As you know throughout the month of July we shall be discussing my book “The Alchemist”.
Throughout the week, I will be accessing this page 2-3 times a day in order to answer your questions until July 31st. I want also for you discuss among yourselves – since I’m very curious to see your reactions to the book.
I wrote a foreword for the 10th anniversary edition of the book and I would like to post it here as an introduction to the book:
Ten Years On
I remember receiving a letter from the American publisher, Harper Collins, which said that: “reading The Alchemist was like getting up at dawn and seeing the sun rise while the rest of the world still slept.” I went outside, looked up at the sky and thought to myself: “So, the book is going to be published in English!” At the time, I was struggling to establish myself as a writer and to follow my path despite all the voices telling me it was impossible.
And little by little, my dream was becoming reality. Ten, a hundred, a thousand, a million copies sold in America. One day, a Brazilian journalist phoned to say that President Clinton had been photographed reading the book. Some time later, when I was in Turkey, I opened the magazine Vanity Fair and there was Julia Roberts declaring that she adored the book. Walking alone down a street in Miami, I heard a girl telling her mother: “You must read The Alchemist!”
The book has been translated into 67 languages, has sold more than 65 million copies, and people are beginning to ask: What’s the secret behind such a huge success?
The only honest response is: I don’t know. All I know is that, like Santiago the shepherd boy, we all need to be aware of our personal calling. What is a personal calling? It is God’s blessing, it is the path that God chose for you here on Earth. Whenever we do something that fills us with enthusiasm, we are following our legend. However, we don’t all have the courage to confront our own dream.
Why?
There are four obstacles. First: we are told from childhood onwards that everything we want to do is impossible. We grow up with this idea, and as the years accumulate, so too do the layers of prejudice, fear and guilt. There comes a time when our personal calling is so deeply buried in our soul as to be invisible. But it’s still there.
If we have the courage to disinter dream, we are then faced by the second obstacle: love. We know what we want to do, but are afraid of hurting those around us by abandoning everything in order to pursue their dream. We do not realize that love is just a further impetus, not something that will prevent them going forwards. We do not realize that those who genuinely wish us well want us to be happy and are prepared to accompany us on that journey.
Once we have accepted that love is a stimulus, we come up against the third obstacle: fear of the defeats we will meet on the path. We who fight for our dream, suffer far more when it doesn’t work out, because we cannot fall back on the old excuse: “Oh, well, I didn’t really want it anyway.” We do want it and know that we have staked everything on it and that the path of the personal calling is no easier than any other path, except that our whole heart is in this journey. Then, we warriors of light must be prepared to have patience in difficult times and to know that the Universe is conspiring in our favor, even though we may not understand how.
I ask myself: are defeats necessary?
Well, necessary or not, they happen. When we first begin fighting for our dream, we have no experience and make many mistakes. The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.
So, why is it so important to live our personal calling if we are only going to suffer more than other people?
Because, once we have overcome the defeats – and we always do – we are filled by a greater sense of euphoria and confidence. In the silence of our hearts, we know that we are proving ourselves worthy of the miracle of life. Each day, each hour, is part of the good fight. We start to live with enthusiasm and pleasure. Intense, unexpected suffering passes more quickly than suffering that is apparently bearable; the latter goes on for years and, without our noticing, eats away at our soul, until, one day, we are no longer able to free ourselves from the bitterness and it stays with us for the rest of our lives.
Having disinterred our dream, having used the power of love to nurture it and spent many years living with the scars, we suddenly notice that what we always wanted is there, waiting for us, perhaps the very next day. Then comes the fourth obstacle: the fear of realizing the dream for which we fought all our lives.
Oscar Wilde said: ‘each man kills the thing he loves’. And it’s true. The mere possibility of getting what we want fills the soul of the ordinary person with guilt. We look around at all those who have failed to get what they want and feel that we do not deserve to get what we want either. We forget about all the obstacles we overcame, all the suffering we endured, all the things we had to give up in order to get this far. I have known a lot of people who, when their personal calling was within their grasp, went on to commit a series of stupid mistakes and never reached their goal – when it was only a step away.
This is the most dangerous of the obstacles because it has a kind of saintly aura about it: renouncing joy and conquest. But if you believe yourself worthy of the thing you fought so hard to get, then you become an instrument of God, you help the Soul of the World and you understand why you are here.
So, let’s embark in the discussion of my book for the up-coming month.
