The Alchemist

A friend sent me an e-book of “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho a couple of months ago but I just finished reading it yesterday. I was able to read it while waiting for calls to come in. This book is a symbolic tale that urges us to follow our dreams and aspirations.

The novel tells the story of Santiago, a boy who has the courage to follow his dream. It followed the boy’s adventure from being a shepherd in Andalusia to his journey to search for the symbolic hidden treasure near the pyramids of Egypt.

The Alchemist is a must-read novel that is bursting with optimism. In simple terms, the book is telling us that you can achieve your dream as long as you really want to achieve it.

“When you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true,” this is what the old King said when he spoke to Santiago and this is the foundation on this book’s philosophy.

My favorite line in the book is this:

"…I don't live in either my past or my future. I'm interested only in
the present. If you can concentrate always on the present, you'll be a happy
man. You'll see that there is life in the desert, that there are stars in the
heavens… Life will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment
we're living right now."

If you want to download the e-book for free, click on this link.