This is a reread for me. To be honest I think I got more out of it on the reread than the first time I read it. The Alchemist is a book about a shepard boy who is chasing his personal legend. On the way he get robbed, then gets stuck at an oasis in the desert because of war then he falls in love and almost give up seeking his personal legend but is persuaded to continue by the girl. Finally he finds his treasure just where it was supposed to be.
The above is the bare bones of the story but it is really so much more. Everyone has a dream that they would like to see realized. This is about achieving your dream AKA your personal legend. It tells of choices people must make along the way and how people get sidetracked and most give up their dream. The Alchemist encourages us to never quit seeking our dreams.
The Alchemist is a parable of a sort. It tells us how things can go very different from how you predicted or planned but is you believe with all your heart and soul of your dream then heaven itself will help you realize it. This is a powerful message.
While reading this I was reminded of the book titled “The Secret” they both view that the universe and God will help you realize your dream if you just keep pushing. They both have the same underlying tone.
As for the story I admit I was feeling sorry for the boy in the book. so many things seem to go wrong. He suffers then has to earn all his money back by working. It is through working that his boss who is a Muslim whose dream it was to go to mecca for the holy pilgrimage, tells the boy some people think it is good to just dream for after you have accomplished it what is there left to dream about?
I think that I am in the camp of working hard and pushing yourself to get your dream to come true. No matter how often you get sidetracked always go in the way of your dream.
I loved how the book tied all the elements together and in the end we could see how all the things that happened were just stepping-stones to the boy finding his treasure. This is a beautifully written tale that deserves to be read over and over again.