Love
Paulo
The Alchemist took me on a journey that I will never forget! Joy..!! :D
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o livro alquimista é como um portal que nos leva ao reino fa fantasia, onde tudo se torna possivel.Quando lemos a hisotória, sentimos, sofremos, e sonhamos junto com o personagem, além de ser uma bela historia, nos faz ver quem realemnte somos, o nosso coração grita conosco, nossa alma pede por socorro, é como se nosso espirito se alimentasse junto com as paginas lidas, porque passamos a voltar a sonhar, a confiar em nós mesmos, em ver o mundo com outra cor. è simplesmente magico.
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Its a very long time ago that I have read The Alchemist, I’d love to read it again some time. (its still very clear in my memory)
What a beautifull book it was, my deeper feelings I would never be able to put in words, were put in words for me on a magical way.
A very good word for this book, magical.
For me the book has a lot of Truth in it. (with a Capital T)
It is written with such integrity that I cannot imagine anybody in the world not being amazed by this book.
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Dear Sir,
I am one of your million fans here in the Philippines, I am so thankful for the person who lent the book “The Alchemist” to me, with that i became an instant fan of yours. The Alchemist change my outlook in life especially on how to find our own legend. I’m also blessed how you relate biblical scriptures to the story. God bless you and continue inspiring us by your books and words of wisdom thru the net.
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hi
i wanna say that paulo coelho has rendered a great influence on my life, he has described the muslims in a very pragmatic manner, the way they kept their words, protect their guests and all that!
jus finished veronika decides to die- an awesome book!
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Dear Mr. Coelho,
I read your book, “The Alchemist” and found it simply fabulous. It was great and I loved it. It changed my approach towards dreams. Thank you for giving such a wonderful piece of work. keep it up.
love,
Feryal
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simply love each n every inspiring words of the book.the most wonderful book i have ever read which change the way of my life!!!!!!!
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dear sir,
i am one of the many fans you have here in the philippines. once i got hold of your book, the alchemist, i vowed to collect all of the books you have written. i admire how each book, at one point, relates to the other book. i am truly blessed how you have related biblical scriptures in it. truly inspiring.
keep it up sir! may the LORD continually bless you and all your endeavors.
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Hi. I am already aware of the ideas of the book as i have been reading about new age, saw The Secret, and What the Bleep do we know. I still loved the book, especially the end of the book. I read it just a few days ago. I personally think that people love it, because it reminds them, that there are things in life we can’t explain, there is always a sense of faith, like something is predestined, and it gives people an idea about how they begin with something and suddenly end up doing something else and realize that they are approaching something they really desired or something they really hated. By the way, how to people get to something they really hate and at the same time doing what they really want to? I liked a lot Veronica had decided to die and I loved that book, I read it at the “right moment” so to say. Now I’m reading El Demonio and Senora Prym, in spanish and I also read El Zahir. I love the way you end your books. Another part of the succes is the sincere manner in wich you write and the simple profound language. I am pleased to leave this message here. I think that I will read all your books, in spanish, because I also learn some spanish at the same time. ;) So there is a meaning there too, that i’ve only discovered your books receantly.
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Dear Mr. Paulo, you change my life…
I read and re-read all of your books all the time….you help me to understand myself and improve myself…Your books give a lot of idea and thoughts to think deep which help to find answers…
All the best………….
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sir thaanks
alchemist is the finest book i’ve read yet
for me it was the book which simply made me again feel the importance of god in my life
after getting the biggest setback in my life i got alchemist as one of the best friend in my life
simply thanxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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I read one of your books and it was marvolous.
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Dear Mr. Paulo, although here in Bangladesh it is very difficult to get hood of your books, i have got hold of em and i have finished them .. in a day
I Love your work, u spoke things that i long kept inside me.. thank u for making me feel that i am not alone
love
megan
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mr. coelho i love your books very much. at this time i read a bruxa de portobello and i would like to know how can i find the music you discribe at this book.
thank you
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Dear Mr. Paulo, you change my life…
I read and re-read all of your books all the time….you help me to understand myself and improve myself…Your books give a lot of idea and thoughts to think deep which help to find answers…
God Bless you, Mr. Paulo////
For nowdays one of my big wishes is to meet you and ask a lot of questions…
Thank you very much,
I am sure one day we shall meet…as you know “if you wish anything with all you heart, The Whole Universe will help you to come true your wish”…so…i wish it with all my heart!!!
