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.”

I simply could not finish this book. I got halfway through it only to wind up on goodreads.com to see what others thought. I simply felt guilty panning a book that has received such global acclaim; more than that, I felt lame and inadequate.

Well, it turns out that my sentiments were echoed. I basically felt I was reading an overblown parable and that the same lessons were being spelled out again and again. It was like the 16th verse of a hymn.

Throughout my life I have periodically reflected to get a sense of who I am, where I am going and whether I want to end up there. I am an extremely introspective person and I am constantly evaluating and re-evaluating my person; sometimes for the better, sometimes out of necessity. To put a fine point on it, I regularly do that which is, for lack of a better word, preached in this book. The problem I had with The Alchemist is that instead of feeling reinforced and validated, I felt uncomfortable and nagged.

Simplistic. an initiatory journey, but which would take us as children. I don't like Coelho's style; we think he takes us for dummies (I don't put 1 star because I managed to finish it: not too complicated!!).

A boy has a dream ... after leaving the seminary, Santiago becomes a shepherd. He likes to travel and does in the Andalusian region of Spain, with his sixty sheep. In an unstated era but feels like circa 1900. Roaming the countryside, visiting small villages, selling wool when money is needed. Always moving in search of food and water, for his little friends, their hunger and thirst is all, to them. Becoming an expert in his profession, but time passes by, the youth is now 18 . Resting in an abandoned church with his animals, looking through a hole in the roof, at the night sky and having an eerie dream. About finding treasure under the pyramids, in Egypt, a silly notion, but has it again. He forgets it, and goes back to work. Two years is an eternity on the road, for a boy and he feels lonely, until meeting a merchant's daughter. She can't believe that a lowly shepherd is reading a book ...After selling her father wool, he must continue his wanderings, the sheep need nourishment, but the girl is always on his mind. A woman, that he doesn't even know her name. Next year he'll be back there. Sleeping outdoors under the stars and moon, with his sheep, having no worries, going to new places , making camp fires, and eating surrounded by amiable companions, this is a good life. The boy is happy, but sees a gypsy woman, who tells him to trust in his omens , he is not convinced. One day in a town on the coast , where you can see Africa, a short distance away across the water, he meets an old, strange man, who claims to be the King of Salem! Tells him he should pursue his dream ,"Personal Legend"... Sells the sheep, takes a ship to Tangier, Africa, loses his money , and works in a crystal shop for an Arab, who's aspiration, is to visit Mecca but never will . And finally makes enough money to depart. Becoming friends with an Englishman, who is fascinated by his own alchemy books, and concludes that lead can be turned into gold... Taking a perilous trip, on camels they bought, in a large, slow moving caravan , for a desert oasis, right out of an Arabian Nights tale, the yellow sand, the glorious blue sky, and remorseless wind, the unceasing red sun, and a frightening tribal war close by, grinds them to despair ... But still the Englishman, thinks about an alchemist, 200 years old, living in that exotic, Egyptian oasis, their hopeful destination, and wanting to learn the magician 's secrets, only a short, few days , from the pyramids, too. Spotting at last, their goal, the caravan sees the distinct green palm trees , some of the thousands, full of dates , nearby, the endless journey has come to an end ... A fools trip or a voyage of discovery? But remember, watch for the hawks ...

“هناك على الدوام شخصا ما في العالم ينتظر شخصا اخر , سواء أكان ذلك في وسط الصحراء , أم في أعماق المدن الكبرى. وعندما يلتقي ذلك الشخصان , وتتعانق نظراتهما , يغدو الماضي والمستقبل بلا أهمية , إذ لا وجود إلا لهذه اللحظة الراهنة , ولهذا اليقين, الذي لا يمكن إدراكه , بأن كل شيء تحت قبة السماء , قد كتب باليد ذاتها, اليد التي تلد الحب, والتي خلقت توأما لروح كل كائن يعمل , أو يرتاح , أو يبحث عن الكنوز تحت نور الشمس. وإذا لم يكن الأمر كذلك, فإن أحلام الجنس البشري تغدو بلا معنى.”

