book report - bc

8/12/2019 Book Report - BC

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ACKNOWLEGDEMENTThis is to certify that the project given by Mrs. Pratibha Maam hasbeen duly completed. It has helped us in enhancing our personalityand knowledge.We thank Pratibha maam for the unstinted support towards thecompletion of the work on time.My thanks and appreciations also go to my friends in developing

the project and people who have willingly helped me out with theirabilities for the completion of the project work.

INTRODUCTION

The Alchemisttraces the path of antiago! a young panish shepherd who is compelled

to follow his dream of finding hidden treasure in "gypt. To do so! he must leave the

comfort #one of home! learn to trust the $oul of the World!% and believe that there are

forces in the universe that want us to be happy. In order to find happiness! however!

antiago must first discover his $Personal &egend%'that is to say! he must to discover

what he is meant to do in the world. (ortunately! antiago soon takes the first step in


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his ac)uisition of happiness* he listens to his heart and overcomes fear. +s antiago

continues his sometimes,painful journey! he discovers that one cannot be dissuaded

from pursuing a $Personal &egend!% even if the choices seem impossible to bear. The

end result for anyone who does so! assures the readers! is physical and spiritual reward.

Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist

Summary

et in an undefined time and taking place alternately between pain and "gypt! The

Alchemistis the story of antiagos )uest for fortune! his Personal &egend! and the

decoding of the &anguage of the World. The young man must endure many obstacles.

(irst! he must overcome those who have told him since childhood that his dreams can


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never be reali#ed. antiago has to understand that those who truly love him will not

begrudge him the pursuit of his dreams. Then! he must hold back fear of failure and

defeat to continue his )uest. &ast! he has to understand that the worst thing in life is to

deny ones dreams.

The +lchemisttells the story of a young shepherd named antiagowho is able to find a

treasure beyond his wildest dreams. +long the way! he learns to listen to his heart and!more importantly! reali#es that his dreams! or his Personal &egend! are not just his butpart of the oul of the -niverse.

antiago is a humble shepherd whose desires are fewhe wants to be free to roam with

his sheep! to have some wine in his wineskin and a book in his bag. (ate intervenes!however! in the form of the recurring dream of a great treasure hidden thousands ofmiles away at the base of the "gyptian Pyramids. When antiago meets Melchi#edek! astrange wise man who claims he is a king from a far,off land! he decides to seek histreasure. The ne/t day! antiago sells his sheep and embarks to +frica to pursue hisdream.

-pon arriving in +frica! though! it becomes apparent that things will not be as easy ashe thought. The first day antiago is in Tangiers! he is robbed and left completelyalone! unable to speak a single word of +rabic. +t first antiago contemplates givingup and turning around. 0e remembers the words of the wise man! though! and decidesto carry ongetting a job at a local crystal shop. +fter working at the crystal shop for ayear! learning much about life and about his Personal &egend! antiago earns enoughmoney to buy a new flock of sheep and return home. +t the last minute! though!

antiago decides to risk it all and join a caravan to "gypt.1nce in the caravan! antiago meets an "nglishman who has come all the way to +fricato seek a renowned alchemist. +s they travel through the desert! the "nglishman tellsantiago about the secrets of alchemy. antiago finds the "nglishman2s ideas to be verysimilar to Melchi#edek2s. They both speak of a oul of the World to which we are allconnected and of the necessity of following our heart2s true desires or our Personal&egend. antiago! however! prefers to learn these secrets by observing the world! while

the "nglishman prefers to learn from comple/ books. While they travel! they begin tohear rumors of a coming tribal war.

When they finally arrive at the +l,(ayoum oasisthe home of the titular +lchemist

antiago meets a beautiful girl named (atimawith whom he immediately falls in love.0e discovers that love! like the Personal &egend! comes directly from the oul of theWorld. While walking in the desert! antiago has a vision of an upcoming battle. 0erushes back to warn the elders at the oasis and! when his vision is confirmed! they offer

him a position as a counselor. antiago considers staying at the oasis with (atima! butthe +lchemist finds antiago and tells him that he will lead antiago to his treasure.
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1nce again on the move! the +lchemist teaches antiago to listen to his heart. 0eartscan be treacherous! but the best way to keep them from fooling you is to listen to themintently. +lmost to the pyramids! antiago and the +lchemist are taken prisoner by awarring tribe. The +lchemist tells the tribesmen that antiago is a powerful magicianwho can turn himself into the wind. The tribesmen are impressed and will spare thelives of the men if antiago can do it. The only problem is that antiago has no ideawhat he is doing. +fter three days of meditating! antiago uses his knowledge of theoul of the World to ask the elements to help him. (irst he asks the desert! then he asksthe wind! then he asks the sun and! finally! he asks the oul of the World. Immediately!the wind whips up! and antiago disappears and reappears on the other side of thecamp.

