"When you want something, the whole universe conspires in helping you to achieve it". Well, I want that week of my life back (yes, a week; I ended up avoiding that thing).
The Aesop's fables that came with my chocolates brought me more inspiration than this book. I knew it wasn't my kind of thing. But, it was a recommendation, and everybody was talking about it, so I tried. He describes a couple of clichés using an annoying writing style. Dream big. Make that dream come true, no matter what. Find your treasure. Shepherd. Universe this, universe that.
I want that week back.



Jun 23, 2013
* Also on my blog.

***spoilers and bitterness ahead--be forewarned**

I'm not sure that I can capture my utter disdain for this book in words, but I'll give it a shot. I read this book about three years ago and just had to re-read it for book club. It was a steaming pile of crap then and, guess what?, it's a steaming pile of crap now. The main reason I hate this book: it's trite inspirational literature dressed up as an adventure quest. You go into it thinking that it's going to be about a boy's quest for treasure. If you read the back, there are words like "Pyramids," "Gypsy," "alchemist." Turns out, this is just The Purpose Driven Life dressed up with a little fable. It's Hallmark Hall of Fame territory set in an exotic locale. Which pisses me off to no end as I normally try to dodge that sort of thing, but here it is masquerading as the type of book I normally like. It's cliche, didactic, and poorly written.

Just as with Aesop's Fables, there's a moral to the story. And Coelho keeps backing up and running over it just to make sure that we get it (and he capitalizes important key words necessary to understanding it, lest we overlook their significance). If there's one thing Paulo Coelho can do, it's flog a dead horse.

Essentially, boy thinks he's happy in life. He's a shepherd who gets to travel the world, has all of his needs met, and owns a book which he can always trade for another book when he goes to market. What more can a boy need? Boy is then told by a mysterious stranger that he's not happy at all. Why not? He has failed to recognize his Personal Legend. Everyone has a Personal Legend, which is life's plan for you. However, most of us give up on our Personal Legend in childhood. If you are fortunate enough to hang onto and pursue your Personal Legend, then The Soul of the World will help you obtain it. All of nature conspires to bring you luck and good fortune so that you can fulfill your destiny, whether it's to be a shepherd on a quest for treasure at the pyramids, a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker, or, one would assume, a prostitute, drug dealer, or porn star. Hey, we're all fate's bitch in The Alchemist. But I digress. Boy seeks out his Personal Legend and finds it's a long, hard road to obtaining what you want in life. But with faith, perseverance, and just a little goshdarnit good luck, the boy learns to speak the Language of the World and tap into The Soul of the World and fulfills his Personal Legend. And what does he learn? That what he sought was back home, the place he started from. Oh, silly boy.

So, in summation, here is what you should learn from The Alchemist:

1) Dream. And, while you're at it, dream BIG
2) Follow your bliss
3) Don't be surprised if you find obstacles in your way, but you will overcome
4) It's good to travel and encounter people from other cultures
5) What we most often seek is right in front of us, but sometimes we have to leave home to realize it

To all of these important life lessons, I can only say, "Well, no shit, Sherlock." If Coelho knew anything about alchemy, he would have been able to transform this crap into gold. Alas, it's still crap.

Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder

4.75 ⭐

GENRE - FICTION - DRAMA/SELF HELP.

Paulo Coelho is an interesting Story teller and an incredibly versatile writer, in The ALCHEMIST he has creatively explained the importance of following your dreams with the help of a story.

The book is very well written, equally well translated in English language, the book keeps you intrigued, interested and manages to inspire you with its message. It is more of self help book but with the help of a fictional story the author has put forward his message, point of view and notion of why it is necessary for all of us to keep following our dreams.

The book in the end also features an interview of Author Paulo Coelho in brief.

Thank you

داستان حول محور این جمله میچرخه : «و هنگامی که آرزوی چیزی را داری، سراسر کیهان همدست می شود تا بتوانی این آرزو را تحقق بخشی!»
که به نظرم بزرگترین دروغیه که میشه به یه نفر گفت :)
وقتی آرزوی چیزیو داری، هیشکی و هیچی کمکت نمیکنه، تنهایی باید بجنگی! تو دنیای واقعی خبری از نشانه ها و امداد غیبی نیست! حداقل برای من که اینطور بوده. یادمه وقتی نوجوون بودم کتابای روانشناسی و از این مزخرفات انگیزشی زیاد میخوندم اما به مرور ازشون متنفر شدم! نمیدونم بدبین شدم یا واقع بین ولی هرچی هست دیگه خوش بین نیستم!

