“The Alchemist”: The World’s Longest Proverb

I’ve heard many things about “The Alchemist” prior to reading it. The hit Paulo Coelho novel has been hailed as an inspiring read by many who’ve laid their eyes on its pages before mine. It’s with that that I let curiosity lead its natural way and purchased it off the Kindle store and read it in its entirety on my phone.

Originally published in 1988 in Coelho’s native Portuguese and translated into English in 1993, “The Alchemist” follows a shepherd boy as he leaves his Spanish community to travel to the pyramids in Egypt, in search of treasure. It’s a hero’s journey in the making as he encounters a king, a Gypsy, a crystal merchant, a just as ambitious Englishman, and an alchemist; all of whom aid him to some capacity or another during his travels. He learns about omens and listening to them, and also about the value about following one’s Personal Legend.