The +lchemist takes his leave of antiago! who continues on to the Pyramids. 1ncethere! antiago is attacked by robbers. +sked what he is doing there! antiago repliesthat he had a dream of a treasure buried at the base of the Pyramids. 1ne of the robbers

laughs at him! and says that he has had the e/act same dream! e/cept that in his thetreasure was buried in pain. antiago reali#es that the treasure was back in pain theentire time.

The story then jumps forward in time and finds antiago digging a hole at the base ofthe tree where he had had his first dream. ure enough! he finds a trunk full of goldenough for him and (atima to live happily for a long time.

Major Characters

Santiago

0e is a shepherd boy! who because of a recurring dream! decides to find his treasure atthe pyramids in "gypt. +long the way! he meets a 3ypsy woman! an 1ld 4ing! a
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crystal merchant! an "nglishman! and an alchemist! all of whom teach him somethingabout fulfilling his Personal &egend and striving to find his treasure. 0e is a very wiseyoung man and yet one who has much to learn. 5ecause he holds fast to his dream! hebecomes a better man.

The Gypsy Woman

he is the first one antiago consults about his dream. he is mysterious and yetreligious as can be attested by the acred 0eart of 6esus picture on her wall. he tellsantiago that because it was a child who took his hands in the dream and led him to thepyramids! he must go. 0owever! before she tells him anything! she makes him promisethat he will give her one,tenth if he finds his treasure. 0e eventually brings her the

price! because he is honorable and he has promised.

The Old King

0e is the second to help antiago and gives him the stones named -rim and Thummim.0e also advises antiago to never stop dreaming and follow the omens. 0is name isMelchi#edek and he is a 5iblical figure who had once helped +braham on behalf of

3od. 0e is sometimes believed to be 6esus 7hrist.

The Crystal Merchant

0e is a man for whom antiago begins to work and who profits from the boys aptitudein improving sales. 0e teaches antiago how important it is to follow through and notgive up on his dream. 0is dream had been to travel to Mecca on a pilgrimage! but

because he never does! hes afraid that the reality will destroy the dream and so henever goes. 0is sense of regret encourages antiago to take what he has earned thereand buy a ticket to Tangier.


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The Englishman

0e is a young man who has spent ten years of his life reading about alchemy with thehope of discovering the Master Work. 0e goes with antiago on the caravan to theoasis so he can find the oldest alchemist of them all and learn his secrets. 0e teaches

antiago that not all information can be found in books and that one should observewhat goes on around him as well. The "nglishman eventually discovers that for himselfafter consulting with the alchemist.

The Alchemist

0e is rumored to be over 899 years old and lives on the +l,(ayoum oasis. 0e has anadvanced sense that antiago is coming to the oasis and knows it is his responsibility tolead him to the pyramids. +long the way! he teaches the boy much about listening tohis heart and reaching out for his dream no matter what the cost. 0e never doesanything for the boy e/cept guide him and allow him to learn for himself.

The alchemist has the "li/ir of &ife and the Philosophers tone! which allow him to

make any metal into gold. That is his Personal &egend! which he had achieved manyyears before. 0is name is not capitali#ed! because the title could be taken by anyone!

like antiago! who learns the truth of the Master Work.

Minor Characters

atima

he is the beautiful young woman whom antiago meets at a well on the oasis. hedirects them to the alchemist! but in the process of that first conversation! antiago falls


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in love with her and she eventually falls in love with him. +s a desert woman! she iswilling to wait for him to find his treasure and fulfill his Personal &egend.

The Camel !ri"er

antiago meets him on the caravan journey to the oasis and from him learns all aboutthe importance of the present. 0e had lost everything to the flooding of the :ile! but

now he is content to work as a camel driver and take one day at a time.

