Synopses & Reviews
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 his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. 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.
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“A wise and inspiring fable about the pilgrimage that life should be.” M. Scott Peck
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“An adventure story full of magic and wisdom.” Rudolfo Anaya, author of Bless Me, Ultima
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“A touching, inspiring fable.” Indianapolis Star
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“A magical little volume.” San Francisco Chronicle
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“[This] Brazilian wizard makes books disappear from stores.” New York Times
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“[His] books have had a life-enchanting effect on millions of people.” London Times
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“A beautiful story with a pointed message for every reader.” Joseph Girzone, author of Joshua
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“As memorable and meaningful as Saint-Exuperys The Little Prince.” Austin American-Statesman
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“A sweetly exotic tale for young and old alike.” Publishers Weekly
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“A most tender and gentle story. It is a rare gem of a book.” Gerald G. Jampolsky, M.D., co-author of Change Our Mind, Change Your Life
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“An entrepreneurial tale of universal wisdom we can apply to the business of our own lives.” Spencer Johnson, M.D., co-author of The One-Minute Manager
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“A remarkable tale about the most magical of all journeys: the quest to fulfill ones destiny.” Anthony Robbins, author of Awaken the Giant Within
Synopsis
"To realize one's destiny is a person's only obligation."--from The Alchemist
The Alchemist tells the story of Santiago, the young Andalusian shepherd who dreams of buried treasure in Egypt and embarks upon a challenging journey to find it. With all the simplicity and symbolic richness of a fable, Coelho's novel is both a hunt for buried treasure and a spiritual quest, with a hero who overcomes trials along the way with the help of teachers who guide him.
Paulo Coelho's books have difficult--and valuable--lessons to impart, but much of their appeal comes from the way Coelho dramatizes these lessons. With exquisite simplicity, the author brings to these stories his own experience of confronting life's most profound challenges, his broad knowledge of philosophy, psychology, and literature, and a deeply-felt humanity.
Freshman Common Read: Erskine College, Montana State University at Bozeman, Immaculata University, Queensborough Community College
--Austin American-Statesman
Synopsis
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.
About the Author
The Brazilian author Paulo Coelho was born in 1947 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Before dedicating his life completely to literature, he worked as theater director, actor, lyricist, and journalist. Coelho wrote song lyrics for many famous performers in Brazilian music, such as Elis Regina and Rita Lee, yet he is best known for his work with Raul Seixas. Together they wrote such successes as "Eu nasci há dez mil anos atrás" ("I Was Born Ten Thousand Years Ago"), "Gita," and "Al Capone."
His fascination with the spiritual quest dates back to his hippie days, when he travelled the world learning about secret societies, oriental religions, etc. In 1982, Coelho published his first book, Hell Archives, which failed to make any kind of impact. In 1985, he contributed to the Practical Manual of Vampirism, although he later tried to take it off the shelves, since he considered it "of bad quality." In 1986, Paulo Coelho did the pilgrimage to Saint James of Compostella, an experience later to be documented in his book The Pilgrimage.