THE ALCHEMIST

THE ALCHEMIST
PAULO COELHO
FIRST PUBLISHED: 1988

"My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer," The boy tells the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky. The alchemist replies "Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse that the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a seconds' encounter with God and Eternity."

We too easily give up on our dreams, yet the universe is always ready to help us fulfill them.

Paulo Coelho paints the reader's mind with surreal settings, a fascinating story-line, and a simple style of writing full of meaningful insights that will leave the reader feeling warm-hearted, inspired, and ready to shoot for the stars.

The settings in this book are so vividly described that the reader can feel the lush, cool grasses of the Andalusian fields; the soft glow and warmth emanating from the buildings of the towns; as well as the burning sands, the hot wind, and the overbearing sun of the Sahara. Coelho makes such seamless transitions between these diverse locations that if Coelho had not mentioned it himself, the reader would not have realized that these settings, which seem worlds apart, are only two hours away from each other. Also, Coelho never makes a direct mention to the time period. Instead, he allows the reader to become lost in the timeless and ancient allure of the desert, filling the reader's mind with mystery and awe, which sparks the imagination into filling in all the details with the aura of Arabia. 

The Alchemist is remarkable for being a love story that renounces the idea that romantic love must be central to people’s lives. Each person has a destiny that exists independently of others. It is the thing that you would do or be even if you had all the love and money you want.

The author believes in destiny, that everything is written: Maktub he says. Maktub is an Arabic word which has a similar meaning to what in English is 'everything is written’. But nobody knows where. He emphasizes a lot on this issue, as if to convince the reader not to be scared of the unknown because the unknown is already known somewhere else.

"At a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what’s happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate. That’s the world’s greatest lie. Whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it”

There are omens, signs which will guide you throughout your life. Your only work is to recognize and follow these omens. People you meet in your life play an important role in guiding you towards your destination. And those who support and wait for you to achieve your dream, are your people. Have faith yourself and in the goodness of people.

“No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world. And normally he doesn’t know it.”

Coelho's life is nothing short of a fairy tale story and somehow his life experiences are reflected in this book. One important point to note is the boy, the protagonist of the story, has himself been named just once in the entire book. Its the story of every person on this earth who dares to dream and shape his life on his own. 

Who is willing to risk comfort, routine, security and existing relationships to follow something that to others looks like a mirage? It takes courage, and dog-eared, stained copies of Coelho’s classic have become the constant companion of people who need to make fearless decisions daily to keep true to a larger vision.