The Tri#al Chie$tain

0e demands that antiago turn himself into the wind and in the process! discovers thatthe boy has seen the glory of 3od.

Part %&%

Summary

The story opens with the main character! the shepherd antiago! arriving at anabandoned church with a sycamore growing in it in the panish region of +ndalusia.

0e decides to stay the night at the church and corrals his herd into the church grounds.0e falls asleep using the book that he keeps with him at all times as his pillow. ;uringthe night! he has a dream that he has had several times before! a dream he has never
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been able to fully understand. While waking his herd! he reali#es that he is very close tothe animals< they operate on the same schedule and he calls them all by name!convinced that they understand his conversation with them. They are very simplecreatures! though! wanting only food and water. =ecently all of this thoughts andconversations with the sheep have been about a girl he met a year ago! at the town thatis his ne/t destination. he is the daughter of a merchant and he has been thinkingabout her ever since he left.

=emembering their first meeting! antiago reminisces about how he went to the shop ofthe girl2s father to sell him some wool. While waiting for the shopkeeper to see him! theboy sat down to read a book. + voice from behind him said! >I didn2t know shepherdsknew how to read.> The voice was that of the shopkeeper2s daughter! a beautiful+ndalusian girl whose features recalled the Moorish influence of the region. The girland antiago waited for two hours! during which time they told each other about theire/periences! she in the town and he in the fields. The girl asked him why he was a

shepherd if he had been to school and knew how to read. antiago changed the subjectand continued the conversation. 0e felt something which he had never felt before* thedesire to stay in one place forever. -nfortunately! at that moment! the shopkeeperappeared! bought four sheep worth of wool and told the boy to come back in a year.

&eaving the church in the morning! antiago is both e/cited and apprehensive aboutseeing the girl. he could have forgotten him. +s they set out! he begins to think aboutthe lives of the sheep! and how sheep don2t make any decisions. They want only foodand water and rely on antiago for that. urprised at his feelings of mild resentmenttoward the animals! antiago decides his recurring dream has made him uneasy. When

he gets to the town! he resolves! he will tell the girl why he knows how to read! how hewent to seminary and was originally set to be a priest! and one day got the courage totell his family that he would rather travel the world as a shepherd. +s we learn fromantiago2s memories! his father at first tried to convince him to stay! pointing out thatplenty of travelers had passed through their lands and said that they would like to livethere. In the end! however! he capitulated and gave antiago his blessing and three oldgold coins to buy his flock. antiago could thus see that his father himself had once haddreams of traveling the world.

antiago2s lifestyle as a shepherd has provided him with a lot of freedom. +ll he has todo is allow his sheep to lead the way for a while and he will always find a new path.The difference between him and the sheep! though! is that the sheep never know theyare on a new path. 1nce again! all they think about is food and water. antiago reali#es

that dreaming about what you don2t have is what makes life interesting.


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Part %&%%

Summary

1nce antiagogets to Tarifa! his last stop before the city where the shopkeeper2s

daughter lives! he goes to see an old gypsy woman who interprets dreams! with thehope that she will help him understand his own recurring dream. When reliving thedream! just as the child is about to show antiago the location of the treasure! antiago


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wakes up. The 3ypsy woman tells him that this treasure is real and that he must go tothe Pyramids! an interpretation for which she charges him one,tenth of this futuretreasure.

-pon leaving the 3ypsy2s house! antiago sits in the Pla#a to read a book! where hemeets an old man who is eager to strike up a conversation. It turns out that the old man

not only knows how to read but has read the book that antiago is struggling through.The man reveals himself to be Melchi#edek! the 4ing of alem! and he introducesantiago to what he calls >the world2s greatest lie.> The World2s 3reatest &ie states thatfate prevents one from achieving his?her Personal &egend. "veryone has a Personal&egend! or something which he?she has wanted to achieve his?her entire life. Personal&egends come from the oul of the World and this oul of the World conspires to helpeveryone achieve them. -nfortunately! fear and routine get in the way. Melchi#edeke/plains to antiago that he appears to those who truly want to reali#e their Personal&egends* sometimes he appears as a stone! sometime he appears as a king. Melchi#edek

seems to be able to read antiago2s mind and promises to tell him about the treasure inhis dream if he gives him one,tenth of his sheep.

