This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom points Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transformation power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.
I read this book for my high school for my Multicultural English class. Then when I had to sign up for second level English in college World Literature it turns out The Alchemist is the required reading for my class. When I was in high school I had never even heard of this book until I saw it was on the course syllabus to purchase. We were reading it in class and the book really appealed to me. Then to just read it all over again in college was helpful because well, I already know the book pretty well.
The Alchemist is about main protagonist Santiago, a shepherd who is on a journey and spiritual quest. During his quest he encounters people, strange dreams, and omens that stand in the way of him accomplishing.
The books deals with nothing about magic or witchcraft or anything that would be deemed inappropriate. things that we've either forgotten about or simply dismissed as childhood fantasies. It is all about finding yourself. Finding the personal legend in yourself and pursuing your dreams regardless of anything that might come in the way . This book is really inspirational to those who are just trying to accomplish something in life.
