The Alchemist

Coehlo, Paulo. The Alchemist. New York: HarperCollins, 1988. Print. (179 pages)

First sentence: “The boy’s name was Santiago. Dusk was falling as the boy arrived with his herd at an abandoned church.”

Plot/ Premise: Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the magical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure as extravagant as any ever found. The story of the treasures Santiago finds along the way teaches us, as only a few stories can, about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and, above all, following our dreams.

My thoughts: MUST READ. This book is brilliant and in some ways we are all Santiago in pursuit of a treasure that comes to us in a dream and we think the universe wants us to find. Will finding that treasure fulfill you or once you find it will you want to find something even bigger? I had a couple of friends tell me that this book was really good and they were right. It’s one that I think I will read every so often as a gentle reminder of life’s greatest treasures that we collect along the way just like Santiago. I cannot say enough good things about this book.