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The Alchemist

By Paulo Coelho

(60)

| Paperback | 9780060543884

10 Reviews

1 person find this helpful

*** This comment contains spoilers! ***

2.5 stars, middle-of-the-road

There are definitely two ways to read this book. If taken at face value, the book is fairly enjoyable--the plot of a journey of self-discovery is tried and true, and the reader picks up some poignant insights along the way. It is brief and simple, written in such a way that is universally understand ... (continue)

There are definitely two ways to read this book. If taken at face value, the book is fairly enjoyable--the plot of a journey of self-discovery is tried and true, and the reader picks up some poignant insights along the way. It is brief and simple, written in such a way that is universally understandable and applicable. It is definitely a feel-good tale with an appropriate ending, complete with adventure, mystery, life lessons, love, and treasure.
On the other hand, you may not find yourself as contented if you read it while doing any kind of analysis. During a discussion of the novel, it occurred to me that the people encouraged to follow their Personal Legend were all men. Only three female characters really present themselves in the course of the novel: the merchant's daughter, the gypsy, and Fatima. Even Fatima, seemingly the most dynamic of the three, is considered wise by being a woman who understands that she must let her love go to follow his dreams and relegate her life to the hope of seeing him return from the desert. The boy's only options are continuing on without her or staying at the oasis, while there is no mention of her leaving to travel with him or what she dreams of doing with her life (although perhaps at one point it mentions that her Personal Legend was to wait for him--which is disappointing in relation to the Legends of male characters).
Along with this, Coelho deals with fairly complex philosophical and faith-based issues in a way that can almost be construed as overly simplistic. While he argues that we have let our fears get in our way if we find things more complex than the turn of events he describes for the shepherd boy, I think that too any practical reader the ideas about life in general are insightful but also seem like a SparkNotes for living--written in a basic format so as to be understood, but without any of the nuances that accompany actual experience.
While the idea of fate conspiring in "beginner's luck" to help one succeed in the following of a Personal Legend is comforting and positive, I was a little disappointed by the link to God. Coelho is a Catholic, so this is understandable, but I enjoyed the creation of a philosophy in which man's soul and energy are one with the "Soul of the World," stressing the interdependence of all things. I don't think it is absolutely necessary to declare God at the root of all these things. While I don't necessarily believe in fate, either, the interrelation each thing in the world is an uplifting yet sobering thought (especially when we consider the acceleration in the rate of global warming), and something with a great potential to teach readers a philosophical lesson that could have spanned all audiences instead of just religious ones.

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― Chezmerelda said on Nov 24, 2007 | Add your feedback

1 person find this helpful

Finding Your Destiny

This book is for anyone who has a dream, a dream that keeps on nagging...
Read this book and be inspired to find your destiny.
“To realize one's destiny is a person's only real obligation.” ~ "The Alchemist"

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― Yun said on Nov 17, 2007 | Add your feedback

1 person find this helpful

I know a lot of people love it. I think it's good, but not that good. I might need to read it again to understand why people love it.

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― pichuan said on Mar 31, 2007 | Add your feedback

picked up at beach house

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― StoutHearted said on Oct 5, 2009 | Add your feedback

First book that pulls me into the world of Paul Coelho. His writings are both elegant and emotional. This book is about the journey of life and its meaning - a sure classic and must-read for anyone and everyone.

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― Sibant said on Aug 1, 2009 | Add your feedback

"when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it" --- this line from the book made it to the top ten of my favorite books for all time.

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― Magnolia Sonja said on Apr 13, 2009 about the Mass Market Paperback edition | Add your feedback