The Alchemist. Paulo Coelho.

Do men seek the elixir of life? Why did people study alchemy?And finally, why was the Philosopher's Stone so hard to find?
In the preface, Coelho refers to the eleven years when he studied alchemy and the frustration involved. He commented on his attraction with the Elixir of Life. During his spiritual exile in the seventies he learned many important things: a "truth" is only accepted after we have completely rejected it. We mustn't run away from our destiny and God is firm but infinitely generous.

Try Paulo Coelho's novel but I am not promising any answers or mind-blowing discoveries about our raison d'etre.
Does reading it change our lives for ever? Is it a transforming novel? Pass. Has it had a life-enhancing impact on me? The truth? Afraid not but ask again when I have discussed it with like-minded people and read it a few more times!
I did find it a charming story though, full of religious anecdotes, interpretations of dreams. Jung would have approved. It balances fortune with misfortune and teaches us what real courage is made of as opposed to fear.

His protagonist is a young boy, a shepherd boy from Spain who is ambitious and wants to travel the world in search of his fortune. The treasure is near the Pyramids in Egypt and he has to cross the desert to reach it. He meets significant people along this perilous journey who teach him important lessons, some good and some bad. He discovers knowledge, truth, wisdom and the love of Fatima. It reads like a fairy-tale, a bit far-fetched and romanticised but perhaps it does make one think of man's destiny and interpretating omens?

The Alchemist is considered to be Coelho's best loved work and more than 43 million books have been sold worldwide. That in itself speaks volumes. The book doesn't take long to read and the language is straight forward. Perhaps you can discover your raison d'etre?

Publishers: Harper Collins.   ISBN: 0-7225-3293-8

 
 
COPYRIGHT 2012. PERMISSION MUST BE OBTAINED FROM THE AUTHOR BEFORE USING THIS REVIEW.



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