While driving on a 40 hour round-trip journey from Miami to Philly, we listened to Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist on CD, narrated by Jeremy Irons. It was a fantastic way to pass the time, and is quite a story. And who better to record it than actor Jeremy Irons? He does an outstanding job!
The story is a fable about a Spanish shepherd boy who meets several characters who encourage him to give up his present situation to follow the path of his recurring dream. Along the way, he encounters setbacks, the dangers of the desert and experiences twists and turns in his plans to find love and fortune (and of course, to meet the Alchemist). The book is based upon religious parables and leaves you thinking about life, destiny and greatness. There are many excellent quotes, my favorites being: “Every blessing ignored become a curse,” and “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”
The best lesson of the book is perhaps that you cannot plan everything in your life, but you shall learn from all the events – negative and positive, planned and unplanned – that do occur. After all, things happen for a reason. “And when you want something, the universe conspires to help you achieve it.”
The book has been scrutinized, criticized and loved by many, since more than 60 million copies have been sold in many different languages. But no matter what is said, both good and bad, I thought it was a most entertaining, thought-provoking story that is perfect for the whole family to listen to on a long journey in the car.
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