Among all the books I've read in my lifetime, this is one I have comfortably been able to read more than once and still derive value like I was reading it for the very first time.
Paulo Coelho makes a clear statement with a very interesting story that keeps you glued to the pages from the very beginning until the end of the book.
The Alchemist tells the story of Santiago, a humble, learned shepherd who from the moment he was old enough, told his father he would love to herd sheep just so he could see the world. Santiago enjoys his lonely nights and days with his sheep, he understands life through them and he is content. But life has better plans for this young lad the moment he is approached by a King who tells him about his treasures which lie by the side of the Egyptian pyramids.
The old King (Melchizedek) compels Santiago to sell his sheep, bring 10% of the proceeds to him and take the next ship to Africa. He arrives Tangiers and is robbed of all his money, he speaks no Arabic and is left alone to wander the market. The next morning, he climbs up a hill and finds a crystalware store, he goes in and offers to be of service to the owner but is rejected, he proceeds to work without pay and is fed at the end of the day.
What began as a simple service at a crystalware shop became a year of prosperity, after which he decided to continue his quest for his treasure. He boards a caravan to take him through the desert.
Within the caravan, he meets an Englishman who was so engrossed in his study of alchemy and desired strongly to meet the renowned Alchemist at Al-Fayum oasis. They are both in quest of their personal legend.
At Oasis, Santiago falls in love with Fatima, and after saving the oasis chiefs from a danger he is offered a place on the high tables of the oasis. He intends on settling there but he is urged on by the Alchemist who supports him through the rest of his journey.
Santiago gets to the pyramid and begins digging a hole to find his treasure when he is approached by robbers who take the little gold he has left. Before the robbers leave, one of them told Santiago that he once had a vision that the was a treasure waiting for him Spain but he wasn't foolish enough to take the risk of going. At that point, Santiago knew exactly where his treasure was.
The story of Santiago describes exactly what a lot of us go through to find that one thing that sets our souls on fire. We try out a lot of things until that one thing finds us.
This has to be the best book I have read in a long while.
Read it and let me know how much it set your soul on fire.