Collection
Publication
HarperCollins Español (2002), 194 pages
Description
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. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point 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. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasures found within.
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User reviews
LibraryThing member Widsith
The problem with this book is not just that it's bad, which it certainly is, but that there are so many people out there who want to corner you at parties and tell you how it's totally changed their lives. In a way you might as well read it just so you can see how feeble-minded they must be to get
The writing is too simple to be really bad, but it's the content that gets you. By the end of the book you'll want to track down the philosopher's stone yourself and carefully beat Coelho to death with it.
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any kind of philosophical nourishment out of this inexhaustible stream of clichés. The profound lessons you'll learn from this book amount to nothing more than several variations on the theme of "only the very ugly is truly beautiful, only the very stupid are really intelligent, only black is white, only up is down" etc etc.The writing is too simple to be really bad, but it's the content that gets you. By the end of the book you'll want to track down the philosopher's stone yourself and carefully beat Coelho to death with it.
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LibraryThing member anandrajan
Horrible. I want the three hours of my life back.
LibraryThing member snat
***spoilers and bitterness ahead--be forewarned**
I'm not sure that I can capture my utter disdain for this book in words, but I'll give it a shot. I read this book about three years ago and just had to re-read it for book club. It was a steaming pile of crap then and, guess what?, it's a steaming
Just as with Aesop's Fables, there's a moral to the story. And Coelho keeps backing up and running over it just to make sure that we get it (and he capitalizes important key words necessary to understanding it, lest we overlook their significance). If there's one thing Paulo Coelho can do, it's flog a dead horse.
Essentially, boy thinks he's happy in life. He's a shepherd who gets to travel the world, has all of his needs met, and owns a book which he can always trade for another book when he goes to market. What more can a boy need? Boy is then told by a mysterious stranger that he's not happy at all. Why not? He has failed to recognize his Personal Legend. Everyone has a Personal Legend, which is life's plan for you. However, most of us give up on our Personal Legend in childhood. If you are fortunate enough to hang onto and pursue your Personal Legend, then The Soul of the World will help you obtain it. All of nature conspires to bring you luck and good fortune so that you can fulfill your destiny, whether it's to be a shepherd on a quest for treasure at the pyramids, a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker, or, one would assume, a prostitute, drug dealer, or porn star. Hey, we're all fate's b*tch in The Alchemist. But I digress. Boy seeks out his Personal Legend and finds it's a long, hard road to obtaining what you want in life. But with faith, perseverance, and just a little goshdarnit good luck, the boy learns to speak the Language of the World and tap into The Soul of the World and fulfills his Personal Legend. And what does he learn? That what he sought was back home, the place he started from. Oh, silly boy.
So, in summation, here is what you should learn from The Alchemist:
1) Dream. And, while you're at it, dream BIG
2) Follow your bliss
3) Don't be surprised if you find obstacles in your way, but you will
overcome
4) It's good to travel and encounter people from other cultures
5) What we most often seek is right in front of us, but sometimes we
have to leave home to realize it
To all of these important life lessons, I can only say, "Well, no sh*t, Sherlock." If Coelho knew anything about alchemy, he would have been able to transform this crap into gold. Alas, it's still crap.
I'm not sure that I can capture my utter disdain for this book in words, but I'll give it a shot. I read this book about three years ago and just had to re-read it for book club. It was a steaming pile of crap then and, guess what?, it's a steaming
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pile of crap now. The main reason I hate this book: it's trite inspirational literature (there's an oxymoron) dressed up as an adventure quest. You go into it thinking that it's going to be about a boy's quest for treasure. If you read the back, there are words like "Pyramids," "Gypsy," "alchemist." Turns out, this is just The Purpose Driven Life dressed up with a little fable. It's Hallmark Hall of Fame territory set in an exotic locale. Which pisses me off to no end as I normally try to dodge that sort of thing, but here it is masquerading as the type of book I normally like. It's cliche, didactic, and poorly written. Just as with Aesop's Fables, there's a moral to the story. And Coelho keeps backing up and running over it just to make sure that we get it (and he capitalizes important key words necessary to understanding it, lest we overlook their significance). If there's one thing Paulo Coelho can do, it's flog a dead horse.
