Discover why ‘The Alchemist’ deserves a place on every bookshelf and how it can inspire readers of all ages and backgrounds

We need to be picky in friendship. Our primary priority should be having inspiring friends around and I am fortunate on this count. Besides sharing everything of our interest, we share books as well. Only a year ago, I received the book ‘The Alchemist’ by Paulo Coelho from one of my friends, and of late I flipped through its pages. Given its popularity and the central idea, I think I am the only person who has procrastinated on reading this marvellous work. I have no regrets, as; after all, I read it. And I certainly want others to read it.
The Alchemist is a great literary masterpiece by the Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho, who was born on August 24, 1947, in Rio de Janeiro. From a young age, he dreamed of becoming a writer, but his parents had different plans for him. Paulo’s parents took his obsession with literature as a sign of mental illness. He was even committed to mental institutions. All this prompted Paulo to give up his dream and join law school, but he dropped out a year later. Thereafter, he followed his ‘personal legend’ and pursued a writing career, and in 1988 ‘The Alchemist’ was published. It initially seemed like a failed project, but in the end, it turned out to be a huge success. Written in Portuguese, it became a widely translated international bestseller. It has been translated into 80 languages, and around 150 million copies of this book have been sold thus far. The book is relatively short, having around 167 pages, and its English-translated version is simple and intelligible.
Santiago, the main character, is a young shepherd who had repeated dreams of a child leading him to an interred treasure. To have a fair interpretation of his dream, he meets a gypsy woman who tells him where the treasure lies. After that, he crosses paths with an old king who teaches the young shepherd about reading omens and how ‘all the universe conspires to help you achieve something you intently want’.
The shepherd then runs across more interesting people. While traversing in a caravan to his treasure, Santiago meets an Englishman. In this journey, the Englishman introduces Santiago to an alchemist who knows how to change lead into gold. Around this time, the young shepherd hits upon a young woman whom he later falls in love with but leaves her to pursue his dream. As Santiago traverses, he meets an alchemist who gives him so many life lessons, teaches him about the universe, explains the significance of omens, and principally how pursuing his dreams will make a difference in his life. After finding himself in tight spots, facing setbacks, and going through ups and downs, the boy eventually finds the treasure.
The fashion in which all the characters in the book are associated with the protagonist, Santiago, makes each character important.
The gypsy woman motivates him to follow his dreams and informs him of the possibilities.
The old king, namely Melchizedek, contributes equally by teaching Shepherd about omens. He gives him a pair of rocks, black and white — ‘Urim and Thummim’ — to read and understand those.
The young shepherd knows what the Englishman is researching. In other words, the Englishman exposes him to a new world. Likewise, the alchemist helps the young boy know his future and, imperatively, more about omens. All this makes each character worthwhile and unskippable.
The book has umpteen lessons to offer. Primarily, it stresses the significance of having a dream and the fire in the belly to pursue it. It coaxes us to work toward achieving our dreams. Through the mention of a few tragic events, like the robbing and battering faced by Shepherd, the book tells us to be prepared for hardships while looking for the realization of dreams. Many times, Shepherd thinks to give up on his dreams, but his ‘personal calling’ stops him from doing so. It stimulates readers to listen to their personal call and not concede defeat or stop trying because ‘we only lose when we give up’. The book impresses on us how the universe assists those who stand adamant and strong to chase their dreams.
The Shepherd makes progress at the crystal shop, and in the desert, he is made a counsellor and awarded gold, but this small progress does not impede him from getting bigger. The book makes it evident that the small things must not be an end; rather, they must lead us to something bigger. To put it simply, it insists that we should not halt until we get enough.
The book also underscores the value of the people we meet during the course of our lives and how they sway over us unknowingly.
The book ‘The Alchemist’ can serve as a valuable guide to a reader. Its words are capable of adding to our confidence, improving our optimism, and changing our perspective for good. It can also aid a reader in personal development.
This book deserves to be on everyone’s bookshelf, irrespective of age and gender. It is best for those wanting to realize their dreams.
Happy reading!
The writer is a columnist and can be reached at [email protected]

Zeeshan Rasool Khan