+fter much deliberation! antiago decides that his sheep! the merchant2s daughter andthe fields of +ndalusia were just steps on his way to his Personal &egend! and so hedecides to sell his flock and gives si/ to Melchi#edek right away. Melchi#edek takesthe sheep and advises antiago to always follow the omens! for they are the language ofthe universe. Melchi#edek also gives antiago two stones! a black stone called -rim@meaning >yes>A and a white stone called Thummim @meaning >no>A. antiago is toconsult these if he cannot understand the omens. antiago buys a ticket from Tarifa to

+frica and sets sail to find his treasure and his Personal &egend.

-pon arriving in Tangiers! antiago reali#es that his journey will be a lot more difficultthan he e/pected. The problemB 0e doesn2t speak +rabic. itting in a bar alone! he isapproached by a young man who speaks panish and offers to help him get to thePyramids. The young man takes antiago to buy a camel and manages to escape withall of antiago2s money in the confusion of the marketplace. antiago weeps withdespair! but he asks the stones -rimm and Thummim if the Melchi#edek2s blessing isstill with him. They answer 2Ces2! and antiago resolves to continue his journey.

Wandering the streets of Tangiers! antiago comes across a crystal shop that has fallenon hard times. +fter antiago cleans the pieces in the front window! the owner offershim a job. The owner tells antiago that he will pay antiago enough to save up for anew flock of sheep and a passage back to +ndalusia. antiago agrees and takes the job.

Part %%&%

Summary


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+fter working at the crystal shop for a month! antiagosuggests that the shop ownerbuild a display case for the crystal to attract new customers. The owner seems resistantto change! as if he is afraid of success. The owner then tells antiago that! although hehas always dreamed of making the pilgrimage to Mecca! he knows he will never do it.0e tells antiago that he is afraid that! once he achieves his dream! he will have noneed to go on living. antiago ends up convincing him on certain issues! and within theyear antiago spends working at the shop! the owner makes several changes thatimprove business. +t the end of the year antiago resolves to take the money he hassaved! buy a flock of sheep and return to pain. +s he takes his leave! he asks theshopkeeper for his blessing< the shopkeeper gives it! but tells antiago that he knows hewill not return to pain. The shopkeeper reiterates that he himself will likewise nevergo to Mecca. 0e claims that this is maktub, or written by 3od. antiago reali#es thatwhile he is far from home! he is actually closer than ever to the Pyramids and thetreasure. 0e resolves to take a chance and join a caravan across the desert in search ofhis treasure.

When antiago goes to the stable to take the caravan! he meets an "nglishman! who isin search of a famous alchemist living in +l,(ayoum oasis. The "nglishmanis obsessedwith finding the common language of all the world and has spent the majority of hisinheritance traveling and studying science! religion! and finally! alchemy.

While antiago and the "nglishman are waiting for the caravan to leave! antiago takesout -rim and Thummim and the "nglishman immediately recogni#es them. 0e carriesthe same two stones in his own pocket. 0e goes on to tell antiago that it is notaccidental that the two of them met on the caravan. 7oincidences and omens are the

universal language that the whole world can understand. It is the task of alchemy todecipher this language. antiago reali#es that the series of events which led him to thispoint , meeting Melchi#edekgetting robbed and happening upon the shopkeeper and thecrystal shop , where not accidental or random at all but were signs that he is nearing hisPersonal &egend.

The caravan begins to move across the desert! and antiago learns many things fromthe "nglish alchemist and the guides of the caravan. The desert is enormous anddangerous! and the guides teach antiago about listening to its language of omens. The"nglishman refers to the oul of the Word and describes it as the principle that governs

all things. When we have an intuition or truly want something! we are immersed in theoul of the World. This is not a strictly human gift! though< everything on the face ofthe earth has a soul and a Personal &egend. antiago is interested and asks to borrowthe "nglishman2s books about alchemy.

=eading the "nglishman2s books! antiago learns more about alchemy. 0e finds outthat the goal of alchemy is the Master Work. The Master Work is part li)uid and partsolid< the li)uid is called the "li/ir of &ife and the solid is called the Philosopher2s
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tone. The "nglishman2s books tell the stories of all the famous alchemists whodedicated their lives to reali#ing their Personal &egends. +s he reads on! antiagoreali#es that he and the "nglish alchemist are pursuing the same thing! but antiagoprefers to read the omens of the world in his everyday life instead of in old mustybooks.

