read The Alchemist

Having finished the book, I still have mixed feelings about it. I thought the first part was so great, most of the second part was a little tough to get through as it was soooo out there, but I liked the ending.

I especially struggled to get through when Santiago was ‘talking’ to the wind and the sun and “the hand that wrote everything.” I couldnt wait for that section to be over, and I could’ve done without the warring tribes too. I do wish that the second part of the book had been more mired in reality as the first part was, for the most part anyway.

I am left wondering.

What happened to the merchant’s daughter?
Will the crystal shop owner ever get to Mecca?
Will the Englishman ever complete his personal legend with the alchemist?
What of Santiago’s family?
Will he be a shepherd again once he returns to the oasis?
What exactly is “the Soul of the World”?
What exactly do the two drops of oil in the spoon represent?

I like my stories tied up nicely, but here that will not happen all the way. Bottom line: a little less new age fantasy, a little more reality, and I would have found this to be one stellar book.

Also, for a few months now I have felt a yearning to go to the desert myself, to the Middle East. I get pangs for different places around the world – last year for a little while it was Latin America and its jungles and beaches, before that Europe and its cities and food, before that Australia and its wildlife and people and outback, etc – but right now its the desert and markets and smells and mezzhuin and palm trees in the Middle East. I have no money to get there, but it was nice to be an armchair traveler for someone else who was visiting/travelling through the desert.

picked the book off the shelf and began reading it this afternoon. I got more than halfway through before setting the book aside to have dinner. I imagine I’ll continue reading tomorrow.

I LOVED part one of the book, but I am a bit unsure of part two so far. Im just not connecting with this part of the book as I did the first – some of this stuff “soul of the world” and “language of the universe” is way too out there for me to believe, and I think that is affecting my enjoyment of the book. I also found the description of Santiago’s first meeting Fatima seriously overwrought.

We’ll see what The Alchemist brings tomorrow~

My mum told me about this book so i’ve started to give it a read on the train and i haven’t been able to put it down! Some parts I get a little confused about though.

I guess I should go to the library pretty soon and borrow it. I really hope they have the English version, because I don’t want to read the Norwegian one. :)

Picked up the book from the library and it is safely tucked away for our trip next week. Facing two and half long days drive to Florida, so I hope this book will make some hours sail on by~

The library says the book is on its way back, so I expect to have The Alchemist in my hands no later than a week from today ~

harhar!!!!

I was just reading a friend’s entry about music when I looked in the quote box that 43T has on every page, and lo and behold, what quote was there?

“When you really want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
- Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

This book is speaking to me yet again.

We checked our closest library this morning and all their copies are checked out. We have another close library that I will contact, but I should probably just buy a copy at B & N anyway.

So I am participating in Josh’s ( http://www.43things.com/person/chorgi ) Virtual Book Exchange and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is his recommendation.

Here’s what especially interesting about this. Yesterday, I attended a class on this very book. I’ve never read the book, but I was poking around the ‘classes and circles’ page of a local spiritual center, and came upon the class. The focus of this class – discovering and living our personal legends/learning from the wisdom of the book – really intrigued me and so, on a lark, I went. I really liked the class, and the instructor ended by reminding us to look for omens and synchronicities…

well, if this isn’t a synchronicity, I dont know what is!!

Clearly, I am meant to read this book. Now. It has something to teach me~

Read this book at different times and it will have a different relevenat meaning each time.