The Alchemist, Paulo Coehlo

the cover of this book states that it has changed the lives of millions. i cant say that it changed me, it was a good read and i enjoyed it. on some levels i read it and thought of it as “hemmingway-lite”. the characters are well built and interesting. it is humorous at points and very poetic in its descriptions.

the story follows a spanish shepherd who leaves the andalusian plains to search for a treasure. he is prompted to do so after having a dream of seeing the? egyptian pyramids and learning of a treasure that he would find there. as his journey progresses he learns of alchemy, but not in the lead to gold sense that all of our modern stories talk of, he learns it as life itself being lead, and all things being transmutable into something higher. the story was warm and worth reading, but i would suggest going into it with out any expectations, you will absorb more from it with an open and clean mind as opposed to a “this will change me” perspective.? i go into every book with the expectation of entertainment and walk away with what ever i walk away with. in this case, it was awe, respect, and a little bit of fear.

i entered into the alchemist with a personal understanding of how the world works. an understanding that all things are connected and the world is a series of chain reactions and coincidences. following the chain and discounting the coincidences, you can move from one place to the next, constantly learning to disregard and embrace at a moments notice. to dwell on things that deserve contemplation and make informed decisions. under 200 pages later, i came out with a clear view of what the author is looking to show, and i can only see the life changing aspects occurring to people on the brink of change already, or who have not looked at the world enough to recognize the intricate ties that all things hold to one another.

this is not to say that change has not occurred, just that i have a hard time seeing said change in others. the person who gave me this book, says she was moved to change by it, i trust her in her interpretation of the reading as well as its use in her life. in reference to the book, she was transmuted, she followed the tale and came away something more than she was. following the book, this alteration shows in herself an alchemist, making alterations.

the story is a nice mesh of christian ideologies with eastern. mix in some folklore. mix in some faith in something more than religion. mix in some gummy bears.. welcome to coldstone.

my largest concern after reading this book was definitely fear. not fear for myself but fear for others. most people i have talked to have no understanding of the world outside of christianity. they? come away touched and full of perspective that is often times quelled inside them from the early years of being fed doctrine. others, the ones i really fear for are the ones who are not in that category, specifically the ones that are already teetering on the edge of reality. the ones who would embrace the book so fully that they quote it daily, absorb the ideas and phrases, use it in their personal religions. people need less dogma, not more. and to take something like this and make it a keystone in their world frightens me.. we already have enough dogma.. enjoy the book, take what you can from it, then let it alone.