Name: Vojtech's review of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Item: The Alchemist
Rating: 3
Author: Vojtech

Paulo Coelho

A special 25th anniversary edition of the extraordinary international bestseller, including a new Foreword by Paulo Coelho. 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 Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure. His quest will lead him to riches far different—and far more satisfying—than he ever imagined. Santiago's journey teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, of recognizing opportunity and learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and, most importantly, to follow our dreams.

The Alchemist

When someone sees the same people every day, as had happened with him at the seminary, they wind up becoming a part of that person's life. And then they want the person to change. If someone isn't what others want them to be, the others become angry. Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own. 

to ponder on the sacrifices our parents made for us

And he gave the boy his blessing. The boy could see in his father's gaze a desire to be able, himself, to travel the world a desire that was still alive, despite his father's having had to bury it, over dozens of years, under the burden of struggling for water to drink, food to eat, and the same place to sleep every night of his life.

doing the most with what you have to maximize your impact

Ashna Nirula

"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."

everyone needs just one person that loves them to unlock this literal superpower

"When you are loved, you can do anything in creation.

When you are loved, there's no need at all to understand what's happening, because everything happens within you, and even men can turn themselves into the wind.

But, unfortunately, very few follow the path laid out for them—the path to their Personal Legends, and to happiness. Most people see the world as a threatening place, and, because they do, the world turns out, in-deed, to be a threatening place.

a beautiful passage on why any of us should do anything

is an encounter with God" the boy told his heart. "When I have been truly searching for my treasure, every day has been luminous, because I've known that every hour was a part of the dream that I would find it. When I have been truly searching for my treasure, I've discovered things along the way that I never would have seen had I not had the courage to try things that seemed impossible for a shepherd to achieve."

love should enhance purpose instead of stray from it

"You must understand that love never keeps a man from pursuing his Personal Legend. If he abandons that pursuit, it's because it wasn't true love ... the love that speaks the Language of the World."

the meaninglessness of life makes it beautiful

And, as the camel driver had said, to die tomorrow was no worse than dying on any other day. Every day was there to be lived or to mark one's departure from this world.

things aren’t as permanent as we perceive. there is always a third door way to do anything in life if you want it badly enough. 

On the other hand, I don't know if the desert can be a friend, and it's in the desert that I have to search for my treasure. If I don't find it, I can always go home. I finally have enough money, and all the time I need. Why not?

desensitivity. can it truly be overcome by proactive gratitude ?

He was sure that it made no difference to her on which day he appeared: for her, every day was the same, and 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 old man continued, "In the long run, what people think about shepherds and bakers becomes more important for them than their own Personal Legends."

I think this validates Marcus Aurelius's idea that being yourself is not only crucial to confidence and self-love, but to be valuable to the rest of earth. You can only truly do great things if you really want it.

There is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever you do, when you really want something, it's because that desire originated from the soul of the universe. It's your mission on earth.

Nova <3

“We are afraid of losing what we have, whether it’s our life or our possessions and property. But this fear evaporates when we understand that our life stories and the history of the world were written by the same hand.”

“When you want something, all the universe conspires to help you achieve it.''

Cordula Swoboda Herzog

Santiago, ein andalusischer Hirte, hat einen wiederkehrenden Traum: Am Fuß der Pyramiden liege ein Schatz für ihn bereit. Soll er das Vertraute für möglichen Reichtum aufgeben? Santiago ist mutig genug, seinem Traum zu folgen. Er begibt sich auf eine Reise die ihn über die Souks in Tanger bis nach Ägypten führt, er findet in der Stille der Wüste auch zu sich selbst und erkennt, dass das Leben Schätze bereithält, die nicht mit Gold aufzuwiegen sind.

Roman

Der Alchimist

"Maktub. Wenn ich ein Teil deiner Bestimmung bin, dann wirst du eines Tages wiederkommen."

Und verlasse dich auf Allah. Allah genügt als Sachwalter.

"die Zukunft steht geschrieben, von Allahs Hand, und was auch immer passieren würde, es ist zum Besten des Menschen"

"Nur eines macht sein Traumziel unerreichbar: die Angst vor dem Versagen."

"Mein Herz fürchtet sich vor dem Leiden" [...]

"Dann sag ihm, daß die Angst vorm Leiden schlimmer ist als das eigentliche Leid."

