The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho [July/06]

This is one of those books that I had heard a lot about, and felt like it was a book I had to end the year saying that I had read. It was a very short book, but it packed a punch.

From the flap:

Paulo Coelho's enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from is 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 treasure found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.

I should have reviewed this book a while ago, but to be honest, I didn't really know what to say about it. It is one of those books that I feel you have to read to appreciate. It is a novel about following your dreams, something that people so rarely remember to do. Santiago goes the extra mile to search for meaning in his life, but only because he has perfect strangers helping him closer and closer to coming to terms with it. You learn that dreams are not safe things. Santiago risks a lot for his dream. He listens to his heart and goes the extra mile to do with his life what he was meant to. It is wonderful for those people that think that their dreams are impossible. It might show you more about yourself than you would think.

4.5/5