[review] The Alchemist, a Sometimes Misunderstood Bestseller by Paulo Coelho
When I bought mint seeds, the packaging clearly indicated the best time to sow them. I didn’t heed that advice, put the seeds in a pot indoors, and watered them, hoping I’d still get mint out of season, thinking that heat alone would be enough to make them grow. Sure enough, the seeds sprouted, but the plants were too small to eat. I gave up and stopped watering them. Then, just as the instructions said, right before summer, the plants suddenly shot up and gave me more leaves than I needed. By the time I got organized and set a date with friends for a “homemade mojito” night, the leaves were already wilting.
From this experience, I understood that there is a a right time for everything : for sowing seeds, for germinating, for growing, and for harvesting. And if we missed that favorable moment, we could still get something out of it, but not as good.
It was while reading The Alchemist that I understood why I couldn’t read it before May 2023, why it had been sitting on my e-reader for years without me even being able to get through the preface: the right time to read it hadn’t come yet.
The Alchemist (7,1€, Amazon link) is a book written in Brazilian Portuguese by Paulo Coelho. While the literary value of the work isn’t the main point here, its spiritual value is immeasurable. It’s an initiatory travel tale that follows the adventures of a young Andalusian shepherd named Santiago, who dreams of finding a treasure hidden at the foot of the Egyptian Pyramids. Along his journey, Santiago meets various characters who help him understand the true meaning of life and his own journey. Among them is a mysterious alchemist who teaches him the secrets of the universe and the transformation of matter (hence the novel’s title). The author reportedly spent 10 years studying alchemy, so he knows what he’s talking about. Alchemy isn’t about turning lead into gold but aims at an elevation of the soul; the transformation of lead into gold is merely allegorical.
The book is filled with symbols and allegories, inviting readers to reflect on the choices they make in their own lives and the pursuit of their personal destiny. It also explores themes of self-discovery, chasing one’s dreams (which he calls “Personal Legend”), spirituality, and the quest for personal fulfillment.
“The Alchemist” has become an international bestseller, translated into over 50 languages and sold millions of copies worldwide. It’s considered a contemporary classic of literature and has inspired millions of readers around the globe to pursue their dreams and follow their spiritual path.
My opinion
I read this novel at a time when I decided to take a small career break (sabbatical year) to clearly redefine what I want to do. Even though this break had already been decided and set in motion before reading the novel, I had a little fear inside me whispering, “what if this isn’t the right path?” But after reading this novel, those little fears, those small doubts vanished, and it reminded me that the journey was more important than the destination. If the path wasn’t right, I’d just take another one.
Daring to take a break, reflect, and find the path is more important than the question “what am I going to do next?”
I completely understand the criticisms that fault the novel for being too optimistic, too “fairy tale,” too “self-help”: “not everyone can realize their dreams,” etc. That’s why I think this book isn’t for everyone.
. In the book, there’s a character (the crystal merchant) whose dream is to go to Mecca. He knows full well that money is just an excuse, that he could go anytime, but he won’t realize his dream for fear of being disappointed, for fear of losing his only reason to exist (“dreaming of Mecca”). I’ve met many people like that. When I told Americans about France’s sabbatical leave options, they replied that the French were so lucky and that they’d definitely take advantage of it if they worked in France too. But we all know not every French person takes sabbatical leave, even if many want to. Why? Because of the kids, the career, the money… but deep down, they’re like the crystal merchant: dreaming keeps them going, and for them, realizing their dreams isn’t that important. This book doesn’t criticize them but simply confronts them with the logic of their own thinking, which I think stings many readers.
The book’s philosophical and spiritual messages can clash with certain religions. And it’s been criticized for exactly that (too heretical for some).
Moreover, I thinkyou can’t read it just anytime. You have to read it when you’re ready, when you’re able to receive and understand these insights, or when you need a little push, a little encouragement, like I did.
While the theme of “fulfilling your dreams” is central, there are a few ideas I really liked:
- about the Law of Attraction : “when you want something, all the universe conspires to help you achieve it.” this important message is repeated at least 5 times throughout the novel. The so-called “coincidences” have been so numerous in my life that I can only affirm, from experience, that the law of attraction exists, works, and is very simple to put into practice. Another bestseller discussed it at length, namely “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne (Amazon linkRhonda Byrne has been criticized for presenting the Law of Attraction as the greatest secret of all time, but just looking around us shows that this law is still either misunderstood, rejected, or unknown… so it indeed remained “secret” for many people – and before 2009, I wasn’t aware of it either.
