The Alchemist

Loved this book and I am having my boy teenage boys read it. Just wish I had read it when I was there age. A must for anyone on the side lines !

My best friend recommended that I read this book, so I bought it, read it. I love it! I wish schools would recommend students to read this book.

This makes a great graduation idea. A simple, timeless, classic about the fact we're always searching when what we need is right where we are.

If you want to read about a search for the self in easy to read short stories, Hesse's "Siddharta" or "the Pearl" by John Steinbeck are far better (both are Nobel Prize winners). Hesse's "Narcissus and Goldmund" is a lot better even than Siddharta, but it is a novel, not a short story. If you like the the story presented in a fairy tale format Michael Ende's "The Neverending story" and "Momo" are far more entertaining.

It is obvious I did not particularly liked this book, despite all the high recommendations I got from it. The good thing is you read it in a weekend. I found nothing resembling an alchemist in this book (a mix between scientist and magician). The character presented in this book sounded more as a spiritual Guru.

I bought 2 of these books as a gift for students entering college as part of a required reading before the semester starts. Purchase price beat all the local bookstores.