This book review is actually on a book that I read a few months ago. I am currently reading The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb. Let me just say, it’s pretty massive, and my book club meeting is coming up fast. It’s around 800 pages, and is by no means a “light” read (regarding subject matter). Light reads of that length, I can tear through, but this one so far has some pretty serious subject matter. For example… if it were a book about a certain dashing, handsome, and literally glittering vampire (cough, Twilight series) then 800 pages really wouldn’t be that much of a biggie.
Anyyyways…
This review is on The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Amazon.com Review
Anyyyways…
This review is on The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
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 Coelho 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."
My review:
Let me just say, this was such a wonderful book. In one word, I would describe it as inspiring. This was another one that my book club read, and that I had nominated for us to read. I believe that all of us enjoyed this short and simple read.
What drew me to this book was the title, to begin with. As defined above, alchemy is obviously a fictional (or is it?) talent, of turning base metal into gold. I have also heard of an alchemist described as someone taking something plain or ordinary, and turning it into something beautiful and extraordinary. I can see both definitions in this book.
A particular part of this fable really struck home with me. In part of his journey, Santiago ends up in a crystal merchants store, helping him sell crystal. Without giving away too much, I will say that the crystal merchant has big dreams of travelling somewhere, and has dreamt of going to this special place his entire life. After what I believe is a year of extreme growth in sales due to Santiago’s natural abilities to improve the business, the crystal merchant had a good deal of money saved up and business was still improving. Santiago mentioned that he now had enough money to go where he has always wanted to go, but the crystal merchant declined. His explanation was this: he had dreamt of this place and imagined such wonderful things about it for so long, that he was afraid that once he got there, it could never compare to what he imagined in his dreams. So he preferred to keep it just a dream.
Right after I read that, I set the book down, and realized that the crystal merchant’s dream was the same as my dream of writing. For so long I’ve wanted to write and publish something, and have been told by friends and family that I should, because they loved everything else I had written. Well, maybe I’m scared to write something because I’m scared that it will never live up to my (and other’s especially) expectations.
But to read the story in that context… I just thought the crystal merchant was being ridiculous. So really, maybe I am too.
Well, to be honest, this is a book that is hard to write a summary of, but I will say that I highly enjoyed it and found many parts of it to be quite inspiring and other parts romantic as well. I really liked the love story in this book, and what girl doesn’t like a good love story?
So if you are looking for a short and great read, I would highly recommend The Alchemist, and I know many, many others would too!
Let me just say, this was such a wonderful book. In one word, I would describe it as inspiring. This was another one that my book club read, and that I had nominated for us to read. I believe that all of us enjoyed this short and simple read.
What drew me to this book was the title, to begin with. As defined above, alchemy is obviously a fictional (or is it?) talent, of turning base metal into gold. I have also heard of an alchemist described as someone taking something plain or ordinary, and turning it into something beautiful and extraordinary. I can see both definitions in this book.
A particular part of this fable really struck home with me. In part of his journey, Santiago ends up in a crystal merchants store, helping him sell crystal. Without giving away too much, I will say that the crystal merchant has big dreams of travelling somewhere, and has dreamt of going to this special place his entire life. After what I believe is a year of extreme growth in sales due to Santiago’s natural abilities to improve the business, the crystal merchant had a good deal of money saved up and business was still improving. Santiago mentioned that he now had enough money to go where he has always wanted to go, but the crystal merchant declined. His explanation was this: he had dreamt of this place and imagined such wonderful things about it for so long, that he was afraid that once he got there, it could never compare to what he imagined in his dreams. So he preferred to keep it just a dream.
Right after I read that, I set the book down, and realized that the crystal merchant’s dream was the same as my dream of writing. For so long I’ve wanted to write and publish something, and have been told by friends and family that I should, because they loved everything else I had written. Well, maybe I’m scared to write something because I’m scared that it will never live up to my (and other’s especially) expectations.
But to read the story in that context… I just thought the crystal merchant was being ridiculous. So really, maybe I am too.
Well, to be honest, this is a book that is hard to write a summary of, but I will say that I highly enjoyed it and found many parts of it to be quite inspiring and other parts romantic as well. I really liked the love story in this book, and what girl doesn’t like a good love story?
So if you are looking for a short and great read, I would highly recommend The Alchemist, and I know many, many others would too!
If you read it, as always, let me know what you think!
-K
3 comments:
I really loved reading this book too - even though its fairly short, it has some meaning and depth and i found it fascinating :) I too loved the crystal merchants part of the story.
I have Wally Lamb's new book waiting in the wings (along with about 20 other books I received for Christmas).
I love Wally Lamb, but his books must be read in small doses, I agree.
As for The Alchemist, it sounds really good. Hopefully I'll get to it in the next century. LOL
And Kaileigh, I understand about writing and the feelings involved. But we both just need to push through anyway. We'll never know how brilliant we can be if we don't give it a shot. :)
XOXO
lol Twilight is so delicious it could be 40,000 pages and every single woman on this earth would read it. : D
I will have to check this one out. I am in need of some new reads and this one seems right up my alley.
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