By: Paulo Coelho Publisher: Thorndike Press Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Format: Large Print Label: Thorndike Press Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 208 Publication Date: December 15, 2005 Release Date: November 01, 2005
Product Description: A New York Times Bestselling Author
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 treasures 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.
Available only in Dist. 5 & deluxe.
Amazon.com Review: Like the one-time bestseller Jonathan Livingston Seagull, The Alchemist presents a simple fable, based on simple truths and places it in a highly unique situation. And though we may sniff a bestselling formula, it is certainly not a new one: even the ancient tribal storytellers knew that this is the most successful method of entertaining an audience while slipping in a lesson or two. Brazilian storyteller Paulo Coehlo introduces Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who one night dreams of a distant treasure in the Egyptian pyramids. And so he's off: leaving Spain to literally follow his dream.
Along the way he meets many spiritual messengers, who come in unassuming forms such as a camel driver and a well-read Englishman. In one of the Englishman's books, Santiago first learns about the alchemists--men who believed that if a metal were heated for many years, it would free itself of all its individual properties, and what was left would be the "Soul of the World." Of course he does eventually meet an alchemist, and the ensuing student-teacher relationship clarifies much of the boy's misguided agenda, while also emboldening him to stay true to his dreams. "My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer," the boy confides to the alchemist one night as they look up at a moonless night.
"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself," the alchemist replies. "And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity." --Gail Hudson
Large Print I would very much like to offer a complete review of this title. However, despite it being listed as in Large Print....I can not read it which upsets me to no end. Large Print books need to be in Large Bold Print so vision impaired folks can at least have a decent crack at reading like a normal person. I really wanted to read this book as it is quite inviting....but it will be a very slow process. Good luck if you have any kind of serious vision problem
Excelent Novel The depth and connectedness of this story is astounding. Coelho writes this in such a manner that you feel connected to main character to the point of feeling the emotions that he is feeling. This is the only book so far that i plan to read twice in a row.
Wise A delightful story, and full of wisdom. Influenced me in pursuing what I dream about, and rediscovering my "personal legend" as he calls it.
Shouldn't be titled "The Alchemist" because the alchemist is not the main character in the book. The main character is the little boy who is a shepherd, so it should have been called "The Shepherd".
This book has some interesting nuggets on spirituality, one of which is God is within people who are happy. However, the book was also corny at times, such as when people talk to their hearts and their hearts talk back to them. The ending is really worse than most books, because it's almost like the "it was all a dream" ending that most books avoid. Surprisingly, it's the non-spiritual aspects of the book that are more interesting than the spiritual aspects of the book. It is more interesting to read about the boy making money at the crystal ware shop than about the Soul of the World. The crystal ware shop owner is the most interesting character in the book, because he does not plan on going to Mecca in his life even though he is a Muslim. So he is the most non-spiritual character in the book which makes him the most interesting. Admittedly, I am not a spiritual person, so I was prepared to not like this book, but this book was a disappointment for me because the bar had been set so high (by all the positive reviews for this book). Ultimately, the book is a debate between which theory is truer: free will or determinism. The book leans more toward determinism because it believes in destiny. I however believe in free will.
A true gem This little book brought me joy it gave me an escape from the cluter of everyday life and allowed me to travel with the shephard boy. It is written beautifully and it flows so easily. It is a must read. It gives you a wonderful read but it allows you to step back and breathe and put some perspective on your life, with the simple act of taking you out of the bustle of life for a little while.
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