The Alchemist

... Show More
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho continues to change the lives of its readers forever. With more than two million copies sold around the world, The Alchemist has established itself as a modern classic, universally admired.

Paulo Coelho’s masterpiece tells 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.

The story of the treasures Santiago finds along the way teaches us, as only a few stories can, 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.

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1,1988

This edition

Format
192 pages, Hardcover
Published
January 1, 1998 by Harper San Francisco
ISBN
9780060887964
ASIN
B002H398M4
Language
English
Characters More characters
  • Santiago

    Santiago

    An adventurous young Andalusian shepherd determined to fulfill his personal legend, which is to find a treasure at the foot of the Egyptian pyramids. He is the books protagonist.more...

  • Alchemist

    Alchemist

    ...

  • Melchizedek

    Melchizedek

    Melchizedek was the priest-king of Salem who lived during the time of Abram and at that time was one of the kings involved in the war against Sodom and Gomorrah. Melchizedek was the first of the priestly Order of Melchizedek (of which is an eponym of him)...

About the author

... Show More
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 theatre director and actor, lyricist and journalist. In 1986, PAULO COELHO did the pilgrimage to Saint James of Compostella, an experience later to be documented in his book The Pilgrimage. In the following year, COELHO published The Alchemist. Slow initial sales convinced his first publisher to drop the novel, but it went on to become one of the best selling Brazilian books of all time. Other titles include Brida (1990), The Valkyries (1992), By the river Piedra I sat Down and Wept (1994), the collection of his best columns published in the Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo entitle Maktub (1994), the compilation of texts Phrases (1995), The Fifth Mountain (1996), Manual of a Warrior of Light (1997), Veronika decides to die (1998), The Devil and Miss Prym (2000), the compilation of traditional tales in Stories for parents, children and grandchildren (2001), Eleven Minutes (2003), The Zahir (2005), The Witch of Portobello (2006) and Winner Stands Alone (to be released in 2009). During the months of March, April, May and June 2006, Paulo Coelho traveled to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his pilgrimage to Saint James of Compostella in 1986. He also held surprise book signings - announced one day in advance - in some cities along the way, to have a chance to meet his readers. In ninety days of pilgrimage the author traveled around the globe and took the famous Transiberrian train that took him to Vladivostok. During this experience Paulo Coelho launched his blog Walking the Path - The Pilgrimage in order to share with his readers his impressions. Since this first blog Paulo Coelho has expanded his presence in the internet with his daily blogs in Wordpress, Myspace & Facebook. He is equally present in media sharing sites such as Youtube and Flickr, offering on a regular basis not only texts but also videos and pictures to his readers. From this intensive interest and use of the Internet sprang his bold new project: The Experimental Witch where he invites his readers to adapt to the screen his book The Witch of Portobello. Indeed Paulo Coelho is a firm believer of Internet as a new media and is the first Best-selling author to actively support online free distribution of his work.

Community Reviews

Rating(4 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
35(35%)
4 stars
34(34%)
3 stars
31(31%)
2 stars
0(0%)
1 stars
0(0%)
100 reviews All reviews
April 16,2025
... Show More
DÜNYANIN EN ÇOK ABARTILAN KİTABI

Neden Simyacı dünyanın en çok abartılan kitabı?:
https://youtu.be/lFYm2W7uV0o

Goodreads'de inceleme yapması içimden gelmeyen nadir kitaplardandır Simyacı.

"Ha şimdi sen bu kadar popüler ve beğenilmiş bir kitabı eleştiriyorsan kesin prim yapmak için yapıyorsundur bunu." mantığıyla gelinebilir bunu anlarım fakat zaten dünyada büyük etki bırakmış bu tür eserleri böyle eleştirmek, kötülemek vs. biraz ilginç ve hadsiz hissettirmiyor da değil. Keza bu durumun tersi olarak, bu zamana kadar epey popülerleşmiş 1984 ve Kürk Mantolu Madonna gibi eserleri de çok sevmiştim mesela. Bu incelemeyi de sadece kitabı okuyup bitirdikten sonra oluşan duygularımı dürüstçe açıklamak istediğim için yazıyorum, zaten bu sitede de yaptığım puanlamaları elimden geldiğince gerçek okuma deneyimime dayanarak vermeye çalışıyorum.

