on August 24, 1947, is a Brazilian author whose works have captivated millions of readers around the world. His writing is deeply rooted in spirituality, philosophy, and self-discovery, making him one of the most influential contemporary authors. Coelho’s most renowned work, “The Alchemist,” is a timeless tale that explores the journey of self-discovery and the pursuit of one’s dreams. The novel has been translated into numerous languages and has sold over 65 million copies, making it one of the best-selling books in history.

Coelho’s literary career began in the theatre, but it was with his pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago that he experienced a transformative spiritual awakening, inspiring him to pursue his true calling as a writer. His writing style is characterized by simplicity and profound wisdom, conveying complex ideas in accessible language. Beyond “The Alchemist,” Coelho has authored numerous other novels, including “Brida,” “Veronika Decides to Die,” and “The Witch of Portobello,” each exploring themes of destiny, love, and the human spirit.

A recipient of numerous awards and honors, Paulo Coelho continues to inspire readers with his unique blend of storytelling and philosophical insight, encouraging individuals to embrace their own paths and fulfill their personal legends.

Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist” stands as a beacon in the literary landscape, beckoning readers to embark on a transformative odyssey. In this comprehensive review, we delve deep into the layers of Coelho’s narrative, unravelling the tapestry of philosophy, spirituality, and self-discovery that makes this timeless work a masterpiece.

Santiago, a shepherd with dreams as expansive as the Andalusian sky, sets forth on a quest to unearth a treasure hidden near the Egyptian pyramids. Beyond a mere physical journey, “The Alchemist” unravels the metaphysical expedition of Santiago as he encounters enigmatic characters, deciphers cryptic omens, and grapples with profound philosophical insights.

Summary of the Alchemist:

In the heart of Andalusia, there lived a young shepherd named Santiago. Restless and curious, he wandered the vast fields, tending to his flock of sheep. One night, he had a recurring dream of finding treasure in the Egyptian pyramids. Convinced that this vision was his personal legend, Santiago decided to embark on a journey of self-discovery.

As he set out on the dusty roads, Santiago encountered Melchizedek, the king of Salem, who revealed the concept of Personal Legend and introduced him to the Language of the World. The journey, he learned, was not only about reaching a destination but also about understanding the interconnectedness of all things.

On his way, Santiago encountered a beautiful desert oasis where he met Fatima, a woman of the desert. They shared a profound connection, and Santiago learned the true meaning of love and the importance of balancing personal dreams with relationships.

His journey took a crucial turn when he met the enigmatic alchemist who guided him to transform base metals into gold, a metaphor for transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. Through trials and challenges, the alchemist imparted profound wisdom about the Soul of the World and the power of one’s beliefs.

In the Egyptian desert, Santiago faced his ultimate test, turning lead into gold as a demonstration of his spiritual growth. The journey, he discovered, was the treasure itself—a treasure that transcended material wealth.

As Santiago gazed at the pyramids, he realized that the pursuit of his dreams had led him to a profound understanding of himself and the universe. The treasure was not in the destination but in the transformative journey that had shaped his character and soul.

With the wisdom gained, Santiago returned to Andalusia, where he reunited with his flock. He understood that the true alchemy was the ability to turn dreams into reality and that the journey never truly ends as long as one continues to listen to the heart and follow the Language of the World.

Key Themes:

1. Personal Legend: Coelho introduces the notion of a “Personal Legend,” an individual’s unique destiny and purpose. The narrative serves as a guiding light, inspiring readers to introspect and pursue their own dreams, irrespective of societal norms.

2. Spiritual Alchemy: The novel intricately weaves the symbolism of alchemy into Santiago’s journey, mirroring the transformative process of turning base metals into gold. Readers are invited to contemplate their own journey of self-discovery and spiritual enlightenment.

3. Omens and Synchronicity: Santiago’s encounters with omens and synchronicities punctuate the narrative, emphasizing the importance of paying heed to the signs the universe presents. Coelho explores the concept of interconnectedness and the role of fate in guiding one’s path.

4. The Language of the World: Central to the narrative is the concept of the “Language of the World,” a universal language that connects all things. Coelho urges readers to attune themselves to this language, fostering a deeper understanding of the mysteries that surround us.

Writing Style:

Coelho’s prose is elegantly simple, yet laden with profound meaning. The rhythmic cadence of his words creates an immersive reading experience, allowing readers to seamlessly connect with the characters and the novel’s overarching themes.

Impact and Reception:

“The Alchemist” has transcended cultural boundaries, captivating a global audience and earning its place as a literary classic. Its enduring impact is evident in its widespread acclaim, with readers expressing gratitude for the inspiration and wisdom gleaned from Santiago’s journey.

In conclusion, “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho is a magnum opus that beckons readers to venture beyond the ordinary and explore the depths of their own souls. Its exploration of personal legend, spiritual alchemy, and the language of the world invites introspection, making it a timeless companion for those navigating the intricate labyrinth of existence. This comprehensive review merely scratches the surface of the profound tapestry woven by Coelho, leaving readers with an indelible invitation to embark on their own journey of self-discovery.

The Alchemist, Book Review: Paulo Coelho’s beguiling novel

Paulo Coelho’s novel The Alchemist has beguiling depth and universal themes that will entrance readers of all ages and faiths. This book is a modern classic. Read our full review.

Disclosure: If you click a link in this post and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission.

The Alchemist Book Review

The Alchemist ( O Alquimista ) is a novel by Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho which was first published in 1988. Originally written in Portuguese, it has become an international bestseller (30 million + copies sold) and translated into some 70 languages.

“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.”

This novel is a perfect example of the saying ‘good things come in small packages’. The simple little tale conveys a very powerful and inspirational message, and so it is unsurprising it is considered a modern classic.

Alchemy , derived from the Arabic word al-kimia, is both a philosophy and an ancient practice focused on the attempt to change base metals into gold, investigating the preparation of the “elixir of longevity”, and achieving ultimate wisdom, involving the improvement of the alchemist as well as the making of several substances described as possessing unusual properties. ( Wikipedia )

Characters and story outline

The protagonist in this magical fable is a young shepherd of simple means named Santiago. He crosses paths with a King who teaches the young boy the value of reading the signs the world presents us, even in our dreams.

The boy’s subsequent search for hidden treasure takes him across country borders and brings him into contact with both the deceitful and most noble of humanity. He learns the value of persistence and hard work, the value of humility and the value of honour and bravery. Particularly touching is Santiago’s interaction with a crystal merchant who was hesitant to follow his dreams for fear of succeeding. The young boy’s courage in seizing opportunities and overcoming adversity inspired all those he came into contact with.

The Alchemist Book Review, Quote - "It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting."

Literary themes

Santiago’s search for hidden treasure in The Alchemist is a metaphor for life .

Coelho introduces the concept of one’s Personal Legend, or destiny. Appealingly though, this destiny is not presented as something that will simply fall into one’s lap, but something one needs to strive for.

Too often in this inspirational genre readers are given the impression that if we simply wish for something long enough with the purest of intentions, then that wish will come into being. This novel reminds us that

Anything worth having must be worked for and that one does not gain in life without first risking loss, and
Treasures can come in the form of experiences, rather than material objects.

Through this allegorical fable, Coelho asserts that life is a journey with an infinite series of decision points . And that the world, if one observes it carefully enough, provides all the information needed to choose the right paths in order to fulfil our dreams.

Although a simple and almost childlike story on one level, The Alchemist has a disarming and beguiling depth to it that will entrance readers of all ages. Its themes are universal and can and should be embraced by people of all races, creeds and religions.

At its core, this is a story about doing what is right and noble, and being rewarded for it. The Alchemist is a must-read.

BOOK RATING: The Story 5 / 5 ; The Writing 5 / 5

Get your copy of The Alchemist from:

Bookshop US Amazon Booktopia AU OR listen to the audiobook FREE with Audible’s Trial (check eligibility)

Genre: Literature, Classic, Mystery, Fantasy, Translation

Related Reading: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery / A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle / Lamberto, Lamberto, Lamberto by Gianni Rodari / The Amber Amulet by Craig Silvey / Tales by Trees Series – The Carpenter

The Alchemist Plot Summary

Source: CourseHero .

About the Author, Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho de Souza (1947 – ) is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist and the recipient of numerous international awards. He is best known for his widely translated novel The Alchemist . He has been a prolific author with more than 24 books published . Check out Paul Coelho ‘s website and connect with him on Twitter and Facebook .

In this interview, Paulo Coelho discusses his thoughts on Luck, Coincidence, and Faith:

Source: HarperOne

More Memorable Quotes from The Alchemist

“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”

On persistence and commitment:

“The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.”

On the value of every of every life:

“No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world. And normally he doesn’t know it.”

On appreciating the simple things:

“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 that the sun rises.”

THE ALCHEMIST

by Paulo Coelho & translated by Margaret Jull Costa ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 1, 1993

Coelho's placebo has racked up impressive sales in Brazil and Europe. Americans should flock to it like gulls.

Coelho is a Brazilian writer with four books to his credit. Following Diary of a Magus (1992—not reviewed) came this book, published in Brazil in 1988: it's an interdenominational, transcendental, inspirational fable—in other words, a bag of wind.

The story is about a youth empowered to follow his dream. Santiago is an Andalusian shepherd boy who learns through a dream of a treasure in the Egyptian pyramids. An old man, the king of Salem, the first of various spiritual guides, tells the boy that he has discovered his destiny: "to realize one's destiny is a person's only real obligation." So Santiago sells his sheep, sails to Tangier, is tricked out of his money, regains it through hard work, crosses the desert with a caravan, stops at an oasis long enough to fall in love, escapes from warring tribesmen by performing a miracle, reaches the pyramids, and eventually gets both the gold and the girl. Along the way he meets an Englishman who describes the Soul of the World; the desert woman Fatima, who teaches him the Language of the World; and an alchemist who says, "Listen to your heart" A message clings like ivy to every encounter; everyone, but everyone, has to put in their two cents' worth, from the crystal merchant to the camel driver ("concentrate always on the present, you'll be a happy man"). The absence of characterization and overall blandness suggest authorship by a committee of self-improvement pundits—a far cry from Saint- Exupery's The Little Prince : that flagship of the genre was a genuine charmer because it clearly derived from a quirky, individual sensibility.

Pub Date: July 1, 1993

ISBN: 0-06-250217-4

Page Count: 192

Publisher: N/A

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1993

GENERAL FICTION

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by Paulo Coelho ; illustrated by Christoph Niemann ; translated by Margaret Jull Costa

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A LITTLE LIFE

by Hanya Yanagihara ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 10, 2015

The phrase “tour de force” could have been invented for this audacious novel.

Four men who meet as college roommates move to New York and spend the next three decades gaining renown in their professions—as an architect, painter, actor and lawyer—and struggling with demons in their intertwined personal lives.