Laura Pallas

and when each day is the same as the next, it’s because people fail to recognise the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises 

Angelica Garcia 

The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.

Lukas

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

Amanda Autumn Berrey

“Tomorrow, sell your camel and buy a horse. Camels are traitorous: they walk thousands of paces and never seem to tire. Then suddenly, they kneel and die. But horses tire bit by bit. You always know how much you can ask of them, and when it is that they are about to die.”

“If good things are coming, they will be a pleasant surprise,” said the seer. “If bad things are, and you know in advance, you will suffer greatly before they even occur.”

To do that successfully, I must have no fear of failure. It was my fear of failure that first kept me from attempting the Master Work. Now, I’m beginning what I could have started ten years ago. But I’m happy at least that I didn’t wait twenty years.”

Vojtech

first read this book my senior year of high school and had actually never heard of it before then. after reading this, i just thought it was a beautiful story and honestly very inspiring. will always be one of my favs..!

vicky

"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." 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.

Amna A.

The concept of this book reminded me of The Secret, “And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” It was interesting to a certain extent until it got too spiritual when the boy stuck conversations with the Sun and wind. But I quite liked the ending very much. Just makes you wonder...

Bella Baxter

An incredible read given to me by my best friend at the perfect time. I'm at a point in my life where I feel like I don't know what my Personal Legend is or what direction I should go in, but I'm definitely glad that I read this book. I saw myself in every page and was amazed by the parables. Unfortunately, I didn't find it so life-changing to make me want to immediately jump into finding my purpose as I thought it would. It does however, provide the encouragement to do so.  I highly recommend this book to anyone going through a time in their lives where they feel lost or unsure of what they should do next. I would have rated it as a 4.5 if I could.

Amy Jurskis

Paulo Coelho's enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and soul-stirring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried near 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 in his path. 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.

Little Flower

Another easy high rating (for me). No wonder it’s one if the most translated book with million copies sold to this day. Do read it at least once in a lifetime.

This book is a trite, poorly written inspirational tale masquerading as an adventure quest. The storyline about a boy seeking treasure is merely a vehicle for delivering clichéd life lessons like "follow your dreams" and "what you seek is right in front of you." Coelho beats these morals over the reader's head with heavy-handed symbolism and capitalization of "important" words. The message boils down to simplistic platitudes that any reasonable person would respond to with "Well, no shit, Sherlock." Rather than an engaging adventure, it's didactic drivel along the lines of "The Purpose Driven Life" dressed up with exotic window dressing. A disappointment from an author who claims to understand alchemy but fails to transform this steaming pile into anything resembling gold.

Liana

Isabella 

The book was a quick read, but I did not connect with it at all. I was not interested nor invested in the story. I heard so many great things about this book, so I expected a lot. However, I acknowledge its key theme, and it successfully conveyed it, but as a reading experience, it is underwhelming.

Lewis Ngugi

You see those thought-provoking anythings? Well this is the book that defines the term itself. Worth every single word, line, page and chapter. 

You will find how real it is when you watch documentaries about Alchemy. Buy it! Read it! Shelve it!

ella

a very poetic and philosophical fiction. there were some parts that made me stop and ponder about what is it that it was telling. also i kept reminding myself that it's not a spiritual guidance book. it's a fiction that tells about one's spiritual journey in a beautiful figurative way.

Sang Alkemis

Ketika seorang gembala mendapat mimpi yang sama sebanyak dua kali berturut-turut, maka ia merasa ada suatu pertanda untuk dirinya. Pergilah ia kepada seorang ahli tafsir mimpi Gipsi. Diberitahukan kepadanya bahwa ia harus mencari harta seperti pada mimpinya.
Belajar untuk merelakan domba-domba yang sudah ia miliki saat ini, si anak gembala kemudian mulai meyakinkan diri untuk mengejar mimpi dan takdirnya, mencari harta karun.
Tantangan dan hambatan selalu ia dapatkan, namun dengan keyakinan, keteguhan hati, pertanda-pertanda, dan pengalaman bertemu orang-orang baik yang selalu menyertainya, ia kemudian menjadi pribadi yang tidak pantang menyerah hingga bisa lebih yakin dan memahami takdir yang sudah digariskan kepadanya.
Sungguh, kisah petualangan yang tidak biasa.