While the caravan moves across the desert! there is a war brewing amongst the tribes ofthe region. It is becoming more and more dangerous by the day! but the caravan has nochoice but to carry on and hope for the best. (rom the stoic guides of the caravan!antiago learns the value of concentrating on the present.


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The ne/t day! E99 armed tribesmen enter the oasis as antiago has predicted. The menof the oasis! duly warned! kill all of the intruders and the chieftain of the oasis awardsantiago E9 pieces of gold and asks him to become the oasis2s counselor.

That night! antiago seeks out the alchemist and finds his tent. The alchemist tellsantiago to prove that he can read the language of omens by finding life in the desert.

antiago trusts his horse to guide him to life! and they find a snake which the alchemistneutrali#es with a spell. atisfied! the alchemist offers to lead antiago across the desertto the treasure. antiago is conflicted because he wants to stay at the oasis with (atima.The alchemist responds that >love never keeps a man from pursuing his personallegend. If he abandons that pursuit! it2s because it wasn2t true love...the love speaks the&anguage of the World.> @D89A antiago decides to leave the ne/t day with thealchemist.


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Part %%&%%%

Summary

+fter reaffirming his love to (atima! antiagosets across the desert with the alchemist.They travel in silence! eating the game that the alchemist2s falcon brings them. antiagogrows restless! is hungry for more of the alchemist2s secrets. The alchemist e/plainsthat antiago has learned much! but the one thing that he has left to learn cannot betaught. 0e must learn it for himself. In the beginning! the alchemist e/plains! the secrets

of the universe were known to all! but men have been complicating things because theyseek the treasure of their Personal &egends! but do not with to livetheir Personal&egends. The alchemist advises antiago to listen to his heart.

The two travel cautiously now! because they are nearing the area with the most warring

tribes. antiago listens to his heart and finds it agitated. It begins to tell him storiesabout the oul of the World , about others who have failed to find their fortune. It isscared and wants to go back to (atima. antiago tells the alchemist that his heart istreasonous! that it does not want him to continue. >Treason is a blow that comesune/pectedly!> comes the reply. >If you know your heart well! it will never be able todo that to you.> @D8FA

+s they travel! antiago listens to his heart and eventually comes to be at peace with it.+s the journey nears its end! antiago tells the alchemist that he wants to know somesecrets of alchemy. The alchemist tells antiago that he already knows many important

secrets< he knows that one must listen to the oul of the World to find one2s treasure."very thing on earth! even minerals! has a Personal &egend. This is why alchemists canchange any metal into gold* they are simply helping the metal achieve its Personal&egend.

The war finally catches up with the travelers and they are taken captive by a warringtribe. The tribesmen take them for spies and threaten to kill them. To save his andantiago2s lives! the alchemist gives the tribesmen all of antiago2s money and tells thetribesman that antiago is a powerful wi#ard who can turn himself into the wind anddestroy them. The tribesman don2t believe him! but give antiago three days to provehimself.

antiago panics because he has no idea how to turn himself into the wind. Thealchemist seems unconcerned. (or three days! antiago goes up on a cliff andcontemplates the desert! listening to his heart. (inally! on the third day! he goes to thevery top of the cliff and uses his heart to talk to the ;esert , since they both speak the&anguage of the World. 0e asks the ;esert to help him turn himself into the Wind!because he is love with a girl and wants desperately to go back to her! but the ;esertdoes not know how. :e/t he asks the Wind! but the Wind does not know what love is.

(inally he asks the un! who knows what love is! but cannot help antiago. The un
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suggests that antiago ask the 0and that wrote all. antiago then starts to pray , but thatprayer emerges as not a re)uest but an

acknowledgement! as if culled from some deeper knowledge! that his heart and the oulof the World are the same thing. 1nce antiago comes to this reali#ation! the windbegins to furiously blow and the tribesman find that antiago has disappeared. 0ereappears on the other side of the camp. The tribal chiefs are so impressed that they letthe travelers go and give them a guide so that they can reach their destination safely.