ما اجمل هذه االسطور


في هذه الحالة الروحانية التي انا فيها بعد انتهائي من قراءة رواية الخيميائي يصعب علي حقا ان انتزع من قلبي الكلمات التي قد تستطيع ان تصف حاله

اللغة الكونية الساحرة ....العلامات....القدر...الاسطورة الشخصية....وهذه الجملة الرائعة التي توقفت عندها طويلا جدا:

“إن كل شخص على الأرض يلعب الدور الرئيس في سيرة العالم وهو لا يدري”

االجو الشرقي في الرواية...العرب...الاندلس...مصر الاهرمات...لغة الصحراء ومفرداتها....ماهذه الرواية؟؟

اعترف اني لم اكن متحمسة لها في البداية وفي نصفها الاول شعرت انها جيدة لكن ليست ممتازة بالقدر الذي سبب شهرتها تلك....ولكني كنت مخطئة فان هذه الرواية تجربة لا بد ان يمر بها كل انسان لابد ان يقراها ويعيش فيها ليفسح لروحه مجالا اكبر ويتعرف اكثر على روعة الكون...بل ويدرك ان اسلامنا كان مكتوبا بحروف اخرى في هذه الرواية المذهلة من رجل اجنبي يدعى باولو كويلو

شعرت بالسحر برغم الترجمة الضعيفة للرواية

وانخرطت باكملي ر وحا وقلبا وعقلا داخل عالمها حتى وجدت النهاية
ما اجمل تلك النهاية حين يحفر فلا يجد الكنز ويلقاه ذاك اللص الذي يبوح له بمكان الكنز في حلمه بكل بساطة فيبتسم البطل وتبتسم له الاهرامات
من اجمل تلك النهاية الساحرة
حقا اني عاجزة عن كتابة ريفيو يفي هذه الرواية حقها
ولكني انصح الجميع بقراءتها



بعض الاسطر الرائعة في الرواية:


“أصغ إلى قلبك فهو يعرف كل شيء لأنه آت من روح العالم وسيرتد إليها ذات يوم”

“عندما تكون كنوزنا قريبة جداً منا، فإننا لا نلاحظها أبداً، أتعلم لماذا؟ لأن الناس لا يؤمنو�� بالكنوز ”

“هناك على الدوام شخصًا ما في العالم ينتظر شخصًا آخر، سواء أكان ذلك في وسط الصحراء ام في اعماق المدن الكبرى”


“لا تقل شيئاً، إننا نحب لأننا نحب، لا يوجد سبب آخر كي نحب”

“ما يحدث مرة يمكن ألا يحدث ثانيةً أبداً، لكن ما يحدث مرتين يحدث بالتأكيد مرة ثالثة.”

قل لقلبك إن الخوف من العذاب أسوء من العذاب نفسه ، وليس هناك من قلب يتعذب عندما يتبع أحلامه ، لأن كل لحظة من البحث هي لحظة لقاء مع الله والخلود .”

SUCKS.

Homework for "Introductory Course For Irony Disposal And Sarcasm Removal (ICFIDASR)", lesson one, re-submission number 47.

I once read a book that inspired me to change my whole attitude towards reading. It was a medicine of universal, cosmic impact. Before, I had thought that books existed to enrich me, giving me knowledge, pleasure and understanding.

After reading the introductory pages of this "enchanting novel" however, I learned that more wisdom can be gained from the companionship of sheep than from books, as stated by the wise young protagonist, a shepherd who uses books for a pillow and sheep for dialogue partners (it is a one-way road, with the sheep as teachers, for the sheep don't learn anything from him). In simple, unsophisticated prose, which seems to be carefully following the rubric of a Grade 6 descriptive writing assignment, I read:

"The only things that concerned the sheep were food and water. As long as the boy knew how to find the best pastures in Andalusia, they would be his friends. Yes, their days were all the same, with the seemingly endless hours between sunrise and dusk; and they had never read a book in their young lives, and didn't understand when the boy told them about the sights of the cities. They were content with just food and water, and, in exchange, they generously gave of their wool, their company, and - once in a while - their meat."

Learning to take everything literally is part of my course, so I try not to see a metaphor in the fact that the boy learns more from sheep than from books. But I do have a question or two:

If the sheep are only his"friends" as long as he brings them food, do they really count as friends? Are they not just following their needs?

Is it not quite self-evident that they have not read any books in their young lives - they are sheep after all, and won't read in their old age either, I assume?