Yanagihara ( The People in the Trees , 2013) takes the still-bold leap of writing about characters who don’t share her background; in addition to being male, JB is African-American, Malcolm has a black father and white mother, Willem is white, and “Jude’s race was undetermined”—deserted at birth, he was raised in a monastery and had an unspeakably traumatic childhood that’s revealed slowly over the course of the book. Two of them are gay, one straight and one bisexual. There isn’t a single significant female character, and for a long novel, there isn’t much plot. There aren’t even many markers of what’s happening in the outside world; Jude moves to a loft in SoHo as a young man, but we don’t see the neighborhood change from gritty artists’ enclave to glitzy tourist destination. What we get instead is an intensely interior look at the friends’ psyches and relationships, and it’s utterly enthralling. The four men think about work and creativity and success and failure; they cook for each other, compete with each other and jostle for each other’s affection. JB bases his entire artistic career on painting portraits of his friends, while Malcolm takes care of them by designing their apartments and houses. When Jude, as an adult, is adopted by his favorite Harvard law professor, his friends join him for Thanksgiving in Cambridge every year. And when Willem becomes a movie star, they all bask in his glow. Eventually, the tone darkens and the story narrows to focus on Jude as the pain of his past cuts deep into his carefully constructed life.

Pub Date: March 10, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-385-53925-8

Page Count: 720

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2015

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PERSPECTIVES

FIREFLY LANE

by Kristin Hannah ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 2008

Dated sermonizing on career versus motherhood, and conflict driven by characters’ willed helplessness, sap this tale of...

Lifelong, conflicted friendship of two women is the premise of Hannah’s maudlin latest ( Magic Hour , 2006, etc.), again set in Washington State.

Tallulah “Tully” Hart, father unknown, is the daughter of a hippie, Cloud, who makes only intermittent appearances in her life. Tully takes refuge with the family of her “best friend forever,” Kate Mularkey, who compares herself unfavorably with Tully, in regards to looks and charisma. In college, “TullyandKate” pledge the same sorority and major in communications. Tully has a life goal for them both: They will become network TV anchorwomen. Tully lands an internship at KCPO-TV in Seattle and finagles a producing job for Kate. Kate no longer wishes to follow Tully into broadcasting and is more drawn to fiction writing, but she hesitates to tell her overbearing friend. Meanwhile a love triangle blooms at KCPO: Hard-bitten, irresistibly handsome, former war correspondent Johnny is clearly smitten with Tully. Expecting rejection, Kate keeps her infatuation with Johnny secret. When Tully lands a reporting job with a Today -like show, her career shifts into hyperdrive. Johnny and Kate had started an affair once Tully moved to Manhattan, and when Kate gets pregnant with daughter Marah, they marry. Kate is content as a stay-at-home mom, but frets about being Johnny’s second choice and about her unrealized writing ambitions. Tully becomes Seattle’s answer to Oprah. She hires Johnny, which spells riches for him and Kate. But Kate’s buttons are fully depressed by pitched battles over slutwear and curfews with teenaged Marah, who idolizes her godmother Tully. In an improbable twist, Tully invites Kate and Marah to resolve their differences on her show, only to blindside Kate by accusing her, on live TV, of overprotecting Marah. The BFFs are sundered. Tully’s latest attempt to salvage Cloud fails: The incorrigible, now geriatric hippie absconds once more. Just as Kate develops a spine, she’s given some devastating news. Will the friends reconcile before it’s too late?

Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2008

ISBN: 978-0-312-36408-3

Page Count: 496

Publisher: St. Martin's

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2007

GENERAL FICTION | FAMILY LIFE & FRIENDSHIP

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Book Review: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

published by Bren

Last updated: May 9, 2020

“My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer,” the boy told the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky.

“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.”

Opening thoughts

I don’t read a lot of novels. In fact, I NEVER read novels. I think the last novel I read was “Z for Zachariah” when I was 13 years old. It was pretty good too, from what I remember.

So why did I read The Alchemist? To be honest, I was just looking for something different. I’ve been making an effort to read more this year, and I just didn’t have the energy to read another business or lifestyle design book. I’ve always been a huge fan of Will Smith, and when I found out that The Alchemist was his favourite book, I just knew I had to read it.

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It was incredible. The storytelling was beautiful, but more importantly, there were so many lessons that the author shared that would be relevant to anyone’s life. I’m now actively hunting for more books like this – if you know of any, please tell me!

As for this particular book review of The Alchemist, I’m not going to delve deeply into all the lessons he portrays for us. Rather I will tell you what I liked about the book, what I didn’t, and whether it’s a worthy piece to pick up and read yourself.

Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian author, and after reading up on him, it seems his life shares some parallels with the story in his book. He had always wanted to be a writer, but his parents didn’t allow it. He was put in a mental institution, escaped, became a hippie and travelled the world, and eventually returned and fulfilled his dream of being being an author. He is an advocate of not giving up on your dream, and this message seems to come through in this novel in particular. The Alchemist has now sold over 65 million copies – one of the best selling books in history. How have I not heard of it before?!

The Alchemist Review: What’s it about?

The story is about a young shepherd from the south of Spain who has a recurring dream about a finding a treasure. Believing that finding this treasure is his ‘destiny’ he leaves the comfort of home and travels into the African desert to find it.

There’s not too much I can tell you without spoiling the story, so let me leave you with a few extracts that will hopefully show you the kind of message the author hopes to share:

“I’m the King of Salem,” the old man said.

“Why would a king be talking with a shepherd?” the boy asked, awed and embarrassed.

“For several reasons. But let’s say that the most important is that you have succeeded in discovering your Personal Legend.”

The boy didn’t know what a person’s “Personal Legend” was.

“It’s what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is. At that point in their lives, everything is clear and everything is possible. They are not afraid to dream, and to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives. But, as time passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be impossible for them to realize their Personal Legend.”

The old man related that, the week before, he had been forced to appear before a miner, and had taken the form of a stone. The miner had abandoned everything to go mining for emeralds. For five years he had been working a certain river, and had examined hundreds of thousands of stones looking for an emerald. The miner was about to give it all up, right at the point when, if he were to examine just one more stone – just one more – he would find his emerald. Since the miner had sacrificed everything to his Personal Legend, the old man decided to become involved. He transformed himself into a stone that rolled up to the miner’s foot. The miner, with all the anger and frustration of his five fruitless years, picked up the stone and threw it aside. But he had thrown it with such force that it broke the stone it fell upon, and there, embedded in the broken stone, was the most beautiful emerald in the world.

“People learn, early in their lives, what is their reason for being,” said the old man, with a certain bitterness. “Maybe that’s why they give up on it so early, too. But that’s the way it is.”

The boy reminded the old man that he had said something about hidden treasure.

“Treasure is uncovered by the force of flowing water, and it is buried by the same currents,” said the old man. “If you want to learn about your own treasure, you will have to give me one-tenth of your flock.”

“What about one-tenth of my treasure?”

The old man looked disappointed. “If you start out by promising what you don’t even have yet, you’ll lose your desire to work toward getting it.”

The boy told him that he had already promised to give one-tenth of his treasure to the Gypsy.

“Gypsies are experts at getting people to do that,” sighed the old man. “In any case, it’s good that you’ve learned that everything in life has its price.”

The old man returned the book to the boy.

“Tomorrow, at this same time, bring me a tenth of your flock. And I will tell you how to find the hidden treasure. Good afternoon.”

And he vanished around the corner of the plaza.

What I liked

This book left a big impression on me. While reading through the book you can tell that the author is wise, that he has lived a long time, because of the messages he shares through the characters in his story. It’s almost as if, while you’re reading it, you can imagine your grandfather telling it to you as if it’s a tale from his childhood. I always thought that novels were a waste of time because you never learn any “real life” lessons from them, but this book finally proved me wrong.

The story itself is special. Even when I was 8 I never had an imagination quite like the author’s. There were a few times where I seriously couldn’t sleep, reading impatiently in the middle of the night to find out what happened next.

Now you might ask, what is an alchemist? From what I understood, an alchemist is like a magician chemist who can turn any metal into gold. But throughout the story and the search for the alchemist, I felt like this was more a metaphor for life in general. If we follow our own “Personal Legends” we can perform the same magic – turn our ordinary lives into gold, as long as we believe in the journey and don’t give up on what we believe is our destiny. If you’re looking for inspiration, this story brings it in droves.

What I didn’t like

To be honest, I wouldn’t change a thing about the book. It can move into religious territory at times, talking quite in depth about God and heaven etc, so depending on your own beliefs this could be a downside. However I think all people will be able to relate to the message of the story regardless of their religion.

Also, it’s worth noting that the book is originally written in Portugese, meaning that what we’re reading is an English translation. I have no doubt this takes away from the book in some regard, as the author’s exact message could be hard to mimic in translation. In fact, there were times when I would think, “I’m sure this part sounds way cooler in Portugese.” But, I probably have no idea what I’m talking about.

You should read this if…

You’re looking for travel inspiration (or inspiration for life in general)
You like feel-good stories
You don’t mind novels that involve mystical, magical things that could never happen in real life. e.g. a shepherd having a conversation with the soul of the universe
You respond well to stories that teach you what you already know in a different way
You enjoy a short read (167 pages)

Bren rates it: 8.5/10

Really hope you guys enjoyed this review of The Alchemist! You can find more reviews and read more about the book here.

Happy reading!

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Glad to hear you found that book very interesting. Same with me, I immediately loved the books entirety many years back and collected some others author by Paulo as well. Presently, I enjoyed listening again and again before going to sleep the audio version read by Jeremy Irons. His way of narration adds up spice to the already sizzling story. you can download it at youtube. Maybe once your at YT, you can get to browse some related topics as well. Enjoy them as you like.

Here’s to us who keep fanning the internal flames that burn within. All our greatest dreams… may it be fulfilled!

I’ll definitely have to read more of his. Yes, how easy it is for us to give up on our dream – books like this inspire us to keep moving 🙂

Same here Bren, I’m not a big fan of Novels, rather prefer self help or inspirational books, indeed The Alchemist is the first Novel that I have red in my entire life, Yeah I was fascinated by its lesson, follow your dreams for it will determine the course of your life.Check Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl almost same concept but in different setting, try check The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari too by Robin Sharma worth reading. Book is one of the bests travel buddy. All the best, Chad

Hi Chad, thanks for the suggestions, I’ll check em out!

This is my FAVORITE book of all time. You said you’re looking for more books like this and really are his books are similar in a way. They are “fables” and I’ve read about 20 of them! I love 11 Minutes so much, but the Pilgrimage isn’t as good in my opinion. The Warrior of light is a bunch of small quotes and I really like them!

