Essays on The Alchemist

1988

Paulo Coelho

Novel, Fantasy Fiction, Quest, Drama, Adventure Fiction

Portuguese

Santiago, The Alchemist, Crystal Merchant, Englishman, Melchizedek, Fatima, Gypsy, Camel Driver, The Tribal Chieftain of Al-Fayoum, Merchant’s daughter, The Monk, Merchant, Santiago's father, Young Man, Candy Seller, Barkeep, Caravan Leader

1988, by Paulo Coelho

Quest, adventure, fantasy

The novel follows a young Andalusian shepherd, Santiago, in his journey to the pyramids of Egypt, after having a recurring dream of finding a treasure there.

The book's main theme is about finding one's destiny. The advice given to Santiago that "when you really want something to happen, the whole universe will conspire so that your wish comes true" is the core of the novel's philosophy and a motif that plays throughout it.

Santiago, The Alchemist, Crystal Merchant, Englishman, Melchizedek, Fatima, Gypsy, Camel Driver.

Originally written in Portuguese, it became a widely translated international bestseller. Today, The Alchemist has sold 65 million copies and been on The New York Times bestseller list for more than 315 weeks. It's also been translated into 80 different languages, setting the Guinness World Record for the most translated book by any living author.

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
“It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”
“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”
“One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.”