The Alchemist - a review

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is not a book about wishful thinking. Rather, it is about attaining what you will by placing one foot in front of the other. There seem to be a variety of ways to take the story, but this is how I saw it. 

I was surprised at some of the vitriol directed at the book in reviews.  It really does seem to be an all-or-nothing view from those who took the time to write about it.  When I read the bad reviews, I saw a theme: Most of the worst reviews seemed to equate this book with "The Secret" or wishful thinking or something like that.  (The word "hippie" was used a lot in those reviews is what I'm trying to say). 

I enjoyed this book, and that may be because I did not read it as a self-help book or to seek any life answers.  Coelho wrote a very short and very simple story, and he makes his point in a completely neutral sense.  And, it made me think.  Although it is written in the style and setting of a parable, I really don't think that is the only way to take this book.

In the heart vs. head debate, I try to advocate the latter without diminishing the former. But, ultimately, I think heart and head describe the same thing.  It seems the difference is how people describe the risk level (low for head and high for heart).  So, for me, the way Coelho touched on various religious views without  advocating any particular one while telling a story about following dreams with determination and kindness was really neat.  No matter the motivation (religious or otherwise), good things happen to people who create positive inertia through love, respect for themselves, nature and others, and for those who show compassion.  Even being swindled and robbed doesn't change the respectful nature of Santiago, and that speaks to perseverance.     

The message about following your heart and wanting something so badly that it will just happen "as if by magic" will illicit strong reactions (hell, it usually gets me all frustrated). Many reviewers seemed to take that as the message of the book, which contributed to much of the vitriol.  But I disagree with the premise that this book advocates that message. The Alchemist struck me as a karmic view of goal achievement through doing right and persistence.  It is about acknowledging the internal pulls we all feel at times and addresses the dissonance we all feel when taking risks.  But, it also illustrates how to make the most of a tough situation and how different people look at life.   

It included a strong view of reward for kindness and decency to others.  It illustrated rewarded in ways not always expected, but ultimately fulfilling (you don't always get what you want, but what you get can be good anyway). I kept thinking about "My Name is Earl" as I read. It just kept coming back to karma. 

My favorite part was when Santiago met a man who ran a crystal shop.  That man fought the inner pulls of life and purposely sought to fail to ever visit Mecca (his dream) so that it will forever serve as his goal.  There was a charming comfort in that character because he was so settled on a simple existence.  I thought that character and his interactions with Santiago were fascinating.  And, neither outlook necessarily "wins." 

Goals can be different things to different people. Some want them to happen.  Some like the idea of them.  Others never move toward them.  Still others grab hold.  Luck favors the prepared.  Santiago is a nice guy who chased a goal, and this is his story.



View all my reviews