Thank you, I will check them out 🙂

Hey Bren, I havent read the alchemist yet (shame on me bad Brazilian girl) but its definitely on my list. If you are looking for a good novel Shantaram is a must! Australian author, a mix of an autobiography and fiction. Its a bit big, but worth every page, the most touching book I have ever read. All the best, Fernanda

Hi Fernanda, you’re not the first person who’s mentioned that book to me. I suppose I better check it out 🙂

Hi Bren! Glad you enjoyed the book! It’s one of my favorites! I make it s point to read it once a year. My first time reading it, I was on a plane to Lima, Peru. I finished it from cover to cover on the flight! You’re right that it is an English translation, but Coelho speaks excellent English! I have no doubt that he tried to get the message across as accurately as possible.

A similar themed book I’d recommend is “Way of the Peaceful Warrior” by Dan Millman. It lacks the theme of travel, but Millman writes about taking all the advantages life is offering you. There’s no mention of religion and he avoids writing in a way that comes across as “preachy”. His style of writing is not for everyone, but I enjoyed it. Maybe you will too!

Sounds like a great book. I have been doing a lot of reading of late so I will check it out!

That was a kids story, not a novel !

If you please try reading Tuesdays with Morrie. If you did enjoy reading The Alchemist I know that you’ll love this one 🙂

Since you like The Alchemist, I think you will also like The Little Prince. It’s a short book so it’s not a pain to read. You will also learn a lot from that book. Enjoy!

Thanks, I’ll check it out for sure 🙂

Lol , I 100% agree with you Ann , The Alchemist it’s a kids story !! Can believe I read it , so boring!

Following your destiny is quiet difficult but it is the basic purpose of your life. The book was really awesome as the protagonist achieves his destiny, though he loses hope many times and also his luck is not on his side. The old king said to him, ‘When you want to achieve something, whole of the universe conspires with you’, but all he said was not that simple. You have to find out your own meaning from the sentence and follow your destiny, which nature has already set for you. You should not complain for anything because our Allah has created us and knows much better than we do. This is also evident in the story, as every difficulty coming in Santiago’s life, leads him to the right way. You asked for a recommendation I will recommend you ‘A Tale Of Two Cities’ by Charles Dickens.

Yep! Totally agree on “A tale of two cities” . It’s really amazing!!!!!!!But also emotional , really a lot of it… Anyways , a must read for EVERYONE!!!

The Alchemist ! if i try explaining the content, i will surely distort the message the writter wants to convey……must read book.

Hi , I can can see that a lot of people here haven’t read a novel before . Because The Alchemist in my opinion it’s not a good book , it gets so boring after a while, I thought many times to quit it . The author repeats the same thing over and over , there isn’t much plot , it feels like it’s written by a 10 year old for a 10 year old . Very boring, kids story , don’t wast money and time !!!

Plot of this book is taken from Masnawi of Maulana Jalal Ud Deen Rumi.

Yes dear I like the BOOK. The Al CHEMIST tells us about never stop dreaming and Personal Legend. Its loving and having good things to read. After studying, I hope everyone will start liking this beautiful NOVEL.

Hi Bren if you want to read the books then I can give you some recommendations you can read the books of Paulo Coelho I am just13 years old but have read more than5 books of Paulo Coelho because his book is very fascinating and inspiring by those books only I am able to change my life

hi I wanna know what you think about the universal language…… no one mentioned it as I was checking out

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The Alchemist Summary

1-Sentence-Summary: The Alchemist follows Andalusian shepherd boy Santiago as he chases his recurring dream of treasure near the Egyptian pyramids, on the way to which he meets mentors, falls in love, and, most importantly, discovers the meaning of life.

Favorite quote from the author:

Table of Contents

Video Summary

Free audio & pdf summary, the alchemist review, who would i recommend the alchemist summary to.

It only took Paulo Coelho two weeks to write the original Portuguese version of The Alchemist in 1987. He could write that fast because, as he put it, the book was “already written in my soul.” And although it didn’t sell well at first, the universe conspired to make Coelho’s dream happen and the book became a hit.

Today, it’s sold over 65 million copies. The book also holds the Guinness World Record for the most translated book by a living author. It’s also our first ever summary of a fiction book. Why? Well, Gregory Cowles was right. H e wrote in the New York Times that the book “is more self-help than literature. But that hasn’t hurt it with readers.”

This book truly is full of lessons that will improve your life. We know because that’s what it’s done for us.

Here are just 3 of the many eye-opening lessons from The Alchemist :

You have a Personal Legend that you must follow if you want to be happy and fulfilled.
Your fear is holding you back more than anything else.
“The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.”

Let’s jump right into this wonderful book and see how much we can learn!

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Lesson 1: If you want to reach your biggest goals and feel fulfilled, you must follow your Personal Legend.

The story begins with a young Spanish shepherd having a recurring dream. It happens each time he sleeps under a Sycamore tree outside of an old church building. In the dream, the boy hears from a child that he must go to the Egyptian pyramids to seek a treasure.

After meeting with a gypsy woman to find out what the dream means, the boy is surprised when she says he needs to go to Egypt.

To make matters even stranger, an old man named Melchizedek tells the boy the same thing. This time, however, the man uses the word “Personal Legend” to explain what the young man must do.

After some deliberation, the boy decides to follow his Personal Legend and head for the pyramids. He sells his sheep and begins his journey by going to Tangier.

Throughout the remainder of the book, he is constantly running into obstacles to his Personal Legend. But at each step overcomes them to find success and fulfillment.

You have a Personal Legend too. It’s as unique as you are. You may already know what it is and simply need the courage to pursue it. Whether it’s a career, family, health, or other aspiration, you must overcome everything holding you back so that you can pursue your biggest dreams.

Once you begin, the whole universe will conspire to make it happen. But that doesn’t mean you’ll be without difficulties.

Lesson 2: Stop being afraid if you want to remove the barriers that keep you from progressing.

The boy soon arrives in Tangier. The culture and the language, which he cannot speak, amaze him. This leads to someone stealing all his money. Even worse, he fears he’s made the wrong decision and almost heads back for Spain.

But remembering what Melchizedek taught him, the young man pays attention to the omens all around him. He recommits to his Personal Legend and begins working for a local crystal merchant.

The merchant recognizes the boy’s presence as a good omen and listens to his counsel that the man should take more risks with the business. This pays off and the two eventually become rich.

The merchant knows what his Personal Legened is and recognizes that the boy’s presence is an omen that he should go after it. But he’s too afraid to follow it and stays where he is.

In contrast, the young man uses his money to courageously continue on his journey to Egypt.

You also must your dreams, even when you’re afraid of the unknown path ahead. Fear is the biggest thing in the way of you living the life you want and only by beating it can you live life to the fullest.

Lesson 3: Rise more times than you fall and you will never fail.

As the young man’s journey continues, he meets an Englishman who tells him of an alchemist that can turn lead into gold. Eventually, the two stop in Al-Fayoum as part of the caravan they travel with.

While there, the boy uses his newfound ability to read omens to foresee an attack on the oasis. This catches the attention of the alchemist. The two eventually meet and he becomes a mentor to the young man. The alchemist also declares the importance of Personal Legends.

With what he learns from the alchemist, the boy turns himself into the wind when a tribe of Arab soldiers captures them and threatens to kill them. The alchemist continues to teach the boy, but eventually they must part ways before the young man reaches Egypt.

When he gets to Egypt he begins digging for his treasure only to be immediately beaten and robbed again. One of the men tells him of his own dream in which he would find treasure under a tree in an abandoned church in Spain.

The boy recognizes this omen and now knows where his treasure really is. He returns to Spain to find it in the exact spot he had his first dream and uses it to continue to fulfill his Personal Legend.

Just like this young man, you will fall while on your journey. But if you commit to get up every time and keep going , the universe will once again conspire to lead you to just where you need to be.

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The Alchemist is a classic and one of my favorite books. It’s deep, thought-provoking, a great story, and shares some of the best principles I know for living a happier and more successful life. Truly a must-read I would recommend to anyone!

The 37-year-old who wants to be a writer but feels stuck in their office job, the 17-year-old who wants to live a life of fulfillment, and anyone who’s tired of living small.

Last Updated on March 15, 2024

Luke Rowley

With over 450 summaries that he contributed to Four Minute Books, first as a part-time writer, then as our full-time Managing Editor until late 2021, Luke is our second-most prolific writer. He's also a professional, licensed engineer, working in the solar industry. Next to his day job, he also runs Goal Engineering, a website dedicated to achieving your goals with a unique, 4-4-4 system. Luke is also a husband, father, 75 Hard finisher, and lover of the outdoors. He lives in Utah with his wife and 3 kids.

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Book Summary: The Alchemist

(10th grade)

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Full Book Summary

Paulo Coelho’s enchanting novel in the eclectic “magical realism” category is dazzling in many ways. The style reads simply yet contains powerful emotions, interesting and deep characters, plots twists and inspiring wisdom. An Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. He is both a simple sheep herder and an ambitious explorer. He follows his dreams, literally, a well as “signs” from his environment. Our main character is thoughtful beyond his years but also a child subject to being impressionable. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king (is he really a king? who should he believe?), a man who claims to be an alchemist (is he really an alchemist who can turn metal to gold?) and then a real alchemist who doesn’t brag at all. Each character points Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way. He hits dead ends, someone steals his money, he trusts incorrectly, he gets captured in the desert, etc… but amazing things happen as well and the plot always moves forward. Tides turn. He arguably changes his own destiny with his actions. Santiago must wrestle with what he is told vs. what is real. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within – the fine line between reality and the spiritual. He moves from hopeless to hopeful and back again throughout the story. He even meets Fatima, love at first sight, in a massive desert oasis. His quest, coupled with the magical realism genre might leave the reader with questions. Did Santiago truly summon the sandstorm that led to his escape in the desert or was it a coincidence? Did he really feel Fatima’s kiss on his cheek at the end, or was it just a sense or longing to fulfill his promise to return to her? Lush, evocative, and full of awesome quotes about being, the story of Santiago is a real (and slightly magical) representation of the transforming power of our dreams, whether real or imagined, people in our lives and the importance of listening to our hearts.

Questions to consider while reading:

Questions to ask yourself while reading “The Alchemist” Feel free to incorporate these thought starters into your Summer Reading summaries:

1 – Where did you think the treasure was while you were reading? Did you think it existed? Would you follow visions and innuendos form others to find your “treasure”?

2 – Did you like the style of writing? Why or why not? Did you like the line between reality and the supernatural?

3 – Did you notice the circular theme? Santiago ended up where he started o find the treasure? Do you think he will return to Fatima and complete another circle?

