The Alchemist

Paulo Coelho

  • First published 1988
  • 208 pages
  • English
  • Classic
Santiago has the same dream twice: a treasure waiting for him beside the Egyptian pyramids. He is an Andalusian shepherd boy who knows his flock, the dry hills of home and the taste of dust on the wind, and he could keep that small safe life. Instead he sells his sheep and sails from Spain to the crowded markets of Tangier and on toward a desert that speaks in omens. An old man who calls himself a king shows him what it means to follow his Personal Legend, and far ahead waits a mysterious alchemist. The path demands he listen to his heart and leave everything familiar behind. The desert will test whether his dream is worth the price.
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Loved as inspiring fable about following dreams, hated as simplistic and preachy. Short, easy read.

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This edition
HarperOne, 2025
ISBN
9780063442467
Language
English
Original edition Originally published in 1988 · Portuguese

Other editions (238)