This book has a way of making you connect to the main character while having you reflect on your own purpose in life. Rather than stating things as plainly as you get what you attract, it takes you on an adventure where that message unfolds before you. " The Alchemist to me is a fictional adaptation of the secret.
He soon had a spiritual awakening and decided to follow his dream and become a writer. After enrolling in law school, he quickly dropped out and lived an off the grid life, filling his life with travel and self-development. Due to his parent's negative reaction to the idea, he went to law school instead of pursuing his passion for writing. Paulo Coelho was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and by his early teenage years knew his own Personal Legend was to become a writer. The idea of Personal Legend is the main theme of the story and how by wanting something the universe will help us conspire to achieve that dream. The story of Santiago's journey is meant to awaken an individual's aspirations and inspire them to pursue their own dreams. More individual's throughout the story teach Santiago key lessons in his quest to find the treasure. An alchemist meets Santiago later in his journey and goes into further depth about Personal Legend and how it is essential to fully understand one's own dream.
The Personal Legend is intertwined throughout the book and is the underlying theme throughout Santiago's journey.Īnother individual he meets his named Fatima, and she teaches him to follow his heart, and that when one follows their heart they will find their fortune. The old king also goes on to explain, "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it". This concept is introduced to him by a wise king named Melchizedek, who explains to him the idea of Personal Legend is that at a young age, everyone knows their dream, and what they are meant to accomplish in their life. A key lesson that Santiago learns in the beginning of his journey is the idea of Personal Legend. Since the dream comes to him on numerous occasions, curiosity motivates Santiago to follow his dream and begin a journey to find the treasure.Īlong his way to follow his dream, Santiago meets individuals that teach him lessons throughout the journey. The story begins with Santiago, who keeps having recurring dreams of a young child telling him that there is a treasure in the Egyptian Pyramids. The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream is the global best-selling story about the journey of an Andalusian shepherd boy, named Santiago, and his quest to follow his dream. **My debut novel, an epic fantasy called MELOKAI, is out now! Available from Amazon, Kobo, iBooks, Google Play Books, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords. Goodreads | Author website | Publisher website
#Paulo coelho the alchemist audiobook full#
One full star goes to Jeremy Irons’ narration. Loved the first three quarters, hated the last quarter. This is a short, simple fable and this is a short review. Your soul is actually God’s soul, your dreams are actually the language of God etc etc. I’m an atheist and I don’t mind a few mentions, but it just got a bit much for me as suddenly it was all about connecting to God and this higher power was actually the one to direct your personal legend. Until the end when it descends into heavy religious mentions about it all being down to God whether or not you succeed in following your dreams. This is a wonderful, inspirational and uplifting book for the most part. But I did feel annoyed that there were no female characters of note (I was surprised to discover after I listened to it that this was published in 1988, I honestly thought it was older). I enjoyed his insightful commentary on life as a shepherd, life in the city of Tangiers, his experiences in the desert and at the pyramids. He also learns to see the signs in omens and how others have followed their hearts or not, and what has stopped them. He meets various people along the way, including the mysterious alchemist, and learns many things about himself, about listening to his heart, about overcoming challenges and about never giving up. This journey takes Santiago to Morocco and across the desert to the Egyptian pyramids. He then meets a strange man and embarks on a journey to discover his ‘personal legend’, and to follow his dreams. However, the shepherd, called Santiago, has a dream and goes to a fortune teller to help him decipher it. The Alchemist started off so well, with the story of a young Spanish boy from Andalucia who is perfectly happy roaming the countryside with his flock of sheep and a book.