Kitabı okuyanlar için spoiler entry'si : https://eksisozluk.com/entry/24419002
Kitabın konusu aslında birebir Takkeci İbrahim Ağa hikayesinden alıntıdır diyebiliriz. Okumadan önce haberim yoktu bu hikayeden fakat kitapla birleşemememin sebebi de bu değil zaten. Basit bir kişisel gelişim kitabı mantığına da katılmamakla birlikte, kitabın konusunu ve anlattığı şeyleri epey sade buldum. Aslında dünyada da genel olarak bu sadeliğinin güzelliğinden dolayı seviliyor olabilir. Fakat, Simyacı bana bu sadelik, detaysızlık ve konunun katmanlı değil tek bir yönde ilerlemesinden ötürü bir tuzsuz pilav yemiş etkisi yaptı. Evet, okuduktan sonra okudum ve bu kitabı hayatıma kattım diyebiliyorsunuz ama ben kendi adıma tat alamadım bu kitaptan.

Hiçbir kitabı zaman kaybı olarak görmeyen ben, bu kitabı da keza zaman kaybı olarak görmedim. Sadece popüleritesinin yerini alabilecek çok fazla sayıda başka kitap var iken bu kitabın neden bu kadar popüler ve kıymeti abartılmış, gereğinden fazla değer verilmiş olmasını sorguladım kendi adıma.

Hayatın sürekli devam ettiğini, kendini tanımanın ve "kişisel menkıbe"nin önemini, evrenin işaretlerini, evrenin dilini, sözcüklerin ötesinde bir dili, yolculukların, gelişimin ve güzelliklerin önemini ben de biliyorum fakat bu bir romana yoğrulunca bende bir kişisel gelişim kitabıymışçasına algı bırakıyor sanki.

Dediğim gibi benim için hala tuzsuz bir pilav, şekersiz bir tiramisu, ekşisiz bir mandalina, acısız bir çiğköfte etkisi bırakan kitaptır.
April 16,2025
... Show More
All those negative reviews are baffling to me. Where does it say this is a self help book? People are bashing the "lessons" as if this is some philosophical or religious work. It's a fictional story that can be enjoyed by yourself or with your kids for ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. It's a fun story filled to the brim with quirks and marvels. I was curious the entire time how following one's legend blindly would turn out for the boy. Am I going to now follow my dreams without logic and reason as in the story? No. Because I'm not a crazy person. Get over it. It's just a story and a good one at that.

EDIT: My first 100+ likes review. Thank you everyone!
April 16,2025
... Show More
Mua cuốn này vì nhiều lý do. Thứ nhất vì nghe đồn là cuốn sách bán chạy nhất mọi thời đại chỉ sau Kinh Thánh. Thứ 2 vì liếc thấy dịch giả là bác Lê Chu Cầu, 1 trong 2 bác mình thấy khá kết (bác còn lại là Trần Tiễn Cao Đăng). Thật ra bác Cầu dịch tiếng Đức rất xuất sắc (điển hình như "Mùi hương" đọc rất phê :3), cuốn này bác ấy cũng dịch từ tiếng Đức, mình ko thích việc dịch từ thứ tiếng khác, ko phải tiếng của bản gốc lắm (bản gốc tiếng Bồ) nhưng thôi cũng đành chịu :|

