• The Alchemist

  • A Fable About Following Your Dream
  • By: Paulo Coelho
  • Narrated by: Jeremy Irons
  • Length: 4 hrs
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (81,094 ratings)

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The Alchemist  By  cover art

The Alchemist

By: Paulo Coelho
Narrated by: Jeremy Irons
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Editorial review


By Madeline Anthony, Audible Editor

THE STRANGE ALCHEMY OF THE ALCHEMIST, THE NOVEL TURNED SELF-DEV PHENOMENON

At its core, The Alchemist is a spiritual guide. Packed into the form of a short fable, it follows young Santiago, a shepherd boy who travels far and wide in hopes of finding his life’s treasures. Within the simplicity of the story, universal messages are able to unfold in profound ways, ringing true with a newfound sense of urgency—listen to your heart, follow your intuition, and have the courage to walk towards your dreams even when you are afraid of what might happen next.

Far from an expansive, ancient desert, I listened to this story for the first time on the beach. After hearing rave reviews of The Alchemist for several years from friends and acquaintances, I had decided to listen to the audiobook on a rare week off. It was Christmas, and for the first time in a long time, I was not with my family for the holidays. I was spending that lost week between Christmas and New Year's on a bed of white sand in the Hawaiian Islands, on something of an engagement-moon with my fiancé. It was all gorgeous—the sun, the purplish mountains in the distance, the giant sea turtles that gently floated in the water like kids on a perpetual vacation. Taken at face value, there should have been no worries in sight. But secretly, I was worried. In fact, I was extremely worried. I was living with a nagging feeling that I kept trying to push down, and that each time I did, would inevitably rise again. In the end, listening to a story about a young boy in Egypt helped me to tap into my own heart of hearts, inevitably realizing the truth—I did not want to marry this man, and in fact, I wouldn’t.

Continue reading Madeline's review >

Publisher's summary

Paulo Coelho's enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its simplicity and wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an Alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a meditation on the treasures found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is art eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.
©1988 Paulo Coelho (P)2005 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"The story has the comic charm, dramatic tension and psychological intensity of a fairy tale, but it's full of specific wisdom as well, about becoming self-empowered, overcoming depression, and believing in dreams." (Publishers Weekly)

"It is short, but certainly packs a wallop. What makes the story even better is Jeremy Irons's unforgettable narration.... Irons's voice is crystal clear, and every word is given its own starring role in the text. He creates wondrous characters, male and female, that stay with us." (AudioFile)

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What listeners say about The Alchemist

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Fun story to listen

Reader is easy to listen to and animated
Story is reliable and has a few deep thoughts about life

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I love this book!!!

I love the alchemist this book reminds me of me. I plan on giving this book to my kids when they become of age soooo good.

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timeless

I could listen to this book over and over again it never gets old. timeless

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incredible

A beautiful story full of life lessons, told in a captivating way! I highly recommend this book!

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Unexpected happiness

Finished this in one day. Omg y’all what a journey. I laughed and I cried. My heart sang with joy. This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. It’s an amazing journey and the voice reader did an amazing job brining the book to life. I’m seriously about to listen to it again! Give it a chance, take this review as a good omen (you’ll get the reference soon enough) 😄😄😁

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A heading is required.

I've wanted to read this book for awhile now. I ❤️ it. Jeremony Irons was amazing.

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One of the best books ever!

On your spiritual journey? Starting to recognize that theres more out there for you? read this book!!

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wonderful story

I really enjoyed listening to this story. I found a since of peace in the storyline.

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Amazing story!

I was captivated by this book. I can't remember how it got on my radar. I'm grateful it did. I love parables and this one is timeless. Jeremy Irons' narration is exceptional.

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Classic book - one of thee BEST

This is probably my 5th-6th time reading the book BUT my first time listening to it!! Classic book - there are so many gems in this story, you never get tired of reading it because you find something new each time !

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