Essentially, boy thinks he's happy in life. He's a shepherd who gets to travel the world, has all of his needs met, and owns a book which he can always trade for another book when he goes to market. What more can a boy need? Boy is then told by a mysterious stranger that he's not happy at all. Why not? He has failed to recognize his Personal Legend. Everyone has a Personal Legend, which is life's plan for you. However, most of us give up on our Personal Legend in childhood. If you are fortunate enough to hang onto and pursue your Personal Legend, then The Soul of the World will help you obtain it. All of nature conspires to bring you luck and good fortune so that you can fulfill your destiny, whether it's to be a shepherd on a quest for treasure at the pyramids, a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker, or, one would assume, a prostitute, drug dealer, or porn star. Hey, we're all fate's b*tch in The Alchemist. But I digress. Boy seeks out his Personal Legend and finds it's a long, hard road to obtaining what you want in life. But with faith, perseverance, and just a little goshdarnit good luck, the boy learns to speak the Language of the World and tap into The Soul of the World and fulfills his Personal Legend. And what does he learn? That what he sought was back home, the place he started from. Oh, silly boy.
So, in summation, here is what you should learn from The Alchemist:
1) Dream. And, while you're at it, dream BIG
2) Follow your bliss
3) Don't be surprised if you find obstacles in your way, but you will
overcome
4) It's good to travel and encounter people from other cultures
5) What we most often seek is right in front of us, but sometimes we
have to leave home to realize it
To all of these important life lessons, I can only say, "Well, no sh*t, Sherlock." If Coelho knew anything about alchemy, he would have been able to transform this crap into gold. Alas, it's still crap.
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LibraryThing member CasualFriday
I can't write a fair review of an "inspirational" book, because I'm not a fan of the genre. I suppose theses tales are *supposed* to be filled with cardboard characters that represent Ideas.
To the extent that I pondered the ideas herein, I didn't agree with them. I detest the notion that all
To the extent that I pondered the ideas herein, I didn't agree with them. I detest the notion that all
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people are in complete control of their own destiny, as if any failure is their personal responsibility. And I'm infuriated by the notion that only men need to purse their Personal Legend; that woman's role is to love, and wait for, their men. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cecilturtle
Prechewed thoughts for uncreative people who need to hear what they want to hear
LibraryThing member queensheherezade
I have to agree with kerrycarter76, LLthestorygirl and jayne_charles. I read this book over a year ago and found it rather forgettable. Full of saccharine metaphors and annoyingly wistful passages containing Santiago's various conversations with the wind and the sun etc etc. "Language of the
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World"?? "Soul of the World"??? "Personal Legend"?? Oh, pa-lease!! I had high hopes considering that so many heads of state and A-list celebrities reviewed the story as "life changing". Moral of the story: The Alchemist is over-rated and if heads of state and celebrities ever say they love a book, run fast in the opposite direction! Show Less
LibraryThing member Beezie
This book was given to me by a dear friend. So, I read it. I was left truly, deeply and utterly irritated.
LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
I have to admit, I found this a bit boring. It seemed a little superficial to me.
LibraryThing member CowPi
I discovered this book on the best-seller nonfiction shelf at the entrance to a book store. It was also filed in the Metaphysical Studies section. I wonder why it was not filed under fiction. I guess they file books under Metaphysical Studies if they have no idea how to categorize a book.
The book
It is a fast and easy read. The protagonist is easy to like and to hope for. I had wished there was more character development, but that is not the purpose of a fable or allegory. The trials faced were mostly predictable, except toward the end. And that is when things got too "new age" for me. I know that it is a fable/allegory, but the symbols and metaphors employed became too much of a distraction for me and they lost their connections to which they pointed. It lost all its magic for me at this point. I was especially disappointed in the treasure the protagonist finally found because the kind of treasure he found was such a sharp contrast to the stated purpose of the book.
