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Loading... The Alchemist (original 1988; edition 2006)by Paulo Coelho
Work InformationThe Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (1988)
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Ugh. This was difficult to continue/finish - but I did so now I can write my honest review. While well-written in regard to grammar and structure, I couldn’t help but wonder, “What am I reading?” Alchemy, by definition, is the branch of study and practical craft in the medieval and early renaissance period concerned with the nature and transformation of physical substances; i.e., turning lead into gold. Therefore, an alchemist, is someone who practices alchemy. So, naturally, I assumed the book was about someone who wanted to turn lead into gold. For the most part, that was incorrect; this book was a weirdly preachy hybrid between Christianity and Islam and to be honest, was a complete mess. We follow Santiago, a shepherd on his great quest to follow his personal legend. He meets a king, Melchizedek who gives him two stones, Urim and Thummim to help him interpret omens. From here, Santiago gives up his sheep and goes in search of his legend to the pyramids of Egypt. Yes, there is more to the book, I think, but it is so surrounded by dreams and snippets of Biblical isms I got lost on what in the world the book was about - certainly not a lot of turning lead into gold. Part “The Secret” and part Bible, the Alchemist is a lot, and a little, and to me, not worth it. That being said, it was well-crafted and deserves a go if you are into preachy fantasy. Anyone looking for life-enhancing wisdom should not have high expectations of The Alchemist but I liked it. My daughter sent it to me and I would have rated it 4 stars except for a few small discontents. What I liked most was the style. I love a good fable and I love the kind of style that comes with a fable. Coelho's style has a timeless, universal quality that hints at wisdom and profound archetypal knowledge in a sentient world where Jung's synchronicity prevails and order can be uncovered. My discontents belong first to the words 'Personal Legend' which are probably a translation issue. Perhaps this points to the paucity of the English language to express dimensions of alignment with primal forces? The second, and, as I write this I realise it is related to the first, a moment in the book which I had to re-read several times because suddenly the narrative seemed to change track and we saw the world through the eyes of the Englishman. While the idea that alchemy was a spiritual quest for the gold of the self has been the subject of much speculation, The Alchemist has a foot in both camps. I liked the circularity at the end but ultimately I hoped for something more profound. That said, it was such a wonderful and enchanting journey that I'll seek out some more Paulo Coelho. no reviews | add a review
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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. No library descriptions found.
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)869.342Literature Spanish and Portuguese Portuguese Portuguese fiction 20th Century 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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Now it made me think about some things and maybe I took something from it, but mostly this book wasn't for me. In the first place, it's quite religious. It repeatedly talks about how God is going to help you if you follow your true story. I might not be 100% atheist but I am pretty sure no matter how hard you work for that "true story" in the end, it's up to luck. I don't really believe in things being fated or predetermined.
So yeah, while I took the idea of following your dream as encouraging because it's something I just recently decided to do, I wasn't really into all the preaching. The story was enjoyable enough, and I liked the ending. ( )