Lý do thứ nữa cũng là cuối cùng vì thấy bảo cuốn này phù hợp với những người vẫn còn đang phân vân về định hướng cuộc đời. Còn gì phù hợp với 1 thằng đang sắp sửa bước vào độ tuổi đc coi là đen tối nhất cuộc đời thằng đàn ông : bồ cũ sắp đi lấy chồng, sự nghiệp chưa có chi, bọn sv nó chê mình già ko cho mình chơi cùng nữa, nhận ra những điều trước giờ nghĩ vậy mà hóa ra ko phải vậy... :(

Nói về nội dung thì mình có phần hơi ngại những câu chuyện nhiều màu sắc tín ngưỡng, đức tin...vì mình gần như ko quan tâm cũng như ko có nhiều kiến thức về tôn giáo các thể loại. Gần nhất là va phải Life of Pi, phần đầu lê lết mãi mới qua may mà những phần sau hành trình lênh đênh trên biển hấp dẫn quá ko đã bỏ dở giữa chừng :s

Quay lại vs "Nhà giả kim" mình thấy nó hơi giáo điều thậm chí sáo rỗng ở nhiều đoạn. Đôi khi có cảm giác giá trị của nó không xứng tầm với danh tiếng mà nó được (hoặc phải) mang. Thêm nữa câu chuyện có vẻ hơi dễ đoán, thiếu cao trào kịch tính, hơi mang nhiều màu sắc cổ tích (phản ánh giấc mơ và những thế lực thần bí giúp ta theo đuổi giấc mơ).

"Nhà giả kim" chưa đạt được tới tầm "đáng đọc" hoặc "để đời" đối với bản thân mình. Ai bảo mình nông cạn chưa "thấm" được những triết lý thì mình cũng đành chịu :3
Lưỡng lự giữa 2 sao và 3 sao :| thôi cho 2 sao - mức trung tính cho những cuốn mình ko bỏ dở giữa chừng nhưng thấy chưa đủ hay, chưa đủ xuất sắc :|

Bài học rút ra : sách bán chạy tức là và chỉ đồng nghia với việc...bán đc nhiều, thế thôi.
April 16,2025
... Show More
Whenever I felt lost, depressed, sad, numb, conflicted, frustrated, exhausted, I get this book into my hands and follow the journey of young shepherd Santiago who is looking for a worldly treasure. As like T.S. Eliot says: “ The journey not the arrival matters.”

This journey is about self discovery, fighting with your own demons, letting your heart being your own eyes and leading you throughout the dark and threatening roads of life. It’s epic, uplifting, motivational, inspirational,heartfelt, poignant!

Here are my favorite quotes of the book:
“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”

“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.”

“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.”

“Don't give in to your fears. If you do, you won’t be able to talk to your heart.”

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
April 16,2025
... Show More
I made it through a few pages before throwing it across the room. Then I picked it up, skimmed a few more pages and threw it in the bin. Then I washed my brain, eyes and fingers with bleach. Belongs with things like The Secret in the deepest depths of Book-Hell.
April 16,2025
... Show More
I need to start this review by stating 1) I can't stand self-help books and 2) I'm a feminist (no, I don't hate men- some men are quite awesome, but I am very conscious of women and our place in the world.)

Short summary (mild spoilers): A boy named Santiago follows his 'Personal Legend' in traveling from Spain to the Pyramids in Egypt searching for treasure. Along the way, he learns 'the Language of the World' the 'Soul of the World' and discovers that the 'Soul of God' is 'his own soul.'

If the statements in quotes above ('personal legend', etc) fascinate you, then you'll enjoy this book. If you think they are hokey and silly, then you'll think this is a terrible book. If you think statements such as "When you want something, all the universe conspires you to achieve it" and "All things are one" are moving and life-changing, you'll love this book. If such statements have you rolling your eyes, then this isn't your cup of tea.

Its not that I find anything wrong with these messages. They are important, but must be balanced with responsibility. In my experience, 'following your dreams' (or personal legend) is not the only way toward wisdom and strength. Is the person who struggles to put food on the table every day for his or her family, consciously realizing that he or she may not be following his or her 'personal legend' any less heroic than some traveler who leaves everything and everyone he or she is responsible for to go on a spiritual quest? Coelho comes close to labeling such people, as losers in life, which I find completely off the mark as some of these people have the most to offer in terms of wisdom.