I normally do not read best sellers. This book reinforced why I don't. It is an okay book, not great and life-changing as advertised.
The book
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is fiction, a fable, an allegory. For me, the best part of the book was the author's introduction with his list of four obstacles to following your dream, your "personal legend" as the author calls it--finding your purpose in life, or whatever you wish to call "your call."It is a fast and easy read. The protagonist is easy to like and to hope for. I had wished there was more character development, but that is not the purpose of a fable or allegory. The trials faced were mostly predictable, except toward the end. And that is when things got too "new age" for me. I know that it is a fable/allegory, but the symbols and metaphors employed became too much of a distraction for me and they lost their connections to which they pointed. It lost all its magic for me at this point. I was especially disappointed in the treasure the protagonist finally found because the kind of treasure he found was such a sharp contrast to the stated purpose of the book.
I normally do not read best sellers. This book reinforced why I don't. It is an okay book, not great and life-changing as advertised.
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LibraryThing member kseniyat
I dislike almost everything about this book.
LibraryThing member safetygirl
disturbs my feminist sensibilities. man goes off on life-changing journey while the little women waits patiently, indefinitely at home.
LibraryThing member thinkpinkDana
I haven't often enjoyed the traditional Latin American fable style of writing. I loathed 100 Years of Solitude (go on; shoot me now), and have struggled with the mini-genre of literature ever since , so I was somewhat trepiditious when I picked up The Alchemist to read (though I did find the fact
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that it is 1/4 the size of Marquez's epic very comforting). I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised. The premise of the book can be found in the quote above: Santiago must leave all he knows and go on a fabulous adventure to find his "treasure." The story itself is a spiritual allegory of a jouney we all must make to determine where our treasure lies, but it is so much more enjoyable to read of caravans across a wide desert, exotic beauty and forbidden love, and a level of magic and mystery that borders on fantasy, then to focus on the drudgery of our own lives. While many have called the book "life-changing," I, personally, can't go that far. But it was a fun, exciting read with an uncommon depth that was welcome and enjoyable. Not to mention, it gave me hope that even I can enjoy Latin American literature. Show Less
LibraryThing member HippieLunatic
The Alchemist reminded me much of The Little Prince.
Both are stories of journies and self-discovery. Both delve into what individuals can be made of, and what we can learn from each. [The Alchemist] has a stronger voice, more definitive steering, and a larger sense of authority in my opinion,
The Alchemist is not a children's book, but it doesn't much feel like an adult work, either. It is stuck in that no-age land, meaning that most any reader can pick it up and appreciate it, but children need to be ready for more of the grown-up world, and adults need to be able to let go of their reality, no matter where in the scheme of beliefs it might fall.
Be prepared for a quick and enjoyable read, but I would argue that this is NOT a life-changing book. Unless, that is, your life needs a lot of help, and the book can do something at least.
Both are stories of journies and self-discovery. Both delve into what individuals can be made of, and what we can learn from each. [The Alchemist] has a stronger voice, more definitive steering, and a larger sense of authority in my opinion,
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which has both its benefits and shortcomings.The Alchemist is not a children's book, but it doesn't much feel like an adult work, either. It is stuck in that no-age land, meaning that most any reader can pick it up and appreciate it, but children need to be ready for more of the grown-up world, and adults need to be able to let go of their reality, no matter where in the scheme of beliefs it might fall.
Be prepared for a quick and enjoyable read, but I would argue that this is NOT a life-changing book. Unless, that is, your life needs a lot of help, and the book can do something at least.
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LibraryThing member justifiedsinner
A New Age fable.
"Listen to the Words Of Wisdom, my son."
"How will I know them Father?
"Because they are written in Capital Letters, my son."
"Listen to the Words Of Wisdom, my son."
