The Alchemist
About The Alchemist
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is a story about Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy with a seeking heart, whose recurring dream leads him to sell his flock and travel to the Egyptian pyramids in pursuit of treasure. One by one, people and circumstances enter Santiago’s life pushing him further than he ever thought he was capable and leading him closer to his Personal Legend. Mounting challenges cause Santiago to lose faith and question his destiny, but he learns that even when it feels like life is conspiring against him, it has been serving him the whole time.
At 171 pages, it’s a quick read. The book is formatted into two parts with no chapters, so the story moves continually and freely. While the lessons will cause you to pause, the writing itself is easy to follow. Even the characters are simply named after their respective roles: the old woman, old man, girl, crystal merchant, and Englishman, e.g.
Why this book is a perennial favorite
The Alchemist ranks as one of my all-time favorite books. Despite three reads under my belt, its light never dims. I could easily return to it again and again thanks to the book’s perennial messages on courage, faith, and love. It is like a self-help book wrapped in a mythical tale. With comforting wisdom tucked into nearly every page, you feel like you are sitting at the feet of your eldest family member listening to surprising stories and secrets to a fulfilling life.
The beauty of the story is also its ability to foster connection and tap into universal truths no matter what one’s background. Coelho says, “Even if my neighbor doesn't understand my religion or understand my politics, he can understand my story. If he can understand my story, then he's never too far from me. It is always within my power to build a bridge” (X).
Its resilient rise to the most translated book in history by any living author
Perhaps what makes this humble novel even more impressive is its own resilience story. Shortly after the book’s initial publication in 1988 in Brazil, its contract was canceled due to unimpressive sales. Still, Coelho did not give up. He says, “But I never lost faith in the book or ever wavered in my vision. Why? Because it was me in there, all of me, heart and soul….I was following my Personal Legend, and my treasure was my capacity to write. And I wanted to share this treasure with the world” (VII-VIII). Thanks to the author's vision and the desire of an American visitor of Brazil to translate Coelho’s book, The Alchemist took hold in America, eventually becoming a long-time New York Times bestseller, and is now the most translated book in history by any living author.
Life lessons from The Alchemist
(*Bolding in quotes is my own)
Simplicity
“‘It’s the simple things in life that are the most extraordinary; only wise men are able to understand them’” (17).
Purpose
“‘It’s a force that appears to be negative, but actually shows you how to realize your Personal Legend. It prepares your spirit and your will, because there is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it’s because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It’s your mission on earth’” (24).
Faith
“‘In order to find the treasure, you will have to follow the omens. God has prepared a path for everyone to follow. You just have to read the omens that he left for you’” (31-32).
Mindset
“As he mused about these things, he realized that he had to choose between thinking of himself as the poor victim of a thief and as an adventurer in quest of his treasure” (45).
Decisions
“He still had some doubts about the decision he made. But he was able to understand one thing: making a decision was only the beginning of things. When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamed of when he first made the decision” (70).
Individuality
“‘Everyone has his or her own way of learning things,’ he said to himself. ‘His way isn't the same as mine, nor mine as his. But we're both in search of our Personal Legends, and I respect him for that’” (86).
Gratitude
“Maybe God created the desert so that man could appreciate the date trees, he thought” (89).
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’” (102).
Courage
“‘Courage is the quality most essential to understanding the Language of the World’" (115).
Action
“‘There is only one way to learn,’ the alchemist answered. ‘It’s through action. Everything you need to know you have learned through your journey’” (129).
Trials
“‘What you still need to know is this: before a dream is realized, the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along the way. It does this not because it is evil, but so that we can, in addition to realizing our dreams, master the lessons we’ve learned as we’ve moved toward that dream. That’s the point at which most people give up’” (136-137).
Fear
“‘Don't give in to your fears,’ said the alchemist, in a strangely gentle voice. ‘If you do, you won't be able to talk to your heart’” (146).
Love
“‘It is we who nourish the Soul of the World, and the world we live in will be either better or worse, depending on whether we become better or worse. And that's where the power of love comes in. Because when we love, we always strive to become better than we are’” (155).