Do they really "generously offer their wool, their company, and -ONCE IN A WHILE - their meat? At least as far as the meat is concerned, I am sure they offer it once, and not again, and not by free choice, and generously?

As this book is to be taken seriously, I beg to accept my apology if my questions sound like sarcasm. That is not my intention. I am really just asking "all universe to conspire to help me achieve my goal" (another piece of wisdom the book offers) - of understanding how anyone can take this seriously! I just wonder how all universe deals with opposing wishes, which must occasionally occur, even in a small place like our earth. If I for example wish to have my neighbour's garden chair, and my neighbour wishes to keep it, who does "all universe" side with, and how does it conspire to help me get it, and at the same time to help my neighbour to keep it?

Things that happen once can never happen again, I also learn. Before I can even ask why, I get another piece of information: Things that happen twice will always happen again. How does that go together? If things have happened once (which is a prerequisite for happening twice in my world) they won't happen again?!? Whatever is meant, things can NEVER happen twice, that is sure. I can't travel to Italy twice. If I do it anyway (which is not possible) I will definitively do it again. That is nice!

When I do travel to Italy (once, or three times), my life and my path will always provide me with enough omens. That is interesting, and I do not know why I all of a sudden associate this with the sheepish followers in Life Of Brian, who found omens in sandals.

Call me literal-minded, but I do have some issues with the idea of omen provision. Can I order them online nowadays? What do they cost?

To close my reflection on learning more from sheep than books, I have to say: In some cases, that is very true! What a bitter medicine!

As with all medicines, there are some side effects, and it is very important to read the warning before you take this drug:

Please do not read this book if you are in danger of thinking too rationally.

When you read this Grade 6 essay, be careful to check if you show behaviours that you would define as out of character, as they might be symptoms of acute drivel reading allergy.

Symptoms include: anger, frustration, ridicule, frowning, nausea, meaningless giggling, dreams about book burning, urge to throw the book in the bin or out the window. Symptoms may vary, but in all cases, it is recommended to suspend reading until the brain is reset in adequate sheep mode again.

If symptoms do not diminish after enjoying a couple of good, real books, please see your librarian for memory removal surgery or therapy.

I actually hated this book - when I finished it I threw it on the floor and if it wasn't borrowed id throw it straight in the bin. Normally there is at least one redeeming quality to a book - however the alchemist has none. Honestly, i struggle to see what anyone sees in it. An 8 year old could read it and even they would probably be bored. I mean every supposedly dramatic realisation was blindingly simplistic. And even the way it was written was simple, I mean can you remember when you were a kid and in a book it would explain something then get the character to repeat it like 'The sky is cloudly, it might rain today. Tom says to his mum "It looks like it will rain"' (I know crap example!) well thats what the whole book it like!! And the story isn't even worth it - basically it takes over 150 pages to tell you what destiny is. Utter rubbish.

2020 Classics Challenge: Book 1 of 12.

I can see why so many people love this book. I was really looking forward to it being my first classic of the year. I listened to the audiobook and the narration was great, but my mind wandered the whole time while listening. This didn't hold my attention at all, and honestly, I was bored stiff while listening.

Superficially deep (ie deep on the surface and shallow underneath), but actually rather pretentious new age waffle - yet somehow manages to be beautiful despite that. I would have enjoyed it in my late teens/early 20s (when I enjoyed Jonathan Livingston Seagull), but reading this as an adult, I found it annoyingly unsubtle.

Reading, and disliking this, was something of a watershed: a few years earlier and I'd probably have loved it, but as it was, I realised I'd turned into a cynical adult (and I know where I get that from!).

damn.

A spanish shepherd boy santiago has these recurring dreams about a treasure hidden at the foot of the egyptian pyramids. He leaves Spain to find it and journeys to the markets of Tangiers and across the Egyptian desert, guided along the way by a camel driver, an alchemist and other spiritual guides. and he discovers a far greater treasure (greater than any earthly gold): wisdom, self knowledge and enlightenment.

Though the Alchemist is not about Santiago at all. It's an inspirational fable; it's about our own self discovery; it's about awakening your passions; it's about following your heart; embracing life as a journey and finding the courage to chase your dreams.

It felt more like a really hackneyed self-help book to me. I don't know if it makes great literature. What is great literature?