Online Book Reviews of The Alchemist:

The Guardian : For anyone who reads not only to escape reality but also to understand reality, The Alchemist can offer the best of both worlds. The events of the novel sit just on the borderline of miraculous and the ambience is simply just not that of our humdrum teenage world. However, The Alchemist also supplies insight and inspiration that extends beyond Santiago’s Sahara and into all lives, whether young, old, or teenage. The Alchemist may not be your regular YA fiction book, but it most definitely still deserves a place on your bookshelf!

Publishers Weekly : The story has the comic charm, dramatic tension and psychological intensity of a fairy tale, but it’s full of specific wisdom as well, about becoming self-empowered, overcoming depression, and believing in dreams. The cumulative effect is like hearing a wonderful bedtime story from an inspirational psychiatrist.

The Alchemist

Paulo coelho, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

In the Prologue, the alchemist reads a story about Narcissus —a youth so fascinated by his own beautiful reflection that he falls into a lake and drowns. In this version of the story, the goddess of the forest encounters the lake in which Narcissus drowned. The lake is weeping, and the goddess assumes that the lake misses Narcissus’s beauty. However, the lake reveals that, actually, it’s weeping because it misses being able to admire its own beautiful reflection in Narcissus’s eyes. “What a lovely story,” the alchemist thinks.

In Part One of the novel, Santiago passes the night with his flock of sheep in an abandoned church . That night, he has a recurring dream. When he wakes, he looks forward to the village he will reach in four days where, the year before, he met a girl, the daughter of a merchant . Meeting her made him wish, for the first time in his life, that he could remain in one place. Santiago loves to travel, and became a shepherd, rather than a priest as his family had wanted, because his father told him that, among poor folk, only shepherds had the opportunity to travel.

A few days before reaching the merchant’s daughter’s village, Santiago encounters a fortune-teller , whom he hopes will be able to interpret his recurring dream. In the dream, a child transports Santiago to the Pyramids of Egypt and promises he will find hidden treasure there, but Santiago always wakes up just as the child is about to reveal it. After making Santiago promise to give her one-tenth of the treasure as payment, the fortuneteller interprets the dream to mean that if Santiago journeys to the pyramids, he’ll find hidden treasure.

Annoyed that he could have come to this interpretation on his own, Santiago leaves, and soon sits down in the plaza to read his book. An old man sits down next to him and says that it’s an important book, but that it contains the world’s greatest lie: that we do not control what happens to us. The old man introduces himself as Melchizedek , the King of Salem, and adds that if Santiago gives him one-tenth of this sheep, he will tell Santiago how to find his treasure. Santiago wonders if the old man and the fortune-teller are working together to rob him, but gives up his suspicions when Melchizedek demonstrates knowledge of things about Santiago’s life he couldn’t possibly know. Melchizedek explains that Santiago has discovered his Personal Legend – the thing a person has always wanted to accomplish. Each person knows what it is when he is young, but loses track of it as he ages. Melchizedek says that he appears to people in moments when they are about to give up on their Personal Legends.

The next day, Santiago meets Melchizedek and gives him six sheep. He sells his other sheep to a friend who dreamed of becoming a shepherd. Melchizedek says that to find his treasure, Santiago will have to follow the omens God reveals to him. Melchizedek gives Santiago two stones, called Urim and Thummin , which can be used for fortune telling. But he cautions Santiago also to rely on his own decisions.

Santiago arrives in Morocco, but quickly gets robbed and winds up sleeping in a marketplace. Eventually, Santiago wanders into a crystal shop and asks the crystal merchant for a job in exchange for something to eat. After Santiago cleans crystal all day, the merchant gives him dinner. Santiago is crushed when he learns that he would have to work for years to earn enough money to travel to the Pyramids, but he decides to work for the merchant in order to earn money to buy some sheep.

As Part Two of the novel opens, Santiago is working for the crystal merchant. He wants to build a display case to draw more attention to the store, but the merchant resists. The merchant doesn’t like change, and explains that he has always been an observant Muslim, but has never made a pilgrimage to Mecca. Though he could now, finally, afford the trip, he still puts it off because he fears not having something to look forward to in his future. He doesn’t want to realize his dream; he just wants to dream. But he does give Santiago permission to build the display case.

Business at the shop increases. Santiago is pleased that he is working toward his goal of acquiring an even larger flock of sheep. He has also earned to recognize omens: when he sees a man out of breath after climbing the hill to the shop, he realizes they should sell tea in the crystal they are selling. The merchant knows that this will change the nature of the business, but he feels he cannot resist the inevitable, or as he says “maktub,” meaning “it is written.” He sees Santiago’s appearance in his life as both a blessing and a curse. Santiago saved his business, but also showed him what his business was capable of, meaning he can never again be content with the simple business he had.

Soon Santiago has enough money to buy a large herd of sheep, but before doing so he happens upon Urim and Thummin in his old shepherd’s bag and decides instead to pursue his treasure. He suddenly feels tremendously happy, and finds a caravan crossing the desert. As he waits for the caravan to leave, Santiago meets an Englishman who tells him that there is a universal language understood by everybody. He says he is in search of that language, and hopes to find an alchemist in the desert who can teach him more.

As the caravan travels to the desert oasis of Al-Fayoum, Santiago becomes friends with a camel driver who used to be a farmer before his land was flooded. The camel driver says that disaster taught him to understand that many people are afraid of losing what they have, but this fear is no longer relevant when you understand that human lives were written by the same hand that created the world. He also advises Santiago that if you can concentrate on the present, you'll be happy. Meanwhile, the Englishman tells Santiago of a common principle that connects all things – the Soul of the World – and lends Santiago some books about the Master Work of alchemy: an Emerald Tablet, on which was written the secret to creating the Philosopher’s Stone, which could turn lead into gold, and the Elixir of Life, which granted mortality.

The caravan arrives safely at the oasis, which is the size of a large city. The oasis is neutral in the constant wars of the surrounding tribes, and no one can carry weapons there. Santiago helps the Englishman search for the alchemist, but with little luck. At one point, Santiago approaches a young woman to ask about the alchemist and suddenly he feels the Soul of the World. Immediately he realizes that the universal language is love. He meets with the woman, Fatima , day after day, and tells her of his quest for his treasure and how it has brought him to her. Eventually, Fatima tells Santiago that she has learned about omens from his stories, and that because of this learning she wants Santiago to continue toward his goal and pursue his dream. Fatima says "maktub," and tells Santiago that if they are really meant to be together, then he'll return to her one day.

One day as he walks in the desert, Santiago sees a hawk attack another and has a vision of an army attacking the oasis. Santiago goes to the tribal chieftains of the oasis to warn them. The chieftains respond that the next day the men of the oasis will break the agreement of the oasis and carry arms — if Santiago’s warning proves true he will be rewarded; but if it does not, he will lose his life.

Santiago leaves the chieftains’ tent upset, when suddenly a strange man on horseback confronts him. Santiago embraces the possibility of his own death and is not afraid. The stranger then reveals this was a test of Santiago's courage, which is essential when one wants to understand the Language of the World. Santiago has met the alchemist.

The next day, Santiago’s prophecy is fulfilled and the oasis is attacked, but the inhabitants of the oasis are ready to defend themselves. Santiago receives his reward: fifty pieces of gold. Soon after, the alchemist takes Santiago out into the desert to test whether he can find life in the desert. Santiago allows his horse to lead them, and the find a snake –the alchemist agrees to guide Santiago across the desert. Santiago wants to stay at the oasis because of Fatima, but the alchemist explains that if he stays, he will be haunted by the loss of his opportunity to find his treasure.

As they travel in the desert, the alchemist explains that the Emerald Tablet is a direct link to the Soul of the World. In the early times, everything about the Master Work could be written on the Emerald Tablet. But men rejected simple things. The alchemist directs Santiago back toward this simplicity, and says that Santiago should listen to his heart , because it came from the Soul of the World. Santiago practices listening to his heart, and comes to understand his heart’s changes and contradictions, and that people are afraid to pursue their most important dreams because they know they will suffer if they don’t succeed.

Not long after, Santiago and the alchemist are taken prisoner by one of the warring tribes. Soon they are brought before the enemy chieftain , who thinks that they’re spies. The alchemist responds that Santiago is an alchemist who can turn himself into the wind, and says that if Santiago has not turned himself into the wind in three days time, the chieftain can kill them. The chieftain agrees.

Once they’re alone, Santiago protests that he has no idea how to turn himself into the wind, but the alchemist responds that when a person is living out his Personal Legend, he has all the tools he needs—the only thing that could hold him back is the fear of failure. He adds that if Santiago does not succeed, then at least he’ll die while trying to realize his Personal Legend.

On the first and second days, Santiago is at a loss. On the third day, the enemy chieftain has Santiago go up to a cliff above the enemy camp. Santiago appeals to the desert, the wind, and the sun to help him, but none of them are able. The sun recommends that Santiago speak directly to the “hand that wrote all,” though, and Santiago reaches through the Soul of the World and discovers the Soul of God. He sees the oneness between his own soul and the Soul of God and, because of this oneness, realizes that he has the ability to perform miracles. Santiago turns himself into the wind, creating a terrible windstorm. The tribesmen are terrified, but the alchemist is happy to have found such an ideal student, and the enemy chieftain is pleased to have witnessed the glory of Allah. The next day, Santiago and the alchemist leave the camp with an honor guard.

Eventually they reach a Coptic monastery, where a monk welcomes them inside to rest. While there, the alchemist uses the Philosopher’s Stone to change lead into gold. He gives a quarter of the gold to the monk for his hospitality, a quarter to Santiago to repay him for the amount taken by the enemy chieftain, and quarter for himself. The final quarter he gives to the monk, saying that it is for Santiago if he ever needs it. The alchemist tells Santiago everyone on earth plays an important role, even if he doesn't know it. Then the alchemist bids Santiago farewell.

Santiago rides alone through the desert, listening to his heart, which tells him that he will find his treasure at the place where he is brought to tears. At the top of a dune, Santiago sees the Egyptian pyramids before him. He falls to his knees and cries out in thanks to God for making him follow his Personal Legend. Remembering the words of his heart, Santiago digs in the place he fell to his knees crying.

As he digs, several people approach Santiago. They are desperate refugees from the tribal wars, and they beat Santiago and take the gold given to him by the alchemist. When Santiago tells them he is looking for treasure at that place, the leader of the refugees says he’s being stupid. The leader adds that two years earlier he himself had a recurring dream in which he saw an abandoned church that sheltered shepherds and sheep. The dream told him that if he dug at the roots of the tree growing through the center of the church, he would find a hidden treasure. But he never went in search of the treasure, because it was just a dream. After the refugees have left, Santiago laughs aloud, because now he knows the location of his treasure.

In the Epilogue, Santiago reaches the abandoned church where his story began. He thinks of the strangeness of the path that God has led him on, but is grateful for the people he has met along the way. He soon uncovers a chest of gold and jewels. The wind begins to blow, and it brings with it a familiar scent of perfume. Santiago smiles and says, “I’m coming, Fatima.”

