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The Alchemist book cover

Cover: Open Library

WisdomBeginner

The Alchemist

by Paulo Coelho

★★★★★ 4/5 · Poornadnyan rating

The big idea

A young shepherd follows a dream to the pyramids of Egypt and learns that the journey towards your purpose teaches you everything you need.

Read it if…

Anyone at a crossroads, and readers who enjoy short, simple fables.

Skip it if…

You dislike symbolic, spiritual storytelling.

Key ideas in 2 minutes

  1. Pay attention to your dreams – they point towards your purpose.
  2. Fear of failure stops more people than failure itself.
  3. The treasure is often found through the journey, not just at its end.

Our review

A short, gentle fable loved by millions. It is easy to read in one sitting and often arrives in people's lives at exactly the right moment.

Some find it too simple; we think its simplicity is its strength. A wonderful gift for a friend starting something new.

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