Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Review: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is a fable of sorts, full of not so subtle metaphors. First published in Brazil in 1988 then published in English during the 1990’s, it’s been spotted in the hands of President Clinton and Julia Roberts, and is reportedly being made into a movie starring Laurence Fishburn, Jeremy Irons, and *eh hem* Madonna.

Eh, that does nothing for me other than tell me I’m probably gonna be reading some sorta pop, self-affirmation, mumbo jumbo.

And in a way that’s what this story is- which took it down a notch for me. But it’s also more than that.

The tale is told in simplistic language and, just like any good fable, has a lesson to teach. The lesson is one that Oprah, the Queen of Self-Affirmation herself, puts out- be led by the God within. But it also intertwines enough Judeo/Christian references to appease even me. Purists won’t like that. I happen to know for a fact one can read something one may not agree with and glean from it what one needs. So yes, I enjoyed this little yarn.

The story revolves around Santiago, a Andalusian shepherd who has a dream of seeing the world. Becoming a Shepherd was just the first step in his journey, and after a particularly unsettling dream decides to take another step which brings him into contact with an ancient King who will offically launch him into his destiny.

Along his journey he meets the people who will become his teachers- gypsy’s, desert peoples of all classes, an Englishman and finally an alchemist who help him to learn the language of the soul of the world, and, thru an ironic twist, to complete his journey of new found wisdom and belief in himself.

To sum up the message of The Alchemist? God is in the details of life.

I happen to believe it is imperative to follow your dreams. I saw myself in Santiago. What really pricked my spirit was that I saw ways that I failed and he succeeded. In the end, it’s good to be reminded of our dreams ... and to never give up on them.

So I’m giving this story a 4.6 out of 5.

PS Does anyone else who read this wonder if it's where J K Rowling got the idea for her first Harry Potter Novel???

Labels: Book Reviews

Posted by Zeek :: 1:44 PM :: 7 comments

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