The issue of responsibility is also part of this book's sexism. The main male characters in the novel have 'Personal Legends' - they are either seeking them, or have achieved them, or have failed to achieve them. But Coelho never mentions 'Personal Legend' with regard to women, other than to say that Fatima, Santiago's fiance, is 'a part of Santiago's Personal Legend." Thats fine, but what about her own Personal Legend? Instead of traveling to find her dreams, she is content to sit around, do chores, and stare everyday at the desert to wait for his return. This is her 'fate' as a desert women. The fact that women don't have Personal Legends is even more galling considering the fact that according to Coelho, even minerals such as lead and copper have Personal Legends, allowing them to 'evolve' to something better (ie, gold).

In the ideal world presented in THE ALCHEMIST, it seems that the job of men is to seek out their personal legends, leaving aside thoughts of family and responsibility, and its the job of women to let them, and pine for their return. Of course, someone has to do the unheroic, inconvenient work of taking care of the children, the animals, the elderly, the ill...If everyone simply goes off on spiritual quests, deciding they have no responsibility other than to seek their Personal Legends, no one would be taking responsibility for the unglamorous work that simply has to take place for the world to run.

On the other hand, what if both men and women are allowed to struggle towards their 'Personal Legends,' and help each other as best as they can towards them, but recognize that their responsibilities may force them to defer, compromise, or even 'sacrifice' their dreams? This may seem depressing, but it isn't necessarily. Coelho seems to think that Personal Legends are fixed at childhood (or at birth, or even before) and are not changeable: they have to be followed through to the end, no matter how silly. But in my experience, many people have chosen to adjust, compromise, and even 'give up' on their dreams, only to find that life grants them something better, or they have a new, better dream to follow, a path providing greater wisdom. For me, these people have a more realistic, more humble, more fair, and less cliched vision of the world than Paulo Coelho's vision in THE ALCHEMIST.

April 16,2025
... Show More
There are a number of “should read” books on my TBR... The Alchemist is probably one that’s been on my list the longest.

I don’t know what I was expecting, but this wasn’t it. I’m slightly disconcerted that it didn’t WOW me as I was led to believe— having read the 25th anniversary edition with a strong preface, I’m wondering why I wasn’t transformed by this classic?

Some lovely philosophical musings and plot devices to prove some long recognized adages. A few passages gave me pause and I even re-read one or two to make sure I understood them. I will admit to thinking of the stasis of my own life once or twice, now that I’m middle-aged. I definitely identified with the crystal shop owner more than I’d care to admit.

A quick read, I can see why so many have this on their “must read” lists but a five-star read it was not.

At least not for me.

(Reviewed 1/5/19)
April 16,2025
... Show More
I picked up this book in an airport between flights, it's been pretty hyped up and was obviously the most-purchased book from the store. Even the girl on the plane next to me, obviously not an english-speaker, took great efforts to tell me that she loved this book.

The book's protagonist is an adolescent shepherd and reads as if it were written by one. Coelho abandons all subtlety, capitalizing the phrase "Personal Legend" and using it every other page in a story that has the ingredients of a successful fairy tale but stitches them together in such a barebones superficial way that reminds me of $1.50 starbucks cups wisdom or motivational stories told by commencement speakers with a religious agenda. It's initial message of 'follow your passion' is soon altered to 'the story of your life is written by the same hand who wrote the story of the world' and then to 'the heart of alchemy is the Soul of the World [sic] which all should strive to join.' 80 pages was more than fair. Very willing to sell/swap.

Needless to say I didn't read any of the "Plus" aspects of this edition.
Leave a Review
You must be logged in to rate and post a review. Register an account to get started.