The Alchemist Summary, Review, Themes, Quotes and Characters

“The Alchemist,” written by Paulo Coelho, is a novel that combines elements of mysticism, adventure , and spiritual allegory.

The book follows the story of Santiago, a young Andalusian shepherd who dreams of a treasure in Egypt and embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Along the way, he meets diverse characters who guide him towards understanding his ‘Personal Legend’ and the unity of the universe.

The Alchemist Full Summary

Initially, Santiago’s life is simple, revolving around the pastoral routine of tending to his sheep.

However, his life takes a significant turn when he has a recurring dream about the treasure, which he cannot dismiss. This dream sets the stage for the story, as it propels Santiago to seek out a gypsy woman in a nearby town to interpret his vision .

The gypsy woman tells Santiago that his dream is prophetic and that he must follow its guidance to discover the hidden treasure.

As Santiago sets off on his journey, he sells his flock and heads towards Africa, driven by his dream’s promise. His journey is fraught with challenges and setbacks.

In North Africa, Santiago is robbed, leaving him destitute and far from his goal.

Despite these challenges, Santiago’s determination doesn’t waver. He finds work with a crystal merchant in Tangier , where he learns valuable life lessons and saves enough money to continue his journey.

This period is significant in the story as it represents Santiago’s growth from a naive shepherd to a more worldly and experienced individual. The crystal merchant, though skeptical of Santiago’s quest , plays a crucial role in his journey, teaching him about the importance of pursuing one’s ‘ Personal Legend ‘ – a central theme in the book.

Santiago’s journey then leads him to the Sahara Desert, where he joins a caravan traveling towards Egypt. It is here that he meets the Englishman, a fellow traveler who is obsessed with becoming an alchemist .

Through their conversations, Santiago learns more about alchemy and the concept of a ‘ Universal Language ‘ that connects all of creation. This idea resonates deeply with Santiago, aligning with his own intuitive understanding of the world around him.

The desert journey is symbolic, representing Santiago’s internal journey towards self-discovery and the realization of his dreams .

The most transformative part of Santiago’s journey occurs when he meets the Alchemist, a mysterious figure who lives in an oasis in the desert.

The Alchemist becomes Santiago’s mentor , challenging and guiding him in the final stages of his quest.

Under the Alchemist’s tutelage, Santiago learns to understand the essence of alchemy—not just as a means to transform metals into gold, but as a metaphor for personal transformation. The Alchemist teaches Santiago to listen to his heart and to recognize the omens that the universe presents to him . This relationship is pivotal, as it helps Santiago to mature and to understand the deeper meaning of his journey.

In the climax of the novel, Santiago reaches the Egyptian pyramids , where he finally understands the true location of the treasure he has been seeking.

He realizes that the journey itself was the real treasure, providing him with wisdom, experience, and a deeper understanding of life. The physical treasure he eventually finds near a sycamore tree in an abandoned church back in Spain, where his journey began, is symbolic.

It signifies that what we seek is often closer than we think, but it takes a journey of self-discovery to recognize it.

Santiago: The Shepherd with a Dreamer’s Heart

In the heart of Andalusia, Spain, we meet Santiago, a young shepherd with an insatiable thirst for knowledge.

A headstrong and determined dreamer, Santiago’s story is a compelling journey from simplicity to the extraordinary. Raised to be a priest, he defies convention, leaving the seminary to embrace a life of exploration as a shepherd.

His love for reading fuels his imagination, opening doors to worlds beyond the pastures.

The pivotal moment in Santiago’s life is his encounter with the enigmatic Melchizedek.

This meeting, which begins with a conversation about a book, unlocks Santiago’s potential and sets him on a path of spiritual and personal discovery.

Under Melchizedek’s guidance, Santiago learns to trust in omens and the natural world, embracing his Personal Legend.

His journey through the desert, learning the universal language and delving into alchemy, epitomizes his transformation from a shepherd to a man in communion with the divine.

The Alchemist: A Mysterious Mentor

The Alchemist, an enigmatic figure of ancient wisdom, lives in seclusion in the Al-Fayoum oasis. Known simply by his profession, he embodies the mystique and profound knowledge of alchemy. His age, rumored to be 200 years, and his ability to perform miraculous feats like turning lead into gold, shroud him in mystery.

His first encounter with Santiago is dramatic and intense, filled with excitement and danger. As Santiago faces a prophecy of war, the Alchemist appears, a masked figure on horseback, exuding a sense of power and mystery.

This meeting marks a significant turn in Santiago’s journey, immersing him in a magical world of ancient secrets.

Despite possessing extraordinary powers, the Alchemist chooses the role of a teacher over that of a wizard. His teachings, wrapped in riddles and abstractions, guide Santiago towards a path of experiential learning.

Fatima: The Woman of the Oasis

In a narrative sparse with female characters, Fatima stands out as a central figure in Santiago’s life.

First seen fetching water from a well, she epitomizes the simplicity and duty-bound life of women in the oasis. Her character, largely perceived through Santiago’s eyes, is defined by her beauty, loyalty, and the traditional role of a woman in her community.

Rating: ★★★★★

If you’re on the hunt for a book that will take you on a mesmerizing and soul-stirring adventure, look no further than this book.

This literary gem is like a hidden treasure waiting to be uncovered, and once you start reading, you won’t be able to put it down!

Well, I haven’t to be honest over the past few years.

To be honest, The Alchemist is a story that transcends the boundaries of time and space, a true masterpiece of contemporary literature.

Coelho creates a tale that is both enchanting and profound, making it a must-read for anyone seeking inspiration , purpose, or a touch of magic in their lives.

At its core, this novel is a journey of self-discovery and following one’s dreams.

You might already know this but I am telling it again.

The protagonist, Santiago, is a shepherd who embarks on a quest to find his Personal Legend, a term Coelho introduces as the true purpose and destiny of each individual.

As Santiago’s journey unfolds, readers are taken on a captivating adventure filled with mystical encounters, life lessons, and the power of belief.

Coelho’s writing is beautifully lyrical, and his storytelling is imbued with a sense of wonder that makes every page turn a delight.

The characters he introduces along Santiago’s path (not a lot to be honest) are richly developed, each contributing their own wisdom and unique perspective to his journey.

The desert, the pyramids, and the stars in the night sky serve as more than just settings; they become characters themselves, guiding and challenging Santiago in the pursuit of his dreams.

One of the book’s most compelling aspects is its ability to resonate with readers on a personal level.

It encourages introspection and self-reflection, urging us to ask ourselves about our own dreams and the obstacles that hold us back.

Coelho’s message is clear: the universe conspires in our favor when we wholeheartedly pursue our dreams, and it is never too late to start .

“The Alchemist” is not just a book; it’s a transformative experience.

It inspires you to chase your dreams, believe in the extraordinary, and embrace the journey, no matter how challenging it may seem. Whether you’re a seasoned reader or new to literature, this book is an absolute must-read.

Key Lessons

1. the importance of pursuing your personal legend.

A Personal Legend, as described in “The Alchemist,” is one’s destiny or life’s purpose. The story of Santiago’s journey to find treasure near the Egyptian Pyramids is essentially a metaphor for pursuing one’s dreams and aspirations.

This pursuit is not just about achieving a specific goal but about self-discovery and personal growth. Coelho suggests that true fulfillment comes from following your heart and striving to realize your unique path in life. This journey often requires courage, as it may involve stepping out of comfort zones and confronting fears or societal expectations.

The novel underscores that while following your Personal Legend may not always be easy, the rewards are profound, leading to a deeper understanding of oneself and the world.

2. Interpretation of the Language of the World

Throughout the novel, Santiago learns to recognize and interpret the omens and signs that the universe offers. This concept represents the idea of a Universal Language that connects all beings and things. Coelho uses this theme to encourage us to be more attuned to the world.

This lesson highlights the importance of mindfulness and intuition.

By paying attention to the subtle messages in our environment and listening to our inner voice , we can make choices that are in harmony with our true paths.

This awareness can guide us in making decisions, big and small, and help navigate the complexities of life . The novel suggests that the world speaks to us in many ways, and learning to decipher this language is key to understanding our place in it.

3. Valuing the Journey as much as the Destination

While Santiago’s initial focus is on finding the physical treasure, he learns that the experiences, challenges, and people he encounters along the way are equally valuable.

This lesson is about embracing the journey of life , with all its ups and downs, as a process of learning and growth.

Coelho emphasizes that our dreams and goals push us to venture into the unknown, where we face trials and learn important life lessons. These experiences shape us, teaching resilience, empathy, and wisdom.

The novel suggests that if we focus solely on the end goal, we may miss the richness of experiences along the way.

It invites us to appreciate the present moment and recognize that often, the path to achieving our dreams is transformative in itself.

My Favorite Quotes

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” – This quote speaks to the theme of the novel, emphasizing the importance of pursuing one’s dreams and the belief that the universe will aid in achieving them.
“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” – This highlights the value of dreams and aspirations in adding excitement and purpose to life.
“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.” – This underscores the idea that fear, more than any external obstacle, is the biggest barrier to achieving one’s dreams.
“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” – This reflects on the transformative power of love, both for individuals and their surroundings.
“The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.” – This is a lesson about resilience and perseverance in the face of challenges.
“There is only one way to learn. It’s through action. Everything you need to know you have learned through your journey.” – This quote emphasizes the value of experiential learning and the importance of life’s journey in gaining wisdom.
“People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.” – This is an inspiring reminder that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams.
“When you can’t go back, you have to worry only about the best way of moving forward.” – This quote speaks to the necessity of looking forward and making the best of your current circumstances.
“The fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.” – A profound observation about how often the anticipation of pain can be more paralyzing than the actual experience.
“Every blessing ignored becomes a curse.” – This suggests that not appreciating or acknowledging the good in our lives can have negative consequences.

Final Thoughts

“The Alchemist” is a profound exploration of destiny, dreams, and the importance of listening to our hearts .

It emphasizes that the journey towards achieving our dreams is as significant as the dreams themselves, and that personal transformation is the greatest treasure we can attain.

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A team of Editors at Books That Slay.

Passionate | Curious | Permanent Bibliophiles

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Nepal Travel Blog

Book Review: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Travel Book Reviews / April 30, 2017 by fulltimeexplorer / 2 Comments

As some of you know, I have a never-ending list of books I’d like to read. Usually a friend recommends one, or I read about one on a travel blog. Whenever I see something interesting, I add it to the list. However, I often skip over the same book repeatedly because the small blurb on Amazon doesn’t sound appealing. That’s what happened to The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho . A shepherd goes in search of his dreams. Hmmm. Sounds kind of boring.

