"THE ALCHEMIST" by Paulo Coelho

There are many things to like about this 167-page story of self-discovery for a boy who yearned to see the world.The author is Brazilian, and I am enthralled with the way he, and many South American, Spanish and Mexican authors tell stories in a way that captivate me. They instill a lovely lyrical quality into the voice of their young narrators, like Anaya's Antonio and Perez-Reverte's Inigo. Here, we meet Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy, who takes us with him on his journey to see the Great Pyramids.


The theme is introspective - find and follow your Personal-Legend - another of the thousands of versions of "follow your dream." Yet it never overshadows his colorful exploits and the engaging characters he meets. On the road, Santiago learns about life from a gypsy, a king, a robber, a crystal shop owner, an Englishman and, of course, the alchemist.

I was surprised by several things about this book:
1) The oasis in the desert-350 wells, 50,000 date trees, a vast array of colorful tent homes.
2) The prologue's familiar myth of Narcissus with an interesting twist.
3) The reader's guide - a summary & 16 thought-provoking questions - a book club delight.
4) The map of Santiago's journey from Tangiers to Egypt.
5) The bio & interview with the author; and a preview of an upcoming book.

The few illustrations & the thick paper cover are beautiful and feel good in my hand. A definite keeper for the bookshelf.