"How will I know them Father?
"Because they are written in Capital Letters, my son."
LibraryThing member sublunarie
I was told a long time ago by someone that once meant a lot to me that I absolutely had to read this book because it would speak to me and change my life. Four years later, I finally picked it up. My life was not changed and it didn't really have much to say that I hadn't already heard. While the
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tale was decent, and the message was pleasing, nothing about this book jumped out at me as anything incredible. Sometimes I find that deeper meaning piled upon deeper meaning just becomes a little too contrived for my taste. Show Less
LibraryThing member Bbexlibris
A fable, a mystery, a hidden treasure...what is there to not like!? I actually listened to this on my way to and from picking berries (so far I have picked over 70 lbs., for our family and friends) I was immediately captivated by the tale of a boy, a Shepard who follows a dream of reached potential
Personally I enjoyed listening to it, it felt like an ancient tale told to me by a egyptian storyteller. I felt the beauty of the language and the force of the legend.
However if you are not into dreams, and somewhat mystical tales...sit this one out, because that is what it is. I wonder though, if those of you who are not would be won over by the smooth words of Coelho. It is always worth a try! I loved it, and completely recommend it :) I haven't ever read a Paulo Coelho book before, and now I am a Cohelo believer, I am interested in what other really good books he has written. Do you have any recommendations?
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to a land faraway and unknown. He leaves what he does now, and what is comfortable to reach what may not even really be there. I cannot resist the talk of omens, and personal legends, and magical stones and dreams, and love which so saturates the pages of this short novel.Personally I enjoyed listening to it, it felt like an ancient tale told to me by a egyptian storyteller. I felt the beauty of the language and the force of the legend.
However if you are not into dreams, and somewhat mystical tales...sit this one out, because that is what it is. I wonder though, if those of you who are not would be won over by the smooth words of Coelho. It is always worth a try! I loved it, and completely recommend it :) I haven't ever read a Paulo Coelho book before, and now I am a Cohelo believer, I am interested in what other really good books he has written. Do you have any recommendations?
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LibraryThing member jolerie
Santiago is an Andalusian shepherd with dreams of travelling the world. He inadvertently crosses paths with a Gypsy woman who tells his fortunes and from that moment on, Santiago dreams of seeing the world takes on a very different meaning. Along the way, he will meet a king, a crystal merchant, an
The Alchemist is a book that I can see people absolutely loving, or thinking that it's complete trash - I fall neatly somewhere in between those two extremes. Santiago's journey to find the truth should be a theme that resonates with everyone, but the delivery of that sojourn was rather abstract that often times I found myself wandering what exactly was Coelho trying to say. The whole book read like a giant parable with the occasional biblical quote and character thrown in for added measure. In he end, the mish mash of theological sophistry was lost on me and I got lost in the quest along with Santiago. He eventually found his truth and purpose, but I am still left wandering in Coelho's desert of dreams and legends.
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Englishman, and an alchemist. Each person will impart their share of wisdom and life lessons and in the end, Santiago discovers the secret of life and but more importantly, his purpose and role in it.The Alchemist is a book that I can see people absolutely loving, or thinking that it's complete trash - I fall neatly somewhere in between those two extremes. Santiago's journey to find the truth should be a theme that resonates with everyone, but the delivery of that sojourn was rather abstract that often times I found myself wandering what exactly was Coelho trying to say. The whole book read like a giant parable with the occasional biblical quote and character thrown in for added measure. In he end, the mish mash of theological sophistry was lost on me and I got lost in the quest along with Santiago. He eventually found his truth and purpose, but I am still left wandering in Coelho's desert of dreams and legends.
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LibraryThing member edwinbcn
In times of secularization, it is clear that many people seek other sources of spirituality. Or, each quarter of a century, or so, a literary work will inspire a generation. The alchemist. A fable about following your dream has all the characteristics of being such a book.
