• The Alchemist

  • A Fable About Following Your Dream
  • By: Paulo Coelho
  • Narrated by: Jeremy Irons
  • Length: 4 hrs
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (81,070 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)

Featured Article: 40+ Quotes from The Alchemist to Inspire Your Personal Legend


The Alchemist is author Paulo Coelho’s timeless story of adventure and bravery, following the young Santiago on his journey to find his treasure at the Egyptian pyramids. Along the way, Santiago meets an array of characters who help him understand his personal legend and achieve his destiny. First published in 1988, The Alchemist has long since inspired readers to take their future into their own hands, as Santiago did, and follow their destiny.

What listeners say about The Alchemist

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Amazing book!

lots of very profound teachings are in this book. I will be reading this again soon.

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amazing!

Loved it! This was an awesome story and the narrator was perfect. Listened to it straight through.

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I 100% recommend this book.

I don't even know how to describe how wonderful this story is. The only way to know is to listen to it yourself.
It's the kind of story that will stick with you for a lifetime.

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Great read … reminds me of the book of Thomas

Well written and narrated… filled with life lessons. This book reminds me of the book of Thomas in the Bible, there is a great audio on YouTube by Ralf Wagner if you prefer audio rather than reading like me.

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Listening to the alchemist

Thai is one of the best books I have ever read. It kept me in tuned, excited about the next words and looking forward to what happens next. This book filled my heart with joy and gave me a new sense of purpose. It gave me reassurance that I’m on my way to fulfilling my life’s purpose and nothing is done by accident. I’m grateful that I stumbled upon this read. For years now I have enjoyed mixing things together and four years ago I wrote in a binder the words “the alchemist.” Two days ago I happened to be flipping through the pages of that binder I’ve wrote in over the years and those two words stood out to me. I then googled the alchemist and this audio read popped up. So out of curiosity I decided to download it and listen. Two days later after listening to the four hour audio I know that it was the best decision I’ve made in my life. Thank you to the author and the narration was phenomenal. May God bless many more people to stumble upon this read!

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A masterpiece and a great read!

I have listened and listened to this book many times than I can remember! sometimes for minutes, and at times, for hours! It's the finest piece of book for a person who recognizes their dream, accepts all is one, and realizes there is God at the back of all!

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the only way I can sleep is with this playing

i can fall asleep to this book in literal minutes. I listen to it every night

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highly recommended

Jeremy Irons as a narrator is a win to begin with. loved this book from beginning to end

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Life Changer

I have been reading this book at least once a year for the past 13 years. It has positively impacted my life for the better. I highly recommend it.

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Totally Worth It

This book is always recommended for women in their twenties and it did not disappoint. At times the anecdotes drug on, but for the most part it was very telling and a beautiful story.

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