The Alchemist

The Alchemist Features

Additional The Alchemist Information

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.

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.

What Customers Say About The Alchemist:

The characters are two- or even one-dimensional, which is appropriate for a fairy tale but may be a little vaporous for some readers.The paean to individualism is popular, most likely because actual individualism is getting harder and harder and less and less important. This isn't really a novel so much as a novella or extended fairy tale.Imagine a very much thinned-out Siddhartha.The insights are pleasing and the settings fine.

I read this book about a week and a half before starting chemo therapy and it really put a smile on my face. Great considerations for a "grass is greener." kind of guy like me, and this served as one among life's many reminders to remember and practice those lessons. It's engaging story offers material for you to ponder.On several instances I had to close it mid page to give it some thought. I went through the questions at the end which were also nice.I agree with the concept that the best way to get what you want is to want what you have, and honestly I could type several paragraphs on the messages from this.

I'm not giving it 5 stars because I think it is "the fiber of man kinds being", I just think it has some important yet simple wisdom (albeit old as some reviews complain), presented in a great way, that everyone should consider. Whenever you are talking about happiness and life's dreams it is hard for religion and spirituality not to intertwine. No matter what your faith system is this book leaves spaces for it to relate to you. A lot of friends I have (and myself) would be better off if they considered things like this more often; appreciating the small things in life, but alas knowing is not the same as doing.I plan on keeping this and revisiting it in the future. The subjects "the soul of the world" and "the hand that writes everything" are analogies for you to perceive as you please.I recommend this book anyone, it is a good story, and deeply thought provoking. Though the lessons shared here may not be new as others have pointed out, its presentation and lightheartedness make it a great read and easy to grasp.

I do not consider this a secular, worldly, or any type of confirming/non confirming religious statement in any way. It is a story that really made me think, and smile, I literally laughed out loud when I read the last paragraph, then I thought about it over a long hike with my dog, I like that in a book. Great metaphors are abundant but often times Coelho just spells it out right there on the page for you. This book is going to mean different things to different people, but in short the importance for my life was on people (I'm a home-body) , as well as placing equal value on the journey as well as the destination.

Such a simple story/message, yet it gets me every time.Read this book. EVERYONE. You will not be disappointed. I have to admit to reading this book at least 5 times over the last 3 or 4 years. I buy this book for everyone.

Oh that's one thing that could have been better, the adventure could have been longer. Very interesting read, I ended up finishing the book on the same day ups delivered it.

I love hand me down books because it's easier to turn the pages. The book was in great condition. This is a great book. I highly recommend this to readers of all ages.