در کل نتونستم ارتباطی با «کیمیاگر» پائولو کوئیلو برقرار کنم و از صفحه های ۵۰ ۶۰ به بعد، فقط با صدای محسن جانِ نامجو تونستم دووم بیارم :)
این دو ستاره هم فقط بخاطر ایشونه! لعنتی چرا انقد خوبه آخه *__*

خیلی دنبال جمله یا قسمتی از کتاب برای اضافه کردن به ریویو گشتم ‌و با اینکه کتاب رو دوست نداشتم، به نظرم این جملاتش کمی معقول تر بودند :

"تصمیم ها تنها آغاز یک ماجرا هستند. هنگامی که آدمی تصمیم می گیرد، در حقیقت به درون جریان نیرومندی پرتاب می شود که او را به مکانی خواهد برد که در زمان تصمیم گیری خوابش را هم نمی دیده است."

Santiago an Andalusian shepherd boy dreams of travelling the world in search of the ultimate treasure. He eventually gets to go on his trek, and along the way meets a number of life-experienced men, including the alchemist, that help him finding his true path, how to see and read omens and truly understand the real nature of, and find, treasure - how to realise your dreams.

I'm probably being a bit of a git labelling this as 'contemporary', but I have no 'mystical' shelf and will probably not require one in the future, and indeed it is a nod to how accessible and readable this book is. A mega best selling book that is about the essential wisdom of listening to your heart, and following your dreams, which I don't necessarily agree with, just looking at the millions who 'followed their dreams' only to fail to become a professional sports person, musician etc. But, and it's a good but, Coelho puts forth his case is such a well balanced and interesting spiritual-mystical tale. 7 out of 12.

2022 read; 2005 read

“And, when you can’t go back, you have to worry only about the best way of moving forward.”

Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy, yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure. His quest will lead him to riches far different than he ever imagined.

Let me preface this review by saying that although I did not like this book, I totally appreciate the meaning behind the fable and the message being put forward here (well... part of it). It was just done so in the most tedious and boring way possible.

Even now, just typing the words “Personal Legend” makes me want to scratch out my eyeballs. Maybe that’s to do with the manner in which “legend” is used in present day... but I found it cringe-worthy. Throughout the entire novel you are just bludgeoned to death with the concept of your Personal Legend. I hate the notion that if you REALLY want something and you try hard enough that the universe will help guide you to your Personal Legend. I just don’t believe life works like that!

I am all about pursuing your dreams and not being afraid to do so. And that’s the message I can get behind - but the rest was just utter nonsense to me. Perhaps I am not spiritual enough to fully embrace The Alchemist. I was rolling my eyes so often that I almost detached my retinas...

I’m really trying to think of something positive to say - it was short? And there were some nice illustrations... but that’s all I got. I guess the writing wasn’t bad, it was more the story that I found very boring. I also found it to be quite preachy and condescending at times. And now I’m back to being negative... I TRIED!

If you are a big fan of this book (and I know there are many), I hope I don’t come across as mean or insulting. I’m truly happy that this book enlightened you in some way or that it resonated with you, but ultimately, it just wasn’t for me.

One and a half stars.

I don't hate it, but I didn't love it. Maybe it's the translation, or just the way the book is lamented. It didn't light the spark in me most classics do. The soul of the world didn't seem to capture me the way I hoped it would, it was a nice book. Simple with a clear plot and an undeniably unique idea. But some parts of me strikes it as pretentious, it feels unreal. The ideas themselves are believable, but the over emphasis placed on some ideas creates an atmosphere that annoyed me more than inspire me.
But then again what do I know............

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.

Το απόλυτο best seller ΣΚΟΥΠΙΔΙ

Όταν θέλεις κάτι πολύ, το σύμπαν απλώς σε αγνοεί, όπως και όταν δεν θέλεις κάτι πολύ/καθόλου. Λέγεται τυχαιότητα και χαρακτηρίζει τον κόσμο μας από γενέσεώς του (και όχι κτίσεως).
Ο Κοέλο, ένας μέτριος-προς-σκατά συγγραφέας, κατάφερε τη δεκαετία του 1990 να γίνει σύμβολο και το έργο του σημείο αναφοράς για τον πλημμελώς εγγράμματο αναγνώστη και το μέσο ηλίθιο, που στις απλοϊκές τυπωμένες κενότητες και κοινοτοπίες του Βραζιλιάνου, νόμισε ότι είδε το φως το αληθινό, το φιλόσοφο της δεκαετίας, "την οδό" και ένα διανοητή διαμετρήματος πυροβόλου άνευ οπισθοδρομήσεως. Όλα αυτά ενώ στην πραγματικότητα, λόγω σχήματος κεφαλής, ο Κοέλο δεν κάνει ούτε για πιγκάλ (με μία επιφύλαξη για το υποτυπώδες -και πιο δήθεν από δήλωση φεμινίστριας κατά της πατριαρχίας σε φεστιβάλ τυροκομίας- "μουσάκι καλλιεργημένου" που τρέφει).