Thanks to the new restrictions about bringing your Kindle aboard a plan going through Abu Dhabi, I had no choice but to buy a real book for the sixteen-hour flight to New York. Luckily, there was one book in English that looked familiar. I picked it up, flipped through the pages and said, “Well, it’s on my list” and bought it.

The book itself is short, and the language is simple, but I wouldn’t call it an easy read. It’s so packed with meaningful sentences, that I’d often find myself rereading them several times to contemplate them fully. And yet, the book was never boring. Like the description says, it is about a shepherd who follows his dreams, and yet it’s so much more.

The Alchemist is the story of a boy named Santiago who lives in Spain. He decides to become a shepherd because it allows him to travel, and he has always wanted to see new places and meet new people. One evening, he has a reoccurring dream that he will find a treasure near the Pyramids in Egypt. After meeting a man who tells him he should follow his dream he sets out on a quest to discover his destiny.

Most stories give the main character an obstacle or two to overcome, but this story is full of relatable instances. Instead of getting discouraged from finding his treasure, he’s often tempted to give up when he starts to make a comfortable living or meets a beautiful woman. He constantly questions if he should just settle (for a good life) and stop chasing his dream. It’s a dilemma we all face. To risk everything for a pipe dream or to settle for something guaranteed?

In the search for his destiny, he meets people he would never have met in Spain, learns crafts/trades he never thought of studying, and learns to speak the language of the world. His quest proves that it’s not the destination, but the journey that is important. I’d recommend this book to anyone who has chased a dream, enjoys philosophy, or loves a good adventure. This book has it all.

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Michelle della giovanna.

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I’m just your average New Yorker who quit her job in the fashion industry to explore the world. Come find out what it’s like to trade in five-inch heels for squat toilets.

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Reader Interactions

June 24, 2017 at 12:18 am

I read this when I was quite young and found it really hyperbolic and self-consciously deep. Perhaps I need to read it again now I’m a bit older.

June 25, 2017 at 1:36 pm

I’d definitely recommend reading it a second time. I feel like it’s the type of book that has different meaning to you at different points in your life 🙂

Book Summary The Alchemist , by Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist is a story of transformation. But rather than transforming lead into gold, Paulo Coelho teaches us, through the story of a shepherd boy who has the courage to follow his dreams, the power of transformation for our lives.

Coelho is a Brazilian novelist who has published over 30 literary works, from the 1980s to the present. In 1986 he walked the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage road and had a spiritual awakening that inspired the direction of his work going forward. To date, The Alchemist , published in 1988, is Coelho’s best-known work, and it was an international bestseller.

In this guide, we’ll summarize the story of the shepherd boy and the alchemical lessons he learns, and we’ll compare some of the ideas to other philosophical and spiritual traditions and beliefs, such as Vedantic philosophy, Sufism, and the law of attraction.

1-Page Summary 1-Page Book Summary of The Alchemist

The Alchemist is the story of an Andalusian shepherd boy’s journey of spiritual awakening. The boy gives up everything to embark on a long journey across the desert toward the Egyptian pyramids, to look for a treasure he has dreamed of. He follows omens and the wisdom of spiritual guides he meets along the way. He encounters obstacles and trials, and he learns lessons from them about taking risks, conquering fears, and listening to his heart. In this story, Paulo Coelho teaches us about learning the universal language of love, to connect with the Soul of the World and use its power to transform our lives.

Coelho is a Brazilian novelist who has published over 30 literary works, from the 1980s to the present. In 1986 he walked the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage road and had a spiritual awakening that he wrote about in his book The Pilgrimage and that inspired the direction of his work going forward, including The Alchemis t. To date, The Alchemist , published in 1988, is Coelho’s best-known work and was an international bestseller.

In a 2009 interview with the Syrian _[Forward...

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The Alchemist Summary The Shepherd Boy

The Alchemist begins with an Andalusian shepherd boy, Santiago, who dreams of traveling. He’s expected by his parents to go into the priesthood, but he chooses instead to become a shepherd so he can wander the countryside. He prefers constant travel because when you stay in one place, he says, too many people get too involved with you, and therefore expect you to conform to how they think you should live.

Through this backstory, Coelho establishes that Santiago is one who follows his own path in life. We learn through this character, and others along the way, how important it is to not give in to others’ expectations and to be true to yourself and find your own destiny.

Recognizing Your Purpose In The Purpose Driven Life , Christain pastor Rick Warren describes your purpose in life as the calling God has decreed for you. He specifically argues that your purpose isn’t really about you , and that your reason for existence is to serve God’s purpose for you. In contrast to the ideas Coelho presents in The Alchemist , the Christian perspective on this is oriented more toward a reward in the...

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The Alchemist Summary The King

The old man in the plaza, who turns out to be a king named Melchizedek, strikes up a conversation with Santiago, and through this conversation, Coelho teaches us about the importance of following the signs that will guide you to your destiny.

Follow Your Calling

The major insight Coelho reveals through the king is that everyone has what he calls a Personal Legend . This is essentially your calling in life, which you feel as a passion drawing you toward it. It’s that thing you most dream of doing in your life. People feel this pull most strongly in childhood, the king explains, as children are more in tune with the spiritual realm and are not afraid to dream big. However, he says this pull subsides as we grow older and become conditioned to live according to societal expectations. Eventually, many reject their calling entirely, believing it to be unachievable and unrealistic. However, the king explains...

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The Alchemist Summary The Merchant

Through the next important encounter in the story, Coelho shows us what can happen when we encounter obstacles on our path, and what becomes of those who don’t follow their life’s calling.

When Santiago arrives in Africa, before setting out toward Egypt, he’s robbed of all his money. This is the first major obstacle along his way. He becomes discouraged and begins to doubt everything he’s believed in. But he realizes that he needs to earn money to either continue on his journey, or return home, so he acquires a job in the shop of a crystal merchant, where he ends up working for a year.

During that time, Santiago has many conversations with the merchant, some of them about following his calling. The merchant tells the boy that he’s always dreamed of going on pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca; it’s his calling in life. However, when Santiago asks why he doesn’t go, the merchant admits that he prefers that it stay a dream. He feels that if he actually achieves it, he’ll have nothing left to dream of, and therefore nothing to live for.

The Arrival Fallacy In Happier , positive psychologist Tal Ben-Shahar...

The Alchemist Summary The Englishman

Through the next character we encounter, Coelho teaches us about tapping into our collective spiritual power.

Traveling on the desert caravan along with the boy is an Englishman, who’s seeking to learn alchemy, the magical art of turning lead into gold. While the Englishman is explaining alchemy to the boy, he tells him about the Soul of the World and its universal language.

The Divine Spirit

The Englishman discusses alchemy as the magical art of transformation, rooted in what he calls the Soul of the World —the divine spirit of the universe. He explains that in order to enact magical transformation, you need to be connected to the power in this divine spirit. He says that everything living is always changing and being transformed, but the more connected you are to the divine spirit, the more you have the power to transform things to your will . And the more the universe works in your favor.

Connecting to the divine spirit involves learning to communicate with it, the Englishman explains. He says that **on the spiritual level...

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The Alchemist Summary The Desert and the Oasis

A major theme of the story is overcoming obstacles, and Coelho shows us through the metaphor of traversing the hostile desert that perseverance in the face of obstacles is crucial in following one’s calling .

The desert itself appears almost as a character in the story, as it’s the space within which transformation and connection to the divine spirit happens. It symbolizes the “tests” Santiago has to go through in order to reach his destination and fulfill his calling. The desert is harsh and unforgiving on the surface, but when the boy learns to look deeply, to commune with the nature around him, and to speak the language of the divine spirit, he becomes aware that there’s life everywhere and that that life will guide him to his treasure. With this, Coelho also shows us that we can find beauty in all of life, if we look deeply .

The Symbolism of the Desert The desert has a symbolic association in Christianity with the trials and temptations of Christ, and we see that mirrored in Santiago’s journey in The Alchemist . It has also been associated with spiritual transformation. A group of...

The Alchemist Summary The Alchemist

Santiago’s meeting with an alchemist at the oasis brings us to the penultimate point of the story. It’s in the boy’s interactions with the alchemist that Coelho teaches us the nature of true love, as well as what it means to learn the universal language, immerse ourselves in the divine spirit of the universe, and believe in the power of transformation.

When the boy tells the alchemist about his mission to pursue his dreams and about his reluctance to leave because he’s fallen in love, the alchemist warns him against falling into that trap. Here, Coelho teaches us, through the alchemist, that true love will never hold you back from following your dreams—this is the difference between love and possession .

The alchemist describes to the boy exactly what will happen if he decides to stay in the oasis with Fatima. He says they’ll be married, and Santiago will become successful and respected in a new career, and then over time he’ll be confronted with the nagging feeling that he still isn’t fulfilled. If he continues to ignore it, the pull toward his dream and the universe’s signs will gradually fade, until he’s resigned and lives the rest of his life knowing he...

The Alchemist Summary The Treasure

In this final portion of the story, Coelho teaches us that we must be open to finding our destiny in unexpected places , and that it must be found before we can truly live the life we were meant to live.

When the alchemist leaves him, the boy continues alone on his path toward the pyramids, with the transformative power of alchemy as his strength. He has learned that not only can he speak with the wind and the sun, but those are parts of him—he is the wind and the sun and the desert and the stars. Everything is one, united by the universal soul and language of love.

Everything Is One The concept that everything in the universe is one inseparable whole is a core principle in the Vedantic tradition of India (among other belief systems), which says that our perception of separateness is an illusion. And the most recent science in quantum physics agrees . At the subatomic level, science has shown that particles are “entangled” in such a way that they cannot be defined as distinct entities. While science would define the basis of that to...

Shortform Exercise: Identify Your Calling

King Melchizedek tells Santiago that our calling in life is usually more clearly felt when we’re children, and we lose touch with it as we grow older. So, if you’re struggling to discover what your calling is, you may need to look back into your childhood.

What did you dream about doing when you were a child? If you can’t remember, think about when you were a teenager, or young adult. Write down anything you can think of.

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The Alchemist Paperback – April 25, 1993

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"My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer," the boy told the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky." 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."

The Alchemist is the magical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure as extravagant as any ever found. From his home in Spain he journeys to the markets of Tangiers and across the Egyptian desert to a fateful encounter with the alchemist.

The story of the treasures Santiago finds along the way teaches us, as only a few stories have done, about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and, above all, following our dreams.

Every few decades a book is published that changes the lives of its readers forever. The Alchemist is such a book. With over a million and a half copies sold around the world, The Alchemist has already established itself as a modern classic, universally admired. Paulo Coelho's charming fable, now available in English for the first time, will enchant and inspire an even wider audience of readers for generations to come.

Print length 197 pages
Language English
Publication date April 25, 1993
Dimensions 5.32 x 0.52 x 8 inches
ISBN-10 9780061122415
ISBN-13 978-0061122415
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From the back cover, about the author.

