Paulo Coelho's enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world, and this tenth anniversary edition, with a new introduction from the author, will only increase that following. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasures found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.

Along the way he meets many spiritual messengers, who come in unassuming forms such as a camel driver and a well-read Englishman. In one of the Englishman's books, Santiago first learns about the alchemists--men who believed that if a metal were heated for many years, it would free itself of all its individual properties, and what was left would be the "Soul of the World." Of course he does eventually meet an alchemist, and the ensuing student-teacher relationship clarifies much of the boy's misguided agenda, while also emboldening him to stay true to his dreams. "My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer," the boy confides to the alchemist one night as they look up at a moonless night.

"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself," the alchemist replies. "And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity." --Gail Hudson

Customer Reviews Average rating - 4.0

Rating - 4 Date: 2009-01-06
Content: I don't read many books but i found this one very interesting to read. Enjoy.
Summary: Very Interesting Read

Rating - 5 Date: 2009-01-03
Content: I loved this book. It took months to actually get into the book, i heard about it, and tried reading it, but gave up. But with a free afternoon, i sat down and opened up something deep down inside. Beautiful book, beautiful story. Where someone actually got to write down the words of feeling deep within someone it can take a life time to understand. A book for life..
Summary: comes to just one word. 'yourself'

Rating - 5 Date: 2009-01-03
Content: I love Paolo Coelho's narrative style........
his writing is not just simple but it also has some humor........
this book is such a nice book.....
and GOD BLESS for such a SUPERB Ending!!!!!!!
probably one of the best ENDINGS a BOOK can EVER HAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Summary: Probably the best Story ever Written.........

Rating - 3 Date: 2009-01-02
Content: The main theme--'Everyone has a Personal Legend, when one wants it badly enough, the universe will conspire to help one achieve it.' It's insprational reading. But according to the book, that was not just an idea, but a law. That--is very hard for most readers to agree to.
Summary: Personal believes does not make universal truths!

Rating - 1 Date: 2008-12-30
Content: There isn't anything in this book that you couldn't get from the output of any number of self-help "gurus". First, the author couldn't even just have a plot being about following one's dream, calling, etc; it had to be one's "Personal Legend" (complete with initial caps). Second, the metaphysics doesn't have anything that one couldn't get from Obi-Wan Kenobi's take on the Force. Third, the characters are one-dimensional. One doesn't get the sense of the shepherd being driven by something, despite the fact that his leaving the seminary in order to herd sheep is motivated by wanderlust. Finally, the plot itself is contrived at many points. For example, the idea of a former seminary student and shepherd making a success of himself as a merchant.
Summary: New-agey, self-help twaddle