The Alchemist

A Fable About Following Your Dream

By: Paulo Coelho

Narrated by: Jeremy Irons

Length: 4 hrs

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)

Great insights related in an enjoyable story line

Narrator is great, not sure if I would have continued book of I was reading but the narrator brought the story to life. Brought forth a lot of aha moments for me in very relatable ways. will be reading (listening) to it again!

The Transition

After reading, my initial reaction was "this book is way too optimistic". I thought, "this could never happen in real life; no one could ever be that lucky". But slowly, as the days went on, I felt a subtle but contagious sense of belief in the impossible. And a sense of contribution to the outcome of any instance. I admit, I feel more contributively conscious of my energy now. Not to be mistaken as more optimistic, but more inclusive to everything around me - seen and unseen.

Beautifully written

Beautifully written and uplifting. Great messages that held my interest. Perfect length. Narrator did well speaking the different characters, maybe a bit too theatrical, and made me laugh, imho. But I’d listen to it again.

Ties it all in

I have read and listened to so many books and I will read and listen to so many more. This one, so far, has helped me tie everything together. Thank you Paulo Coelho. You’ve changed another life.

Man's intro into the hear of God

This book is an homage to the Bible and I love how it reinforces what the Bible has been trying to us for centuries. we are all capable of doing Mighty things as long as we remain connected to the Lord and seek daily.

follow your personal legend

It's such a pleasurable story and adventure! Great narrator too, Jeremy Irons, a legend, very dynamic and grounded.

love it

people achieve your dreams, do not listen to others or stop doing something that you want because of others, amazing book

Must Read

I’ve listened to this several times and always find something new. This is a must have. Very life change story overall.

a good listen

Glad I listened to it instead of reading the book. Lots of detail I would have grown weary of reading. The story is philosophical.

great read

loved it. really made me think. narrator is wonderful. listened to this book twice.