Paulo Coelho, born in Rio de Janeiro in 1947, is one of the bestselling and most influential authors in the world. The Alchemist , The Pilgrimage , The Valkyries , Brida , Veronika Decides to Die , Eleven Minutes , The Zahir , The Witch of Portobello , The Winner Stands Alone , Aleph , Manuscript Found in Accra , and Adultery , among others, have sold 150 million copies worldwide.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0061122416
Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins; First Edition (April 25, 1993)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 197 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780061122415
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0061122415
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.32 x 0.52 x 8 inches
#214 in Metaphysical & Visionary Fiction (Books)
#721 in Contemporary Literature & Fiction
#5,667 in Literary Fiction (Books)

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About the author

Paulo coelho.

Paulo Coelho is the author of "The Alchemist", he was born in 1947 in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Being the author of 30 books that have sold over 320 million copies in 170 countries, he has become one of the most widely read authors in the world today. Paulo Coelho has been a United Nations Messenger of Peace since 2007 and this has allowed him to continue to promote intercultural dialogue and to focus on the needs of children. He is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters and the recipient of over 115 awards and honours, including the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the Grinzane Cavour Book Award and the Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur, to name a few.

Other titles include “The Pilgrimage”, “Brida”, "The Supreme Gift", “The Valkyries”, “By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept”, “Maktub”, “The Fifth Mountain”, “Manual of the Warrior of Light”, “Veronika Decides to Die”, “The Devil and Miss Prym”, “Stories for Parents, Children and Grandchildren”, “Eleven Minutes”, “The Zahir”, “Like the Flowing River”, “The Witch of Portobello”, “The Winner Stands Alone”, “Aleph”, “Manuscript Found in Accra”, “Adultery”, “The Spy”, “Hippie”. Also “Journey” guided journal.

https://paulocoelhoblog.com/

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Book Of The Month: A Timeless Quest For Meaning: The Alchemist

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There are many self-help books, autobiographies, and both fictional and non-fictional works that tackle the paramount importance of pursuing one's dreams. The Alchemist , by international bestseller, Paulo Coelho, is treasured as one of the most simply-written and imaginatively-inspired selections among them.

Written as a fable, this allegorical narrative follows the “Personal Legend” of one humble boy and his individual quest for purpose, courage, and destiny. Along the way, he meets characters that change, challenge, deter, and fulfill him- just as we all do in life. The Alchemist is an inspirational story of magic and wisdom, and a quintessential spotlight on coming to terms with each of our own personal deepest dreams, apprehensions, and aspirations.

““Why do we have to listen to our hearts?” the boy asked.

”Because, wherever your heart is, that is where you will find your treasure.”

— THE ALCHEMIST

The Alchemist

Originally Published: 1988

Pages : 167

Available on: Kindle, Paperback, Hardcover, Audiobook

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The Alchemist follows a young Andulasian shepherd named Santiago who, haunted by dreams of a faraway treasure in the Egyptian desert, leaves behind his home and flock to pursue the faintest whisper of destiny. He feels deeply called to follow, no matter the consequences or the risk.

In a mystical trek across the Arab desert, he encounters creative characters who shape and define his “Personal Legend”: a woman who becomes his great love, Arab caravans, and of course, an alchemist (one who can transform ordinary materials or metals into gold). Because the act of alchemy defies reason, it requires belief in something greater at work in the universe and a level of faith and hope that Santiago struggles to adopt.

“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 dreams because every second of the search is a second encounter with God and with eternity.”

As Santiago treks through the Arab desert with the alchemist, this mysterious mentor challenges the young shepherd to live out a life more intentional and uninhibited than Santiago thought possible for himself. Slowly, through the journey’s mishaps and experiences, the young boy’s understanding of himself and of the world expands, and with that, his abilities to harness powers that he had never imagined. The conversations between the alchemist and the boy are not something to miss, and rife with the inspiring fundamental belief that if you fight to achieve your deepest aspirations, the universe will be there to support it:

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

He learns how to trust in himself, in other people, in the reinforcing manifestation of the universe, and in the natural resources of life—if you allow them into your life and forgo your fear of failure. The Alchemist purports that although every person’s triumphs and setbacks come in different forms, there is a universal struggle to break away from fear. Fear actively serves as a roadblock on the road to potential and to living a meaningful life in a way that only makes sense to the individual at hand.

“Don’t give in to your fears. If you do, you won’t be able to talk to your heart.”

The short novel culminates in a final trial of the boy’s lessons and struggles. Can he rise above the self-suppressing barriers and inhibitions that have held him back from true greatness; can he step into the best version of himself? Or will he let fear of failure tie him to the all-too-safe ground? Will he step into the unknown? There are no clear answers and no certainty of success, but Santiago is faced with an opportunity to embrace his struggles head on and harness the win—literally.

“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.”

Spinning a fantastical narrative of magical realism, Coelho speaks in lyrical metaphors and with prophetic articulation. He explores the dual importance and relationship between the why and the how; the journey and the destination. The Alchemist illustrates the balance of having a final goal to make your most precious dreams a reality, but remembering to savor the process of living through the ups and downs along the way.

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

The great thing about The Alchemist is that it is a bite-sized wisdom. Life lessons, philosophy, and great themes make this short novel akin to a plunge in ice-cold water that revitalizes a reader’s mind and sharpens awareness of forgotten hopes and dreams that you may have lost sight of along the way. It is an “easy” read, but its startling depth has been touching readers since its publication in 1988.

With striking directness, The Alchemist is full of quotations that you will be scribbling down to adopt as your new motivational sticky note to post in the mirror or above your work desk. Try these on for size:

“The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.”

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”

“People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.”

So if you’re looking for a book that could change your life in 163 pages and you’re tired of cut-and-dry self-help books, try The Alchemist . Every reader will glean a nugget of wisdom from its pages, and find some personal inspiration to take their life into their own hands, make better use of the present, and identify what has been holding them back on their individual journey towards happiness.

“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.”

“Already written in my soul,” it required a scant two weeks for Brazilian author Paulo Coelho to write this international bestseller that has sold over 150 million copies . It holds the Guinness World Record for most translated book by a living author . If you enjoy this book, Coelho’s other works include The Archer, Brida, and The Pilgrimage.

“We are travelers on a cosmic journey,stardust,swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.”

More by Paul Coelho

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The Pilgrimage

There are many self-help books, autobiographies, and works that tackle the paramount importance of pursuing one's dreams. The Alchemist, by international bestseller, Paulo Coelho, is treasured as one of the most simply-written and imaginatively-inspired selections among them.

A brief history of muscles and their meaning

Michael Andor Brodeur’s “Swole” is a semiotic history that doubles as an autobiography in lifting.

What are big muscles for? They were sidelined long ago by the industrial revolution; engines drive plows and hammer steel more cheaply and less complainingly. Somehow, though, they retain an ambiguous prestige — suggesting eros and authority to some viewers, and exhibitionism and political atavism to others. To sift their meaning, or meaninglessness, Michael Andor Brodeur , a longtime music critic for The Washington Post, has written “Swole,” a semiotic history that doubles as an autobiography in lifting.

So suspect are big muscles today, Brodeur observes, that many celebrities known for their brawn make a habit of tempering its appeal with humor. An early pioneer in this self-deprecating style was Arnold Schwarzenegger . When the Whitney Museum of American Art invited him to pose on a revolving stage in 1976, he “pumped irony,” Brodeur writes, by curling a fist under his chin to evoke Rodin’s statue “The Thinker,” and in 1993 he assured the New York Times that bodybuilding couldn’t be considered a serious endeavor: “Fifty guys standing around in their little posing trunks with oil slapped on their body. Showing off and posing in front of 5,000 people. It’s a joke.”

Brodeur is in on the joke, he is quick to let his readers know. “Runnin’ wild, brother! I like it!” a man painting Brodeur’s building hails him on the book’s first page, after spotting Brodeur, age 48, pumped and dripping with sweat from a recent workout. Brodeur explains that he was wearing a “shreddy purple string tank” and “silken polyester short shorts” at the time, and writes that the compliment may have been “the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

Part of the joke here is that Brodeur makes his living as a writer, and “writers are supposed to be soft and squishy,” as he puts it. And part is that Brodeur is gay and middle-aged. What purer tribute to his physique could there be than one from a male stranger who seems to have no romantic designs on him? Also audible is the yelp of pleasure that accompanies any happy crossing of a class barrier: Brodeur writes witty, allusive prose about an enthusiasm not today considered highbrow.

It used to be. According to Brodeur, progressive resistance training goes back to at least ancient Greece, when the athlete Milo of Croton picked up and carried a calf every day, growing by increments so much stronger that in the end he was able to shoulder the bull the calf became. From the classical sculptor Polykleitos, who set forth in a statue and in a treatise the proportions considered ideal for the human form, Brodeur traces a lineage that passes through sculptures and engravings of the mythic hero Hercules, nationalist fitness crazes of the 19th century, and celebrity strongmen of the mass-media age such as Eugen Sandow and Charles Atlas. The final flowering of the tradition came in Schwarzenegger’s phenomenal career, Tom of Finland’s buxom homoerotic cartoons and the performance wear-clad superheroes of the Marvel Comics universe.

Much as Alison Bechdel did in her thoughtful graphic memoir “ The Secret to Superhuman Strength ,” Brodeur weaves into the historical narrative chapters from his own life story — brandishing He-Man’s Power Sword for the camera at age 7, getting punched by a classmate shortly after achieving zero pull-ups during the Presidential Fitness Test in high school, being inspired to take up weightlifting by the punk singer Henry Rollins’s 1993 testimonial in Details magazine (Rollins: “I have found the iron to be my greatest friend”). In the 1950s, magazines like Physique Pictorial, Brodeur writes, established a link between bodybuilding and homosexuality that “has never been severed,” and he candidly admits that in his own case, muscles have set up “a feedback loop of defense and desire,” as they do for many gay men. Eros doesn’t seem to be the whole story, however. Flexing in front of a mirror, the adult Brodeur describes himself as thinking, “I hope no one is looking. I hope they can see me,” a double bind that sounded familiar to me, a middle-aged gay man who took up Cross Fit a few years ago and is similarly both proud of his new body and mortified by his needy wish to show it off. Working on one’s body seems to bring up issues that are pre-Oedipal, to use a psychoanalytic term; it can feel like a belated attempt to secure or repair the self. In Reagan’s America, after all, it was difficult for a gay person to grow up without incurring psychic injury.

