About the Author
Paulo Coelho was born on August 24, 1947, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was a rebellious teenager and his parents committed him to an asylum three times. When Coelho was 38 years old, he had a spiritual awakening in Spain and wrote about it in his first book, The Pilgrimage. It was his second book, The Alchemist, which made him famous. He’s sold 35 million copies and now writes about one book every two years.
Coelho's fans call his books inspiring and life-changing. His critics dismiss his writing as New Age drivel, promoting a vague spirituality devoid of rigor. A confident writer who rejects the self-help label—"I am not a self-help writer; I am a self-problem writer"—Coelho dismisses his naysayers' critiques. "When I write a book I write a book for myself; the reaction is up to the reader," he says. "It's not my business whether people like or dislike it."
Coelho has been married to his wife, the artist Christina Oiticica, since 1980. Together the couple spends half the year in Rio de Janeiro and the other half in a country house in the Pyrenees Mountains of France. In 1996, Coelho founded the Paulo Coelho Institute, which provides support to children and the elderly. He continues to write, following his own version of The Alchemist's "Language of the World."
https://www.biography.com/people/paulo-coelho-5524
A little bit about the book
The Alchemist is a book about the realizing of one's personal legend. In society today, our personal legend might be directly correlated to the idea of a purpose, or a meaning to your life. This is something that we all must have contemplated at one point, and the message that the book conveys is an interesting one in that our individual purpose is not just our own, but is an essential part of the Universe.
The realising of one's purpose is symbolized throughout the book in different ways through encounters the main protagonist Santiago the shepherd shares with others. The humble protagonist realises his personal legend through a dream about treasure in Africa and decides to leave his comfortable life behind; to the uncomfortable adventure of trying to find the treasure. He meets many people such as the Englishman who seeks meaning through reading complex books on alchemy and the universe. The story is conveyed beautifully conveying emotions he feels living in a completely new place, trusting and not trusting others - conflicting emotions within his own mind.
The journey he realises is the substance to the personal legend, it is the true meaning of his life. Thus, embrace the journey of your life, and all the trials and tribulations that get thrown your way.
This is a very comforting idea, even when we feel at our lowest; when life is devoid of meaning, we can always return to this concept of being an essential part of the universe, no matter how small and insignificant we may feel like we are.
Really recommend the read!
It is entertaining and thoughtful.
Take care,
Prosoché, Prokopé & Phila
Adam x
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