"Memang benar, hidup ini sangat murah hati pada orang-orang yang mau mengerjar takdir mereka, pikir si anak"
- halaman 220

Buku ini sangat aku rekomendasikan buat teman-teman yang baru memulai membiasakan membaca buku.
Bacaan ringan, namun sarat makna.
Bahasa yang digunakan indah dan mudah dimengerti.
Banyak sekali pelajaran hidup yang bisa diambil dari kisah si anak gembala ini.
Kutipan-kutipan yang dituliskan juga sangat relate dengan kehidupan sehari-hari.

i have started this year off insane omg! if i had to boil down everything i loved about this book into one idea, it would be that it has the simplest coating around some extremely valuable and profound lessons. The book was written so that even those with limited vocabulary (i didn't want to say children because i think we need to stop normalizing dumbing things down for kids) could understand. there were no extra words, everything was simply but beautifully said. the ending was one of the best i've seen because again, it was simply fantastic. a simply fantastic read, with takeaways i want to continue to reinforce. i think this will become my yearly re-read, as there are things i dont want my future self to forget about it.

shadee

finally got to read the book where somehow almost everyone recommends. a book about great self discovery. but i dont know it wasnt in line with my beliefs i just felt like i wanted to finish this book just to want to know what type of book it is.

Kritika Narula

I read it way back in 2008. and I read it once every year, since then. 
It was one of the first books that I read for inspiration. somehow, it makes you believe in a belief. Who can deny the relevance and popularity of the famed reference from the book,"When you really want something, the whole world conspires in your favour."
so, I opine that if a book leaves you with optimism about life and dreams in the end, it has been worthy of your time....

Cody Degen

roman

Simyacı

Yağmur Yıldız

Kitabın dili ve anlatının tekrar etmesi hoşuma gitmese de, merak ettiren bir olay örgüsü var. Delikanlı’nın hayattaki sebebinin peşinden gitmesi, vazgeçeceği zamanlarda bulunduğu ortamın onu devam etmeye yönlendirmesi kendi hayatımda da arayacağım bir şey olabilir. Bu kitabı okuduğumda Büyük Güneydoğu Depremi ülkemi ve beni sarsmıştı. Ancak kitap bulunduğum ruh haline o kadar cuk oturdu ki, yerimden kalkma ve bir şeyler yapabilme gücünü buldum kendimde. Hayata dair hiçbir hevesinizin kalmadığı dönemler için güzel bir kitap…

Dist

It's spiritually fulfilling for those who are thirsty for any kind of food for the soul.

Anna

I enjoyed it much more than i thought i would wow

El Alquimista

Morelia Thuler

Odié que el personaje de Fátima (la única mujer de la que se habla en el libro) haya sido escrito solamente para el character development del personaje principal. Tiene lindas enseñanzas pero otras son como ??? El tema religioso es súper recurrente y no es algo de lo que sea muy fan. Tampoco me gustó cómo las Leyendas Personales de los hombres son de aventuras, buscar tesoros, etcétera, mientras por ejemplo la de Fátima era conocer a Santiago y esperarlo cuando él no estaba junto a ella. No creo que sea un libro que valga la pena leer.

marj

The writing is a little...too hard for my small brain to understand but it definitely had its moments. It's a short book but it took me a while to get through because it felt like every sentence had to be dissected into little pieces in order to understand what any of it really meant. The book was still enjoyable and further analyzing of the book created a deeper understanding and eventually I started to love it more and more as I kept analyzing.

my first audiobook experience after a while and it acknowledges as this poetic.. i've been a bit struggling to reach the end but the tale makes me living in my cloud dreaming palace. probably will re-read it someday for better experience

inspiring, omw towards my personal legend

chen

i really do not like this book,,,felt pretentious and preachy as hell but there were some lines that were nice/ok hence the two stars

moira

Reads like the escape of a pilates teacher to bali set in the 18th century 

Josua Backmann

Laura Layden

I ache for the depth of humanity xxxxx its giving live laugh love for people who've never experienced problems

It's not that life changing as everybody was saying. It's book for people that don't read and their other favorite book is 

It's not that life changing as everybody was saying. It's book for people that don't read and their other favorite book is The Little Prince.

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The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

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