The Alchemist – Book Review – My New Favourite Book

‘The Alchemist’ written by Paulo Coelho stole my heart. It has aptly captured the confusion I have (I think most people have them) and has given some solutions to it. This is not a self-help book but a beautifully woven story of a boy overcoming various obstacles in pursuit of his dream. His journey has answered some of the questions I had within myself. I would say, it is definitely worth a read!

Do you know who really succeeds? The one who is determined to go till the end. Some people give up at the first obstacle and blame their fate for it. Some at the second obstacle and convince themselves that they have tried everything. There is this saying that people give up when they are the nearest to achieving their goals. Why not go till the end to see what awaits you? Of course, we have many challenges in our lives; but it is in our hands to find solutions for those or use them as excuses.

 What is Destiny? Why is it Important?

In the name of maturity, we often try to follow the path that is considered elite in this society. We do not want to follow our unconventional dreams and goals, fearing other people’s negative opinions. Paulo Coelho, says in ‘The Alchemist,’ “[Destiny] is what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their destiny is……But as time passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be impossible for them to realize their destiny.”

The author has compared the life of a shepherd and baker to explain how the current society works. The baker has a stable job and a roof above to sleep and so the parents want their daughters to marry bakers instead of shepherds who sleep out in the open and frequently move to do their job. Growing up in such a community, everyone’s minds are conditioned to live up to the expectations of society.

“In the long run, what people think about shepherds and bakers becomes more important for them than their own destinies,” says the king (old man) in the book. If we fail to chase what we wanted to do, our life will be filled with regrets when we grow old.

 The Quote on the Universe Speaks More Truth

This is something my friends and I have personally experienced. The quote from the book: “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” People who believe in the Universe can relate to incidents when they have truly achieved something they wanted so much. For folks who do not, let me tell you an alternate explanation from what I have analyzed from my own life. When you want something or do something, you would gradually start focusing your efforts towards that path, and one step at a time would take you closer to your destination. When you finally achieve it, you would feel like it is a miracle.

The one idea that the author keeps repeating in the book is ‘belief in the omens.’ They lead you to the next step in your efforts to your goal. The Universe speaks to you through the omens and we just have to listen to it. If we keep rejecting those signs, one day the signs will stop telling you.

 Anxiety and Heart – The Relationship

I get anxious when things do not go my way. After reading this book, I realized that I should speak to my heart more often and make it understand and also listen to it. If I keep pressuring it, it will get anxious all the time and start fearing the unknown. This book also sort of gives importance to hunches. We call it ‘instinct.’ When we just feel like not going somewhere and when a friend asks, ‘Why?’, we just say ‘I have a gut feeling that this might not end well.’ These are also signs of the Universe and your heart speaks to you.

The Plot through Which the Lessons are Delivered

A boy, who has become a shepherd with the hopes of travelling a lot, gets a repetitive dream of finding a treasure near the Pyramids in Egypt. From the fields of Andalusia, he embarks on the journey to find the treasure and goes to a stranger land, despite self-doubts and fear, in pursuit of his destiny. He learns along the way how everything happens for a greater cause. The plot might sound simple when it is put this way but the book is much deeper than that. There are big life lessons we can learn from the boy’s life and decisions.

 In a Nutshell

Whatever we think stops us from realizing our goals does not actually stop us; we give those excuses to ourselves to not come out of our comfort zone. Most importantly, true love does not stop you from going forward; instead, it stays by your side on your journey and gives you strength. This book has been a life-changing experience for me. And certainly, I will read it again when I am in my 40s to see how far I have come. I think the lines in this book will give a different meaning then. This review is based on how I understood the sentences today, in my 20s.