- However, there are nuances related to the Law of Attraction: it must be aligned with one’s “personal legend“, that is, one’s destiny. I understood this point much later when I read another Asian book about destiny.
- about the cleanliness. A controversial personality once said that before saving the world, you must first clean your room. We find exactly the same remark here from the crystal merchant. After Santiago cleaned the crystal shop’s window, he attracted two customers even though the shop hadn’t sold anything for a long time. The shop’s cleanliness alone drew in buyers. The success of a business is immediately visible: if the manager is good, everything will be clean and orderly, and the business will certainly meet with success. It’s something we’ve noticed in many hotels and restaurants around the world. But figuratively, before undertaking a great project, we understand that we must first put our ideas in order. And to have a quality life, we also need to declutter our relationships.
- on alchemy : those who have never taken an interest in alchemy will probably think it comes out of nowhere. However, I find that the author successfully combined alchemy’s messages with the plot, and they reached Santiago at the right moment, when he was ready to receive them. I read online a reader who advised skipping the alchemy passages to make the reading smoother, but I think even if you’re not interested, you should still read it. Maybe one day, you’ll come back to it.
- about the the weight of promises: if it took Santiago only a few minutes to give away 10% of his hypothetical treasure to the Gypsy woman, it took him an entire night to decide to part with 10% of what he actually owns (6 sheep, much less than 10% of the treasure) to the King of Salem, in exchange for important information. We easily give and promise things we don’t have, but we struggle to part with something we truly possess. Santiago made a bad deal with the Gypsy woman because he didn’t measure the consequences of his promise. This weight of promise also varies for business partners, as well as for lovers who promise the moon, but as soon as success arrives, promises are regretted or revised because the stakes become real and too significant. For the weight of a promise to be understood and taken into account immediately, you should do like the King of Salem: In business, it’s better to ask for financial or tangible compensation before giving a percentage of the company to a partner.
In conclusion, I think this is not a book for everyone, to be read anytime. Buy it, and when you feel the urge to read it, it will be the right time, and it will be for you.
I think the success of this book is linked to Paulo Coelho’s spiritual master, a mysterious man named “Jean,” a French Jew belonging to a secret society called RAM. The important passages seem to bear his imprint (called the Alchemist in the novel, and the novel is dedicated to him at the beginning); because right after, Paulo Coelho’s novel “Brida” is a piece of crap; and no longer has the depths brought by Jean.
The Alchemist costs €7.10 and can be purchased on Amazon (Amazon link) or on the Fnac website Fnac link
If you can read in English, you can treat yourself like I did to a limited illustrated edition of the book by Lyra’s Book
The Alchemist: Quotes
Here are my favorite quotes:
I told you your dream was difficult to interpret. The simple things are the most extraordinary, and only the wise can see them.
Each of us, in our youth, knows what our Personal Legend is.. At that time in life, everything is clear, everything is possible, and we are not afraid to dream and wish for everything we would like to do with our lives. However, as time passes, a mysterious force begins to try to prove that it is impossible to realize one’s Personal Legend.
— These are forces that seem bad, but which in reality teach you how to realize your Personal Legend. They prepare your spirit and your will, because there is a great truth in this world: whoever you are and whatever you do, when you truly want something, it’s because that desire was born in the soul of the Universe. It’s your mission on Earth.
The Soul of the World feeds on people’s happiness. Or on their unhappiness, envy, jealousy. Fulfilling your Personal Legend is the only and unique obligation of men. Everything is one thing. And when you want something, all the Universe conspires to help you achieve your desire.
We call this the Favorable Principle. If you play cards for the first time, you are sure to win. Beginner’s luck.— And why is that?— Because life wants you to live your Personal Legend.
When luck is on our side, we must take advantage of it, and do everything to help it just as it helps us. That’s what’s called the Favorable Principle.