Αν τα βιβλία του σας αρέσουν δεν υπάρχει πρόβλημα. Σκεφτείτε ότι υπάρχει κόσμος που τρώει σοβά από τον τοίχο επειδή του λείπει κάποιο ένζυμο και ότι οι ναυτικοί παλιά έπιναν τα ίδια τους τα ούρα (και -σύμφωνα με τον Edmond Blackadder- συχνά πολύ πριν εξαντληθούν τα αποθέματα πόσιμου νερού), ενώ υπάρχει κόσμος που σνιφάρει κόλλα για να φτιάξει κεφάλι αντί για συναρμολογούμενα. Κανείς δεν είναι τέλειος...

Μακριά από τέτοιους αραιωμένους εμετούς, που δεν έχουν καν την σωστή, πλούσια ταγκίλα ενός γενναίου ξεράσματος.
I HAVE SPOKEN!

Utter drivel. The book was badly written, righteous, condescending, preachy, and worst of all, the ending was morally questionable. All the fables and stories are stolen from elsewhere, religious ideas and spirituality are badly mixed, and everything is so obvious.

The book harps on about tapping into the Soul of the World, the Language of the World, about your one true path and other nonsense. The basic idea is that if you really want something and "listen to your heart", the whole universe will help you achieve it if you only look for omens. A questionable idea in a world where people no longer want to work hard and achieve independently.

It reads like a really bad self-help book written for 8 year old children and disguised as a symbolic parable. I read a lot of books and I can safely say this is the worst book I have ever read. It's only saving grace was that it was mercifully short.

عندما تسمع عن روايه ترجمت لاكثر من 60 لغه وبيع منها اكثر من 70 مليون
نسخه
ينسج خيالك عليها انها روايه عظيمه وتتوقع منها اشياء مهمه
��ذا العمل ��قبع فى مكتبتى منذ اكثر من عام ولا ادرى ما سبب اهمالها كل هذا الوقت ولا ادرى سبب معين لقرائتى لها
ولكن المهم انى قرأتها : احسست بضحاله شديده وانا اقرأها وجدتها سطحيه ومبتذله
لا ادرى هل رأيت انها مبالغ فى قيمتها الادبيه ام ان المشكله توجد فى انها خذلت طموحى الشخصى فى فحواها
لا ادرى . حقا لا ادرى
اهو مبالغه شديده من الكاتب لكى يوهم القارئ بانه جاء مخلصا له وناصحا له على طريقة معينه فى حياته (من قرأ فى التنميه البشريه سوف يفهم قصدى) وهو غالبا ما وجدت الابتذال فيه
واحقاقا للحق انا متفهم جدا مبيعاتها المهوله لانها ببساطه قدمت للقارئ ما يريده بالضبط من نصائح وووو

I've been meaning to read this for years; I probably should have left it a mystery because it irritated me no end. At one level it is a pleasant enough little tale of a spanish shepherd who seeks to fulfil his destiny/follow his dreams/seek his fortune. He meets a bloke from the Old Testament (Genesis to be precise) called Melchizedek (lots of symbolism surrounds this guy) who says he needs to go to the pyramids to find his dream/fortune. He sets off, spends some time in Tangier and then sets off with a desert caravan. He arrives at an oasis, falls in love and meets an alchemist who teaches him about the soul of the world and how to listen to his heart. He finds his treasure after some ups and downs.
On one level a simple heart-warming story of how to get your hearts desire by listening to your own inner voice and the world around you; it's that simple! So why did it wind me up so much?
A brief aside; the best review I have read of this book is a one liner;

"Jonathon Livingston Seagull meets Lawrence of Arabia"

Actually I thought the philosophy was more akin to Ayn Rand, it is very individualistic and you are the master of your own destiny. Of course, that only applies if you are a bloke; the women in the novel (very few), didn't do a lot. Fatima the love interest lived in an oasis and was content to stay there whilst her love was off having adventures and finding destinies. It was enough for her to wait for her man, knowing that he would return for her one day (if he wasn't daft enough to get himself killed, die of thirst in the desert, forget her or just get bored of her). An excellent role model for all modern women?
What really irritated me was the implication if you didn't manage to fulfil your destiny, it was your fault. Obviously those in grinding poverty or dying young of cancer really need to get a grip of themselves.