BC Consensus: The Alchemist

Would you like to crème de la crème from our book club dicussions this month? You are in luck! In November, we read Coelho's The Alchemist. Here are some of the comments our members made about the book:

“Essentially, I think that Coelho tries to explicate how spirituality is essential in our personal journey of life. Through it, we discover who we are, run past our limitations or fears, and can be led spiritually to wonderful discoveries.”

“I identify very strongly with the idea of a personal legend, because I'm in the middle of pursuing mine and can correlate much of what's happening to Santiago to what's happened/happening to me. I see my ultimate test, the thing that will work against me in the saga of the personal legend, looming in the next six months, and this book has reinforced very deeply in me my commitment to making it happen...no matter what.”

“I liked the book and how it encouraged all of us to take risks and set goals and to not let obstacles get in the way of those goals. It made him [Santiago] stronger. He learned lessons from all the people he met and also taught people he came in contact with. That's what life seems to be. Constantly learning and sharing.” +/-

“It seems like you should be gleaning wisdom from everything that happens. The reason I think this is one of the best "following your dream" books I've read is because it doesn't come easy, and he knows close to the end that he hasn't even met the worst yet. I think that was interesting. Just as all the universe helps you to achieve your Personal Legend in the beginning, the universe also works against you in the end. Interesting...”

"I found the spiritual theme slightly conflicting. In spots the book talks about God's hand eternally laying out your path (predestination), but in others about people who never achieved their personal legends due to their own choice and folly (free will). In this, do you think Coelho is suggesting the answer to the ubiquitous question of the nature of our destinies?"

"I loved that it was a process, almost a growing and developing process. He started with the sand, then went to the wind, then the sun, until finally he realized he needed God. I kind of saw it as an allegory (is that the correct term) of what almost everyone does in life. Sometimes it’s easier to turn to something/someone that is there, solid, right in front of your eyes. Realizing how much you need God is a process, sometimes you have to go through the sand, wind, and sun before you get there."

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

I really enjoyed this book. I have to say I was getting a little confused by the end because I’ve heard from so many people that it was a great book, so I was waiting for the punch. I knew it must be coming. =) I was waiting for that moment when it would surprise me and everything I thought would be turned on its head. And I have to say, I was not disappointed!

I really enjoyed Coelho’s use of spiritual imagery as well. At first, it was a little startling, but after awhile, I felt like he was able to create a sort of “every” religion, if you will. I think people of all faiths can relate to his sense of spirituality, and I think that is a really difficult thing to do, especially without causing controversy. +/-

Honestly, my favorite part was the time he spent with the crystal merchant. Fleshing out his “beginner’s luck” with a person who doesn’t like change and is mostly pessimistic about life. The juxtaposition of the two, the crystal merchant and the boy, made the merchant seem foolish to me. Without the optimism of the boy and his eagerness to make life better, I would have thought the merchant prudent, maybe, but mostly reasonable and practical. But considering what the boy was able to do for his business, it made me think of all the times I’ve felt like I’ve had a good idea, maybe even experienced a little “beginner’s luck,” but then shook my head and said, “No way, won’t work. Nevermind. What am I thinking of.”

The merchant also believed that he’d rather have his unattainable wish because otherwise he would have nothing to dream of. Once you get the carrot on the stick, it no longer propels you forward—a very interesting theory. I think I identified the most with him, erring on the side of caution too much. Just think of what the boy would have missed out on if he had given up his quest.

*spoiler ahead*

And that brings me to my final thought. I absolutely loved the end of this book. It was beyond perfection. And, I really think, although Santiago finds his chest of gold at the end of the long journey, his real treasure was just that. If his dream had told him that the treasure was under his nose all along, he never would have learned what he did or found true love. Although he would have avoided heartbreaking disappointment and pain, his life would have been considerably emptier. His treasure was not only the experience, but the effect that that experience will have on the rest of his life. The only trouble is you can never tell what will pay off; it’s inexplicably frightening, walking into the unknown. And that is the true beauty of taking risks and following a dream.

BC About the Author: Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the city where he now lives. His own life has in many ways been as varied and unusual as the protagonists of his internationally acclaimed novels. Like them, he has followed a dream in a quest for fulfillment. His own dream, to be a writer, met with frustration throughout much of his early adult life, a time in which he worked at various professions, some of them materially rewarding but spiritually unfulfilling. "I always knew," he says, "that my Personal Legend, to use a term from alchemy, was to write." He was 38 when he published his first book.

In 1970, after deciding that law school was not for him, he traveled through much of South America, North Africa, Mexico, and Europe. Returning to Brazil after two years, he began a successful career as a popular songwriter. In 1974, he was imprisoned for a short time by the military dictatorship then ruling in Brazil. +/-

In 1980, he experienced one of the defining moments of his life: he walked the 500-plus mile Road of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. On this ancient highway, used for centuries by pilgrims from France to get to the cathedral said to house the remains of St. James, he achieved a self-awareness and a spiritual awakening that he later described in The Pilgrimage.

Paulo Coelho once said that following your dream is like learning a foreign language; you will make mistakes but you will get there in the end. In 1988, he published The Alchemist, a novel that explores this theme, and it launched him as an international bestselling author.

Specifically, Paulo Coelho is recognized for his powerful storytelling technique and the profound spiritual insights he blends seamlessly into his parables. Since then, The Alchemist has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide and has been translated into some 41 languages. In addition to The Pilgrimage and The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho has written luminous novels about the different streams of our lives, including By The River Piedra I Sat Down & Wept, The Valkyries, The Fifth Mountain, and Veronika Decides to Die. A winner of numerous literary prizes, Paulo Coelho is also a prominent speaker for humanitarian causes. In 1999, he received a Crystal Award for Artistic Achievement at the Davos Economic Forum Conference.

Visit Paulo Coelho's official website here.