What do you think about a book if its storyline consists of romance, adventure, self-discovery,
faith, magic, the toughness of life, or mystery? I bet you’re sure going to enjoy it, everyone does it, don’t we? But what if I say that I have something for you that could get you on a voyage to all of these in just one book. Only one fantastically written and thought book.
About the Book
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The Alchemist by one of the most renowned authors of the century Paulo Coelho embarks the reader on a journey that nobody would expect from just the cover of the book. The original cover of the book contains some pyramids, birds, and a central circular bright thing which might give one an idea that the story revolves around godly creatures, which is correct to some extent.
Okay, so one last question, what do you expect out from a book? Is it to make you learn something? Or is it something in the book that makes you finish it as fast as possible? I don’t know what it is for you, but I can guarantee you that you’ll have both the reasons present in the book not to let your hand go off it until you finish the book. From going on a bumpy ride of self-discovery of seeing a faith in love that can melt your heart, who wouldn’t love it?
All of us have specific wants in life which we wish to fulfil, be it getting rich and settling on the top floor of a sky-scrapper in New York City or walking on the path of self-discovery. Many of us have a zeal to travel the world and see and feel new things and have many new adventures whereas on the other hand some of us have a want to settle on a quiet hill with the love of their life.
But what for the ones who want all of these things? What about people who think about living the best out of what they have and what they own. I believe just as our central character; they live a great life.
The plot of the story
The story revolves around a kid who wants to see the world and travel to different places, and it is in those journeys of his he discovers his true self, he realizes who he loves. He works hard to fulfil his dreams and in his want to achieve what he dreams of he even helps others out in discovering their inner self.
Our storyteller is a mere shepherd who on the guidance of an unknown man who seemed to know everything, embarks himself to gain a real treasure buried at a point in the pyramids but instead, he comes to understand what he wanted in life and what It was meant for him to be for the rest of his life.
As a reader, believe that The Alchemist is not just any ordinary book but it also a self-help book rather than being more of literature. As perfectly said by the new york times, ” when you want
something to happen, the whole universe will conspire so that your wish comes true”.
In 1994 the comic adaptation of the book was published by Alexandre Juban. Many theatrical
plays based on the book have been prepared and performed in various parts of the world.
Some intriguing lines from the book – The Alchemist
- It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.
- When someone sees the same people every day, as had happened with him at the seminary, they wind up becoming a part of that person’s life. And then they want the person to change.
- If someone isn’t what others want them to be, the others become angry. Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.
- I’m an adventurer, looking for treasure.
- It was as if the world had fallen silent because the boy’s soul had.
- That there was a language in the world that everyone understood, a language the boy had used throughout the time that he was trying to improve things at the shop. It was the language of enthusiasm, of things accomplished with love and purpose.
- Making a decision was only the beginning of things. When someone makes a decision, he is diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamed of when he first made the decision.
- There are only that moment and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written by one hand only. It is the hand that evokes love and creates a twin soul for every person in the world. Without such love, one’s dreams would have no meaning.
- There is only one way to learn,” the alchemist answered. “It’s through action.”
- “Your eyes show the strength of your soul,”
- “When you are loved, you can do anything in creation. When you are loved, there’s no need at all to understand what’s happening, because everything happens within you, and even men can turn themselves into the wind. As long as the wind helps, of course.”
- When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.
- My Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.
Buy The Alchemist Book
Paulo Coehlo is considered as the godfather of many writers out there. He was born in 1947 in the beautiful city of Rio De Janerio. The Brazilian author has his unique way of conveying things just like other renowned writers of the past. He is considered one of the most popular authors of the century. The alchemist is his best work although he is equally renowned for his other works.
His first book Theater For Education was published in 1974 which failed to gain much attention. Something similar was about to happen with The Alchemist, as when it was first published it too didn’t get much recognition and the publishers were about to dump the book. Gradually the book became a hit in Brazil and was also awarded many awards for its exponential limits.
During the initial stages of his life, he drifted through many professions and couldn’t style on either, or I may say he wasn’t satisfied with any of his works. The writing was always what he wanted to do, but like most of us, he was pressurized by his parents not to take up writing as a career as it help almost no future in aspects of earning and was rarely successful.
Coelho was a rebellious kid growing up and hence his parents sent him to mental asylum quite around three times. Though according to a statement made by him, he forgave them. He was also among the protestors of the military rule in brazil for which he had to go in and out of jail three times in his early years.
It was a trip to Santiago de Compostela, Spain that changed the path of life of Coelho. He walked for 500miles on road to the catholic pilgrimage which led him to write the book, The Pilgrimage. The very next year Coelho got The Alchemist published, which became a slow success but a great success, as it has sold over 35million coupes as to the author’s count. Also, The Alchemist has earned the title of the most translated book by any author.
In 2016 Paulo Coelho was listed on number 2 among the top 200 contemporary writers. If we combine all of his books selling then together they have sold more than hundreds of millions of copies, as you can imagine only the Alchemist sold 35 million estimated copies, what amount must 32 books add up?
His other works
Coelho has written over 32 books and people find something motivating and pleasing from his books. He once said that he only writes what he feels and it is up to the reader whether they like it or not. Maybe this thought led him on a journey of fiction of doing remarkable work in the field of writing.
Most of his books are fictional and he has to date released at least one book every two years. The Pilgrimage, Hippie, the valkyries, Aleph are some of his autobiographical books, while others are considered to be fictional.
He was about to give up on writing and let his fate decide what he was going to write further. So one random morning he woke up and told himself, “If I see a white feather today, that is a sign that God is giving me that I have to write a new book.” and then on his was way to a market he saw one on the window of a shop, and turned around and walked to his home and started writing that very moment. This was how the book, The Alchemist as we know of today came into existence.
His other works such as the Maktub is a compilation of various articles and essays that he collected over time. He used to cut down newspaper clippings and in the end, he combined and arranged those lippings to form a book.
It is known that a famous basketball player Kobe Bryant reached out to Coelho for a kids’ book, and wanted to work with Coelho on the book. They were indeed working on the book, but as of in a terrible helicopter crash in 2020, Kobe lost his life. After the death of Kobe, Coelho deleted the draft they had been working on, and all of the Kobe’s dreams disappeared with him.
Also Read- Book Review of The Book of Tomorrow by Cecilia Ahern
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