The Alchemist / O Alquimista

A beautiful tale of destiny...

This might be a book that you've only recently heard of, but it's far from new.  Originally published in Brazil in 1986 and translated into English in 1993, The Alchemist is a story that grew very famous in a remarkably short amount of time after years of struggling to sell.  Part of the issue might have been writing issues on author Paulo Coelho's part when it was first published in Portuguese.  Indeed, having tried the Portuguese addition myself (I am half-Portuguese), it's not difficult to find problems, which have mostly been cleared up in the translated editions.  Since its rise to fame, the book has managed to sell an astounding amount of copies, with estimations ranging from around 20 million to well over 60 million worldwide, making it the highest selling book of all time in the Portuguese language.

The Alchemist tells the story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd who gave up a promising life at home to travel throughout Spain with his flock.  When he travels to Tarifa and shares a fateful encounter with an old man, he learns that he must find his Personal Legend and fulfill his destiny.  His hardships, decisions, and realizations are evocative, pushing across the message that no matter how tough life gets, we can find our purpose if we persevere.  Coelho has an outstanding grasp on spirituality and the universe, an understanding that may very well touch your own beliefs.  His characters exude Coelho's sense of the world, especially Santiago as he develops during his trip across Africa, the partnerships between Santiago and other characters, including his love relationship with Fatima, illustrate the mutual understanding of people who (regardless of personal beliefs) understand destiny and the Soul of the World.  The Soul of the World itself is an intriguing aspect of the story, as it represents more than "just" God, but a linking of all the universe to a spiritual core, combining peoples of all religions, beliefs, or lack thereof. 

The writing in The Alchemist is simple; I'm not going to deny that.  But it does flow gracefully from one chapter to the next and perfectly matches the often troubled and inexperienced Santiago.  The English edition, as stated, is cleaned up in comparison to the original Portuguese print, and beautifully conveys the scenery and emotion with nothing lost in translation.  The story is a fable after all, not meant to blow us away with elaborate sentences and long action scenes.  However, there is one issue that those of us familiar with the Arabian Nights might find, and that's its similarity to one of the tales.  Of course, with such a remarkable, poignant story holding a deep spiritual message, it's easy to overlook this thorn and appreciate Paulo Coelho's gem. 

Conclusion: 4.5/5 - If you enjoy fables with deep spiritual messages, you must read The Alchemist.