# Reading > General Literature >  the alchemist by Paolo Coelho

## gutierrez2020

guys can you please add the book, the alchesmist wriiten by Paolo Coelho?thanks!

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## crisaor

Due to copyright reasons, it can't be added, as it's very recent. And I wouldn't recommend it anyway.

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## Scheherazade

It is in my 'to read' list... Is it not good, crisaor?

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## atiguhya padma

I agree with Crisaor. I found it very disappointing. People seem to compare it with Gibran's The Prophet. However, Gibran has style and talent, and his work provides a far deeper meaning than the Alchemist which is little more than sugar candy for surface-skating new-agers. Its like reading a few hundred cheesy greetings cards that pretend to be poetic.

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## crisaor

Afraid not, Scheherezade. It's like atiguhya said, there's nothing substantial in it (and in neither of Coelho's other books, if you ask me). It hardly qualifies as literature to me, save that it's edited in book format. Here in Latinamerica this book (and all those works of similar content, usually referred to as "self-help", which is funny, cause I don't think they can help anybody other than the writer and the company who sells them) can be bought at supermarkets! Which is appropriate, in a way.
If you accept my advise, pick another one in your list, you'll do much better.  :Smile:

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## Scheherazade

Thank you both Crisaor and AP... I think I will put it aside for the timebeing but I have to read it sometime as I promised myself to read all the books in BBC's Big Read by 2009 (Don't ask!  :Blush:  ) and it is in the top 100!

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## Helga

I liked it, not as much as other books by Coelho but it is good!

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## elfin77

I thought his book 'Veronica decides to die' was very good. Liked it much better than his other books.

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## Sancho

Say, has anyone here read Paulo Coelhos _The Alchemist_? I read it last night and was fairly taken with it. Normally I need to let a good book - sort of - sink in for a month or so before Im willing to discuss it, but in this case, Id sure be interested in anyone elses impression of this book.

Id never heard of _The Alchemist_  before, but there it was on one of those recommendation tables at my local Barnes and Nobles. So I bought it and read itand dug it. I read an English version (translated from Paulo Coelhos native Brazilian Portugeuse). 

My most humble apologies if anybody else has already started a similar thread. (I'm just too danged lazy to search)

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## Monica

I've read it and I didn't like it although I have to confess I read it all at once, during one afternoon, without any breaks. Coelho seems to be trying too hard to write something deep and in the end he wrote something quite simple. That's how I feel it. I don't like his other books either. Probably it's just not my way of seeing things, I really don't have anything about Coelho and his works.

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## NNoah3

I have already read it too and I like it. It is not my favourite book but it's ok. I can understand when people say that they don't like it, because at first I feel in the same way ( I have to admit that I've already read it twice). Here goes my opinion for this book. " With the boy that follow his dream Coelho is trying to tell us that nothing that we want to do is impossible in spite of all the obstacles that can be presented. Besides of we are always learning something from everybody and from the things that happens to us. On the other hand with the guy who doesn't follow his dream he is trying to tell us how our life can be affected or not for the elections that we make".

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## Helga

I read it and loved it. It is about him in so many ways. I have to say that I liked his book :Veronica decides to die. is a lot better. I was facinated by it. I also recently bought "by the river piedra I sat down and wept" and I plan to read it as soon as can.

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## underground

well, in my opinion, _the alchemist_ if paul coelho's best book. i don't like _veronika decides to die_ and _by the river piedra i sat down and wept_ and _the pilgrimage_ (_the pilgrim_?), probably because except for _the alchemist_, coelho pretty much tackles adult-related problems. _the alchemist_ is just sweet and dreamy.  :Smile:

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## Sancho

I like the description: sweet and dreamy. I thought the book was that and more. For me, one of the most enjoyable facets of the novel was Coehlos use of the language (even though I read it in English); that is to say, I liked the subtle and surreptitious way in which he made his points.

The shop keeper was a well developed character. Even though he hadnt yet and probably never would make it to Mecca, he was a kind and gentle soul and lived his life according to his religious beliefs and moral codes. He was a good provider for his family and a good citizen within his community. Do you think Coehlo was touching on the idea that to follow ones dream in some cases may be selfish or was the shop keeper purely an example of lost youth and missed opportunity?

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## Chava

i read it as well, and i felt very touched by his words, for a while there i was convinced i could fly if i speandt enough time in a tree...

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## Jantex

Well,I think that "The Alchimist" is a kind of a fairy-tale and is not a serious book,though it`s not a lost of time to read it.
I also agree with what Monica wrote.

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## Scheherazade

So, I have finally read _The Alchemist_...

 :Yawnb:  

Even though I was made aware that it was not a good book, I was still expecting _something_ more worthwhile... I agree with most of the above comments that it comes across like *yet* another sugar-coated, over-optimistic self-help book. Coelho tries too hard both as an author and philosopher and he does owe me couple of KitKats for my determination to read the book (despite being warned by AP and Crisaor)!  :Tongue:

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## barbara0207

I had Coelho on my reading list when our TV-magazine gave him a weekly column. After reading some of his texts I decided I wouldn't spend my money on this over-sweet, shallow stuff. It really made me sick.  :Sick:

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## Bartholomew

I read it in high school and enjoyed it like I'd enjoy a Hugh Grant film, but I don't recall much depth beneath the airy narrative. I think it serves well as an introduction to high schoolers about north African culture, though, and I don't regret reading it.

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## JCamilo

The truth Paulo Coelho is just the brazilian best-seller dude. And really causing a lot of damage to the literature, because this simplification of themes and language serious, it is a car without fuel. 
Anyways, I suspect his translators are really talented because his portuguese is awfull. Also he is guilty of serious plagiarism because he sometimes just copies texts and give no credit. 
He also, hence he is shunned by anyone with some critical sense, is claiming to be influented by Jorge Luis Borges and to be able to write "a book as difficult as Joyce" if he wanted. Sure. 
It was a new age stuff, it is nowhere what Brazilian literature have to offer. If you can read portuguese and is after an author really related to the philosophical stories with arabian theme go after Malba Tahan, this one a genuine good author and translator of the arabian culture to brazil.

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## Moira

I've read several of his novels. They seem to me a combination of telenovella and some self-help, postive thinking stuff. Nothing amazing.

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## atiguhya padma

I got a deal on a Coelho collection, 5 novels for virtually nothing. I forced myself to read them. They were virtually nothing. I never take sugar with my coffee, and I just hate saccharine with literature!

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