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I just ouante tout pout maie free scent inn.
Just say in halo.
I enejoille vary mouche the rides.
I t touque mi plaices I add naiveur bin.
I laic toubie your connecsillon
Taupi que was guda for himagie nascion
I am singin in Rennes naou.
Hite gaive mi summa cinque tout synch a bout.
Hitis a man ou aile for laifeu.
sauris four the inglisheu
aveu gouda de.
Aimanouaile
:)
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marie-christine Reply:
October 30th, 2009 at 1:25 am
you do need a translator don’t you?
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I JUST FINISHED READING THE ALCHEMIST. I LOVED IT!
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE MEANING OF THE DEATH OF NARCISSUS AND THE LAKE AND HOW IT RELATES TO RELATIONSHIPS IN OUR PURSUIT OF OUR PERSONAL LEGEND?
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I believe I’m responsible for a good 30 count of this book being sold. I discovered it a few years ago, and the moment I find out someone is a reader I immediately gift them my copy, and then have to replace mine. I suppose the smart thing to do would be to buy ahead! I find myself constantly referring to this masterfully written novel. As I tend to read everything in metaphors anyway, from the getgo I saw the obscurity. Still I had to reread several times to truly understand all the hidden context. I’ll be talking to someone in line at the grocery store, and think to myself that they remind me of the glass shopkeeper. Resigned to the life they believe was intended for them. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing this beautiful piece of heaven with the world.
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Dear Mr Paulo, I have just finished reading your novel:” The Alchemist”. I heard a lot about this book. So, I was curious to read it. As I began reading, I could not stop. I felt that I was a hidden charecter who accompanied the shephard wherever he went and was encouraged to pursue my own “Personal Legend” of writing. As a poetess and short story writer, I dream of writing an immortal piece of literature and being read worldwide. I keep fighting for my dream. There are many obstacles, many factors that discourage you that the path is narrow and there are those who will block your way. Yet, I am fond of writing. I am addicted to reading and writing. I keeping convincing my self that I write because I enjoy writing. Reading your novel, encouraged me never to give up.
I like the fact that the shephard went away to look for his dream , while it was nearby. I thought about my own dream: how can it be nearby..?! Maybe, the net which made the world as one country, had made it so. I like the fact that your hero gained KNOWLEDGE as he persue his dream. Thank you for this marvellous novel. I’ll go on reading your books. Thank you for this chance of sharing our opinions about what we read. A great writers knows how to be attentive to every opinion.
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I didn’t finish the book yet, but there is one question on my mind all the time: How do you know what your own legend is? Maybe I’ll find out soon enough, but I just needed to share this thought!
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Akunna Ogbu Reply:
October 25th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
Eva-
When you’ve found it you’ll know you’ve found it. You’ll feel as if you could do it forever, and quite possibly for free. It’s almost like asking how do I know when I’ve found my soulmate? You’ll know.
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Den Rod Reply:
October 26th, 2009 at 12:30 am
Nice words of truth,
Thank you
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Gül Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
I was impressed by the Alchimist and the idea to have an own legend and to live a legend. After havin finished The Alchimist i was very optimistic…. But some time later it was in a way strange because I didn’t know my legend. Then several months later I forgot to think about may Legend. Again some months later: I still do not know my legend… I am confused.. HOW DO I FIND MY OWN LEGEND?
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Carmen Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 1:01 am
The personal legend is something that you really want to do deep in your heart, somethign thatyou have always dreamed of becoming. Santiagos legend is to travel and when he is fulfilling it, he gets the reward, but only when he is ready. On the journey he met a lot of people, learned a new trade, learned a lot of new new things, found love. He finds the reward back in the ruins of the church where he had the dream ironically enough. He loses but he is always lucky because he is on the right track. The arab that steals his gold gets a smaller reward, as he does not beieve in his persoan legend. So the way is not easy for Santiago, but he fulfills his dream and he gets the reward when he is ready to get it. So it is something that you truly want to do, someting that you dreamed about as a child, something that is not what society, your friends or parents expects you to do.
Den Rod Reply:
October 26th, 2009 at 12:28 am
God bless us all, all of us that seek him/she/it(God)!
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Den Rod Reply:
October 26th, 2009 at 12:33 am
Adam is your answer!
With all respect, just a joke,
Have a nice life!
Den
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lod Reply:
October 26th, 2009 at 8:24 am
thanks Den! ah ah ah
Eve
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