If The alchemist is the
The story is of all times, but the telling is the crudest. It is quite remarkable, and perhaps ironic, that the author chose to set the spiritual journey in Northern Africa, and the Godhead addressed is Allah. For the spiritual quality, this makes no difference, as Islam is as valuable a guide to spirituality as any other religion. Published well before the end of the century, without the least flicker of what dramatic reversal the new century would bring, the highlighting of Arabic spirituality is at least interesting.
As a book of spirituality, The alchemist has certainly made its mark. However, in literary terms it is a very poor achievement. The ultra-short sentences give the reader a staccato-like headache. Everything is spelled out for the reader, leaving little left for the imagination. Its shortness is its only blessing.
If The alchemist is the
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cult book of the last quarter of the Twentieth Century, then what a lamentable state we have reached. The book is utterly lacking subtlety. I cannot imagine why this book is not classified as Young Adult literature.The story is of all times, but the telling is the crudest. It is quite remarkable, and perhaps ironic, that the author chose to set the spiritual journey in Northern Africa, and the Godhead addressed is Allah. For the spiritual quality, this makes no difference, as Islam is as valuable a guide to spirituality as any other religion. Published well before the end of the century, without the least flicker of what dramatic reversal the new century would bring, the highlighting of Arabic spirituality is at least interesting.
As a book of spirituality, The alchemist has certainly made its mark. However, in literary terms it is a very poor achievement. The ultra-short sentences give the reader a staccato-like headache. Everything is spelled out for the reader, leaving little left for the imagination. Its shortness is its only blessing.
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LibraryThing member bookcrazed
Some time after I had read Marlo Morgan’s Mutant Message Downunder in 1993 and James Redfield's Celestine Prophecy about a year later, I began to hear people say that The Alchemist was better than either of them. I certainly had no doubt that it would be better written; both Mutant Message and
Coelho makes no such claims. He has written a simple story with simple truths. It is structured as a young man’s quest to realize a gypsy’s interpretation of his recurring dream. She tells him to travel to Egypt, where he will find a great treasure. There’s a little Law of Attraction (the universe will provide what you deeply desire) and a nice dose of “follow your dream and the money (treasure) will follow.” He meets an alchemist who becomes his guru, advising that self-knowledge is the secret to a treasure more valuable than gold. Along the way, he meets others who contribute bits of wisdom -- a good old-fashioned quest allegory.
When I finished the book, I was a little disappointed; there was nothing new here. As many spiritual-message books, I think the impact is determined by each individual’s life condition at the particular moment of reading. Young readers who find these ideas new and revelatory may find Coelho’s story a turning point in their lives; those who have heard it all before (and perhaps lived it, in whole or in part) may welcome the reminder of these basic truths. In the final analysis, for me, it’s a nice little book with a good message. NB: In placing Morgan and Redfield side by side, I do not mean to cast aspersions on Redfield, who has always been honest about his book (and subsequent books) being fiction. Morgan is a fraud. (Australians find Mutant Message outlandish and offensive.)
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Celestine Prophecy were among history’s most poorly written bestsellers. What they have in common with other badly written literary successes is a romping good adventure story. Morgan’s tale, first self-published as a true story, was later picked up by a major publisher as a novel, though Morgan continued to publicly declare it to be true. In his interview, Redfield claimed he had first written a nonfiction account of personal experience, but found it so boring that he decided to rewrite it as a fictional adventure story.Coelho makes no such claims. He has written a simple story with simple truths. It is structured as a young man’s quest to realize a gypsy’s interpretation of his recurring dream. She tells him to travel to Egypt, where he will find a great treasure. There’s a little Law of Attraction (the universe will provide what you deeply desire) and a nice dose of “follow your dream and the money (treasure) will follow.” He meets an alchemist who becomes his guru, advising that self-knowledge is the secret to a treasure more valuable than gold. Along the way, he meets others who contribute bits of wisdom -- a good old-fashioned quest allegory.