Any blessing that is not accepted turns into a curse. I expect nothing more from life. And you, you force me to glimpse riches and horizons I had never imagined. So now that I know them, and that I know my immense possibilities, I will feel much worse than before. Because I know I can have everything, but I don’t want it.
The Emerald Table is a direct passage to the Soul of the World.— The wise understood that this natural world is but an image and a copy of Paradise. The mere fact that this world exists is the guarantee that a more perfect world exists. God created it so that, through visible things, men could understand His spiritual teachings and the wonders of His wisdom. That is what I call Action.
It’s normal tobe afraid of trading everything you’ve already achieved for a dream.— Then why should I listen to my heart ?— Because you’ll never be able to silence it. And even if you pretend not to hear what it says, it will be there, in your chest, and will keep repeating what it thinks about life and the world.— Even if I’m a traitor ?— Betrayal is the blow you don’t see coming. If you know your heart well, it will never surprise you like that. Because you’ll know its dreams and desires, and you’ll know how to take them into account. No one can flee their heart. That’s why it’s better to listen to what it says. So that a blow you don’t expect never strikes you.
« Even if I complain a little, his heart said, it’s only because I’m a human heart, and human hearts are like that. They’re afraid of realizing their greatest dreams, because they believe they don’t deserve to succeed, or can’t succeed. We hearts die of fear at the mere thought of loves gone forever, of moments that could have been wonderful and weren’t, of treasures that could have been discovered and remain forever buried in the sand. Because when that happens, we suffer terribly, in the end. »
— Tell him that the fear of suffering is worse than suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered while pursuing its dreams, because every moment of the quest is a moment of encounter with God and with Eternity.
He said that every happy person was someone who carried God within them. And that happiness could be found in a simple grain of sand from the desert, as the Alchemist had said. Because a grain of sand is a moment of Creation, and the Universe took millions and millions of years to create it.
« Every man on earth has a treasure waiting for him, his heart said. We hearts rarely talk about it, because men no longer want to find these treasures. We only talk about them to small children. Then we let life take charge of leading each one to their destiny. Unfortunately, few men follow the path laid out for them, which is the path of the Personal Legend and of bliss. Most see the world as something threatening, and for that very reason, the world does become something threatening. So we hearts start to speak more and more softly, but we never fall silent. And we make wishes that our words won’t be heard : we don’t want men to suffer for not having followed the path we showed them.— Why don’t hearts tell men they must pursue their dreams ? the young man asked the Alchemist.— Because, in that case, it’s the heart that suffers the most. And hearts don’t like suffering.
Before realizing a dream, the Soul of the World always wants to assess everything that has been learned along the way. If it does so, it’s not out of malice towards us, but so that we can, along with our dream, also conquer the lessons we learn on the way to it. And that’s the moment when most people give up. That’s what we call, in the language of the desert : dying of thirst when the palms of the oasis are already in sight on the horizon. A quest always begins with the Beginner’s Luck. And always ends with the Conqueror’s Trial.
When we have great treasures right under our eyes, we never notice them. And do you know why ? Because men don’t believe in treasures.
— Everything evolves in the Universe. And, for those who know, gold is the most evolved metal. Don’t ask me why, I don’t know. I only know that what Tradition teaches is always right. It’s men who haven’t known how to interpret the words of the wise correctly. And, instead of being the symbol of evolution, gold has become the sign of wars.
— Whoever lives their Personal Legend knows everything they need to know. There’s only one thing that can make a dream impossible : the fear of failing.
I’ve learned the secrets of Alchemy, while traveling the world with you. Within me I have the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the Universe. We were made by the same Hand, and we have the same Soul.
Love is the force that transforms and improves the Soul of the World. When I first entered it, I thought it was perfect. But then I saw that it was the reflection of everything created, that it also had its wars and passions. It’s us who feed the Soul of the World, and the earth we live on will be better or worse depending on whether we are better or worse. That’s where the power of Love comes in, because when we love, we always want to be better than we are.
But this Hand had a reason for all of this, and only it was capable of performing miracles, of transforming oceans into deserts, and men into wind. Because only it understood that a higher purpose drove the Universe to a point where the six days of creation would become the Great Work. And the young man immersed himself in the Soul of the World, and saw that the Soul of the World was part of the Soul of God, and saw that the Soul of God was his own soul.