The ne/t day! the alchemist and antiago arrive at a coptic monastery. The alchemistuses his piece of the Philosopher2s tone to turn lead into a )uantity of gold and givessome to antiago and some to a monk. @0e also gives an e/tra piece for the monk tohold onto for antiago in case something should happen.A The alchemist takes his leave

of antiago! who travels farther and finally comes to the Pyramids. There he isoverwhelmed with joy< he reali#es all at once that he can turn back now! that the realtreasure is not gold or jewels but the wisdom he has gained and his love for (atima.

The alchemist told him! however! to listen to his heart. 0is heart tells him to startdigging in the spot where he sees a scarab beetle. +s he starts digging! a group of men

approach him and beat him savagely! taking all of his money. When antiago tries toe/plain what he is doing! one of the men tells him that he is a fool. 0e goes on toe/plain to antiago that he had a recurring dream! too! depicting the same situation ,but in pain instead. 0e! however! was not stupid enough to go chasing after it! heremarks. +fter the robbers leave! antiago gets up! elated. 0e now knows where histreasure lies.


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Epilogue

Summary

antiagoarrives at the abandoned church as night falls and looks at the stars. 0eremembers when he and the alchemist looked at the stars while traveling in the desertand thinks about how far he has come both physically and spiritually. The ne/t morninghe begins digging! and within half an hour his shovel hits something hard. Within the

ne/t hour he has unearthed a huge chest full of gold and jewels. 0e remembers that hemust go back to Tarifa to give the gypsy her share. When he is ready to leave he smellsthe wind blowing off the desert , bringing with it the kisses of (atima.

Analysis

It is at this point in the narrative that the two parallel )uests of antiago come together.The fact that the physical treasure that antiago sought was always close to homedrives home the message that a spiritual journey is not about becoming someone else!but rather about finding oneself.

+t the end of the narrative! antiago returns to (atima. This confirms what the+lchemist said about love* antiago is able in the end to achieve both his Personal&egend and find his true love.
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EA()%)GS (OM T*E +OOK*

, To reali-e one.s destiny is a person.s only o#ligation&/

The +lchemist by Paul 7oelho! a book that inspires by gently touching your heart withthe immensely simple language yet strong message. It talks about the wisdom oflistening to our hearts and learning to pay attention to the omens strewn along lifespath. The beauty of the book lies in its simplicity of e/pression. Its not a book if youare looking for something logical and realistic. Its a book to be read if you want to feel

and immerse yourself in the journey of life.

The book is about antiago! a shepherd boy who dreams of a treasure and embarks on ajourney from pain to "gyptian Pyramids in search of finding it. lowly this magicalfable combines spirituality and mysticism in a beautiful concoction to pave the way forthe hepherd boy to reali#e his destiny. The boys journey is marked by joys! sorrows!travails! his learnings and yearnings. 0is an/iety! worry! love and feelings find abeautiful e/pression and how he learns to be aware of his inner voice and what hereally want to do $When a person really desires something! all the universe conspires to

help that person to reali#e his dream%! thats the message the book echoes.

Its a book that advises never to sacrifice the desire to e/plore beyond the known forfear of the unknown. (ollowing the dreams and inner voice and trusting our intuitionand inherent desire and using that to reali#e our potential, thats what The +lchemist isall about.


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A#out the Author

Paulo 7oelho was born in =io de 6aneiro! 5ra#il! the city where he now lives. 0is ownlife has in many ways been as varied and unusual as the protagonists of hisinternationally acclaimed novels. &ike them! Paulo 7oelho has followed a dream in a)uest for fulfillment. 0is own dream! to be a writer! met with frustration throughoutmuch of his early adult life! a time in which he worked at various professions! some ofthem materially rewarding but spiritually unfulfilling. >I always knew!> he says! >thatmy Personal &egend! to use a term from alchemy! was to write.> 0e was GH when hepublished his first book.

+fter travelling to various continents in DF9!he returned to 5ra#il after two years!where he began a successful career as a popular songwriter. In DFJ! he was imprisonedfor a short time by the military dictatorship then ruling in 5ra#il. In DFH9! hee/perienced one of the defining moments of his life* he walked the E99,plus,mile =oadof antiago de 7ompostela in northwestern pain. 1n this ancient highway! used forcenturies by pilgrims from (rance to get to the cathedral said to house the remains oft. 6ames! he achieved a self,awareness and a spiritual awakening that he laterdescribed in The Pilgrimage.

Paulo 7oelho once said that following your dream is like learning a foreign language

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