When I finished the book, I was a little disappointed; there was nothing new here. As many spiritual-message books, I think the impact is determined by each individual’s life condition at the particular moment of reading. Young readers who find these ideas new and revelatory may find Coelho’s story a turning point in their lives; those who have heard it all before (and perhaps lived it, in whole or in part) may welcome the reminder of these basic truths. In the final analysis, for me, it’s a nice little book with a good message. NB: In placing Morgan and Redfield side by side, I do not mean to cast aspersions on Redfield, who has always been honest about his book (and subsequent books) being fiction. Morgan is a fraud. (Australians find Mutant Message outlandish and offensive.)
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LibraryThing member VhartPowers
Santiago decides he doesn't want to be a priest, but a shepherd, (not a very noble profession.) But his father supports him and gives him money to buy sheep.
The boy, as Santiago is referred to, enjoys traveling with his sheep. One day a man (a King) interrupts the boy's reading and tells him of
After a two hour journey by boat, he arrives in a very different country with a different language and he's robbed of the money he received from selling his sheep.
The story is to follow your heart and to not give up on your dream ("Personal Legend.") My problem with the story was this boy didn't know finding treasure was his "dream" until the man/King told him so. The boy thought he was living his dream until that point.
Otherwise a good book and could be very inspirational.
The boy, as Santiago is referred to, enjoys traveling with his sheep. One day a man (a King) interrupts the boy's reading and tells him of
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his "Personal Legend" and finding treasure. In order to find his treasure he must go to the Pyramids. After a two hour journey by boat, he arrives in a very different country with a different language and he's robbed of the money he received from selling his sheep.
The story is to follow your heart and to not give up on your dream ("Personal Legend.") My problem with the story was this boy didn't know finding treasure was his "dream" until the man/King told him so. The boy thought he was living his dream until that point.
Otherwise a good book and could be very inspirational.
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LibraryThing member eddeanL
The Alchemist is a great book. It really show what one person would do in order to fulfill their dream. This young shepard gave up most of what he had in order to find this treasure that he was told of and to fulfill his dream. Along his journey he goes through some difficult times but he never
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gives up. He also meets several people along the way that help him and encourage him more to keep going. As he journeys to hind this treasure he learns more about himself and what he wants. This can kind of relate to many of us in some ways. We all have something that we want to accomplish and if we work hard for it and try our best to get that accomplished we possibly can. We might go through some hard trails but as the shepard boy kept on going we could keep on going as well. Show Less
LibraryThing member nakmeister
Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy, has always wanted to travel. One day he dreams of finding treasure at the Pyramids of Egypt, and later he dreams the exact same dream again. He decides to go in search of this treasure and has many adventures, meeting a King, an Englishman and an Alchemist
This book is only short, but it is an extremely powerful story, urging you to follow your heart. I found this book extremely profound and moving. It has taught me many things, most important of which is that I must follow my heart, and only that way lies true happiness. Only by listening to your heart can you understand the language of the world, and touch the soul of the world. Amazing.
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along the way.This book is only short, but it is an extremely powerful story, urging you to follow your heart. I found this book extremely profound and moving. It has taught me many things, most important of which is that I must follow my heart, and only that way lies true happiness. Only by listening to your heart can you understand the language of the world, and touch the soul of the world. Amazing.
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LibraryThing member lisathomson
I find Mr Cohelo's books patronizing. He is trying too hard to be deep and meaningful and yet says nothing at the same time. I kept reading thinking that perhaps it would all come together in the end. I thought all the little things that happened would sudenly make sense and was disappointed to say
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he least. Show Less
LibraryThing member d_mckinley
It is unlike any book I have ever read. Every page had a message drilled into it so deeply. It doesn't matter your religion. This book provides a universal spiritual value, that not even the Bible holds. I loved this book in a way that i could love no other.
LibraryThing member deo808
I thought it was a terrible book. I found it boring, too much magical thinking and cliched. Totally overrated. I couldn't even finish it.
ISBN
0062511408 / 9780062511409