A stigmatized identity is far from the only kind of damage people have hoped to heal with weights. Brodeur reports that one study found that 21 percent of bodybuilders were bullied in childhood; among them were Lou Ferrigno, Sylvester Stallone and Atlas. American men today suffer from mental illness, substance abuse and suicide at higher rates than women, and Brodeur is nervously aware of the high-profile online hucksters who sell lifting to these men as a nostrum, usually along with supplements and a revanchist sexual ethos. “The hole in men’s souls,” he writes, “doubles as a gap in the market.” He is agnostic about the steroids that also circulate in the “manosphere.” Although he isn’t tempted to use them himself, he believes no one should be denied gender-affirming care—not even people assigned male at birth who want to venture further into masculinity.

Brodeur may be more worried than he needs to be about defending lifting from guilt by association; it isn’t problematic just because the online hucksters are. There’s mounting evidence, for example, that resistance training improves the fitness of older adults as much as aerobic exercise does . As a bodybuilder, Brodeur usually works out alone, but late in the book, he finds a gym where, to his surprise, men encourage and praise one another, rather than glare in ear-budded isolation, and where the work the men are doing together seems to be helping a number of them move forward from places where they had got stuck — drift, addiction, jail, loneliness. Brodeur speculates that the project of acquiring big muscles has become for these men “a way to authorize a level of affection and support that might otherwise be impossible.”

I recognize the vibe. There’s a similar one at the gym I go to, where there are women and nonbinary people in the classes as well as men, and also — this may sound a little incongruous — a similar one among my fellow birdwatchers in the local park, who share their finds as openly, record them as fastidiously, and compare them as emulously as gymgoers do their lifts. Maybe the men at the gym Brodeur found bond, in other words, not because muscles give them cover for departing from conventional male brusqueness but because lifting, independent of any gender coloration it may or may not have, is something they are able to both share in and compete in, thanks to norms — such as respect, fairness, honesty, mutuality and excellence — that the gym’s leaders and members maintain. An experience like that would make anyone stronger.

Caleb Crain is the author of “Overthrow” and “Necessary Errors.”

The Making of Men and the Meaning of Muscle

By Michael Andor Brodeur

Beacon Press. 244 pp. $28.95.

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In This Experimental Grief Novel, You Choose Your Own Adventure

Gabriel Smith’s shape-shifting debut, “Brat,” cycles through a multiverse of strange possibilities.

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The novel’s cover shows a deer gazing out from the middle of a road at night. The title fonts are turquoise.

By Matt Bell

Matt Bell is the author, most recently, of “Appleseed” and “Refuse to Be Done: How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts.”

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BRAT, by Gabriel Smith

In the wake of his father’s death and his mother’s move to a nursing facility, a 20-something British novelist named Gabriel (not to be confused with the 20-something British novelist Gabriel Smith, whose debut, “Brat,” he inhabits) returns home. Ostensibly, he’s there to prepare his parents’ estate for sale, but he’s also hiding out from a multitude of problems. For starters, despite receiving a sizable advance for his second book, Gabriel hasn’t written a word yet.

Then, during his inebriated explorations of the house, he discovers that its structure is collapsing in some places, molding in others. His girlfriend leaves him. He meets a pair of odd teenagers at a nearby shop, and invites them over for an evening of underage drinking, plus marijuana and Xanax. Mild shenanigans ensue. Meanwhile, there may be someone watching Gabriel; if there is, that person is wearing a deer costume.

If all that wasn’t enough, Gabriel’s skin has also begun coming off, flapping free in vividly rendered body-horror scenes. (This unexplained molting is, according to a running joke, definitely not eczema.) Soon Gabriel begins to nonchalantly pick at the edges of himself: “I just kept pulling, until it had come away from all my fingers and shifting hand veins. The skin came away in a single piece. It didn’t hurt. I looked at it. It looked like a glove of myself.”

Much of the actual text of “Brat” consists of stories-within-the-story, some presented in part, others in full. In his mother’s study, Gabriel finds a novel where a woman with her same name dies in a car accident; in his father’s, there’s a script about friends who gather weekly to watch an old recorded sitcom episode, documenting the changes that appear with each new viewing. Then there are the two stories by Gabriel’s ex-girlfriend, Kei, one of which follows a Russian oligarch whose kink is masturbating on the faces of famous paintings. The other story is about love.

Often these manuscripts mimic or rhyme or foreshadow or recall events from Gabriel’s lived experience. But what do these coincidences mean? No one in “Brat” seems to care that much, and maybe that’s not the story these characters want to tell. Instead of resolving his novel’s many mysteries, Smith explores how this family navigates the disputed borders of its shared memories, pondering what it means to choose one story over another — as well as the consequences of refusing to choose, especially in the wake of grief.

“When someone dies,” says Gabriel’s grandmother, “it becomes a competition to be in charge of the history of that person. People want their memory to be the real one. … But history is the opposite of memory. Each time you remember you rewrite.”

In “Brat , ” to tell a story is to shape existence. In Gabriel’s father’s script, two characters conclude that every narrative choice creates a branching reality. One says, “There’s a universe where I kiss you right now. I could choose to live in that universe.” And then he does. Elsewhere, Gabriel’s brother, impatient with his sibling’s flailing grief, tells him, “Don’t make me choose. … Because I will look after my family.” That’s his reality. But isn’t there another reality where the brother chooses Gabriel instead, and in doing so destroys his marriage? Isn’t there a third one where some other choice saves everyone?

The hopeful finale Smith chooses for “Brat” is probably as revealing of his own worldview as it is of his namesake character. Not every narrative thread is resolved as cleanly as Gabriel’s is, or even tied up at all, but that’s OK too. Perhaps those endings can only be found in another novel, or another world.

BRAT | By Gabriel Smith | Penguin Press | 320 pp. | $28

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COMMENTS

Book Review: The Alchemist By Paulo Coelho
The Alchemist Book Review. The Alchemist is an enchanting novel that takes you on a transformative journey that will have you questioning life, our purpose, and our place in the world. Not only that, but the philosophical messages remind us of the power of dreams, the importance of self-discovery, and the remarkable possibilities that lie ...
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: A Complete Book Review
Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist" stands as a beacon in the literary landscape, beckoning readers to embark on a transformative odyssey. In this comprehensive review, we delve deep into the layers of Coelho's narrative, unravelling the tapestry of philosophy, spirituality, and self-discovery that makes this timeless work a masterpiece.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
3,092,075 ratings122,352 reviews. Combining magic, mysticism, wisdom, and wonder into an inspiring tale of self-discovery, The Alchemist has become a modern classic, selling millions of copies around the world and transforming the lives of countless readers across generations. Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the mystical story of Santiago, an ...
The Alchemist, Book Review: Paulo Coelho's beguiling novel
Paulo Coelho's novel The Alchemist has beguiling depth and universal themes that will entrance readers of all ages and faiths. This book is a modern classic. Read our full review.
THE ALCHEMIST
Coelho is a Brazilian writer with four books to his credit. Following Diary of a Magus (1992—not reviewed) came this book, published in Brazil in 1988: it's an interdenominational, transcendental, inspirational fable—in other words, a bag of wind.
The Alchemist (novel)
The Alchemist: A Graphic Novel was published in 2010, adapted by Derek Ruiz and with artwork by Daniel Sampere. The Alchemist's Symphony by the young Walter Taieb was released in 1997 with the support of Paulo Coelho, who wrote an original text for the CD booklet. [13] The work has eight movements and five interludes.
Book Review: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
My review of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. In short: awesome freakin' book!
Unveiling the Magic: A Review of "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho
"The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho is a captivating and enchanting novel that has captured the hearts of millions of readers worldwide. Published in 1988, this literary masterpiece has become an ...
The Alchemist
"The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho is a novel that tells the story of Santiago, a shepherd boy who sets out on a journey in search of his Personal Legend, or the purpose of his life.
The Alchemist Summary
Read our book summary of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho to get inspired to beat fear and start following your "Personal Legend."
The Alchemist Book Summary and Review
The Alchemist may not be your regular YA fiction book, but it most definitely still deserves a place on your bookshelf! Publishers Weekly: The story has the comic charm, dramatic tension and psychological intensity of a fairy tale, but it's full of specific wisdom as well, about becoming self-empowered, overcoming depression, and believing in ...
The Alchemist Study Guide
The best study guide to The Alchemist on the planet, from the creators of SparkNotes. Get the summaries, analysis, and quotes you need.
Book Summary
Book Summary. While sleeping near a sycamore tree in the sacristy of an abandoned church, Santiago, a shepherd boy, has a recurring dream about a child who tells him that he will find a hidden treasure if he travels to the Egyptian pyramids. An old woman tells Santiago that this dream is prophetic and that he must follow its instructions.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho Plot Summary
The Alchemist Summary. In the Prologue, the alchemist reads a story about Narcissus —a youth so fascinated by his own beautiful reflection that he falls into a lake and drowns. In this version of the story, the goddess of the forest encounters the lake in which Narcissus drowned. The lake is weeping, and the goddess assumes that the lake ...
The Alchemist Summary, Review, Themes, Quotes and Characters
The Alchemist Summary, Review, Themes, Quotes and Characters. "The Alchemist," written by Paulo Coelho, is a novel that combines elements of mysticism, adventure, and spiritual allegory. The book follows the story of Santiago, a young Andalusian shepherd who dreams of a treasure in Egypt and embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
"The Alchemist" Book Summary: Themes, Symbolism, Review
Discover the timeless wisdom and inspiration of "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho, and learn how its message can transform your life.
Book Review: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The Alchemist is the story of a boy named Santiago who lives in Spain. He decides to become a shepherd because it allows him to travel, and he has always wanted to see new places and meet new people.
Book Summary The Alchemist , by Paulo Coelho
The most detailed book summary of "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. Get the main points of "The Alchemist" with Shortform book summaries.
Amazon.com: The Alchemist: 9780061122415: Paulo Coelho, Alan R. Clarke
The Alchemist. Paperback - April 25, 1993. by Paulo Coelho (Author), Alan R. Clarke (Translator) 4.7 4,079 ratings. Best of #BookTok. See all formats and editions. "My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer," the boy told the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky." Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse ...
Book Review : The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The Alchemist is a fantastic book and the storytelling is beautiful. The choice of words are impeccable, full of wisdom and philosophy . I totally loved it. The story is very enchanting and bursts ...
Book Of The Month: A Timeless Quest For Meaning: The Alchemist
There are many self-help books, autobiographies, and works that tackle the paramount importance of pursuing one's dreams. The Alchemist, by international bestseller, Paulo Coelho, is treasured as ...
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THE ALCHEMIST

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Lesson 1: If you want to reach your biggest goals and feel fulfilled, you must follow your Personal Legend.

Lesson 2: Stop being afraid if you want to remove the barriers that keep you from progressing.

Lesson 3: Rise more times than you fall and you will never fail.

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Need some inspiration? 👀 Here are... The 365 Most Famous Quotes of All Time »

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