The Alchemist Audiobook By Paulo Coelho cover art

The Alchemist

A Fable About Following Your Dream

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The Alchemist

By: Paulo Coelho
Narrated by: Jeremy Irons
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AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • OVER 120 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE • PUBLISHED IN 89 LANGUAGES

“Teaches us about dreams, destiny, and the reason we are all here.”—Oprah Daily, “Best Self-Help Books of a Generation”

A spellbinding audio presentation of the extraordinary bestseller, narrated by Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons–Discover the true power of trusting your intuition, honoring your instincts, and tapping into your innate inner wisdom

Combining magic, mysticism, wisdom, and wonder into an inspiring tale of self-discovery and spiritual healing, The Alchemist has become a modern classic, moving millions across the globe and transforming the lives of countless readers across generations. Helping them find inner peace, strength, gratitude, and a deeper, divine connection with themselves and the world around them.

This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and soul-stirring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried near the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself a 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 in his path. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery that the most valuable treasures are those found within.

Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts. No matter where you are in life’s journey, allow this profound fable to awaken you to the beauty of the present and the hope of the future, and what it truly means to be human and at peace.

Year after year, across generations, Paulo Coelho's profound and enduring work remains fresh and vital for readers today. These words beam with the message that if we trust in ourselves and our inner strength and wisdom, we can navigate all of life’s complexities with grace and resilience. Discover your dreams and your truth with The Alchemist.

“We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.”—Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“It changed my whole life. I realized all of the people who had conspired to get me to this place.” —Pharrell Williams, musician and songwriter

©1988 Paulo Coelho; (P)2005 HarperCollins Publishers
Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Metaphysical & Visionary Personal Development Well-being Essentials Heartfelt Inspiring Dream Feel-Good Middle East Thought-Provoking Funny Career Change New Age Spirituality

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 >

Featured Article: Audiobooks Like The Alchemist to Expand Your Horizons


Since it was published in 1988, The Alchemist has remained a universally relatable work about what it means to find yourself and reach enlightenment. Paulo Coelho’s simple but profound writing style leaves listeners captivated—a style only heightened by the impeccable narrative performance of prolific stage and screen actor Jeremy Irons. If you’re one of the countless fans who’ve fallen in love with this title and find yourself wanting more, we’ve got you covered.

Transformative Journey • Profound Life Lessons • Mesmerizing Voice • Inspirational Message • Circular Narrative

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I am completely in love with this story. I actually plan to listen to it again very soon because I expect it to be something that you get something different from it each time you hear it. Many important thoughts and lessons are throughout the book, and it is a great story too with wonderful characters.

Brilliant story

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This book is one that I will read (listen to) over and over. The lessons one learns from this book are very similar to those one understands when studying Law of Attraction. The principles are sound and the story is a wonderful one. Jeremy Irons does a fabulous narration. Some chide me for not "reading" books... but when one can have the treat of hearing a talented actor such as Jeremy Irons do a rendition of such a special book, it's a win win as far as I'm concerned. I am now anxious to read other books by Paulo Coelho!

Very special... a keepsake.

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Jeremy Irons does a wonderful job narrating this work. The story is an easy listen. It is packed with lots of meaning and there were times I wanted to stop the audio just to think about what was being said. Lessons on life, love and the way we see the world can be found in this wonderful story.

A Meanigful Listen

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Any additional comments?

This one had me all over the place. I liked the book - I loved the book - I hated the book - the book was ok - I liked the book - the book was ok. But by its last words, I had to say that I do love the book. I disliked the constant use of the words, "personal legend", and the awful affectation that Jeremy Irons employs when pronouncing these words in particular.

Though my opinion mixed and spun throughout my listen, that very challenge made the book ever more engaging, ever more interesting. This book is neat, heavily symbolic, heavily allegorical, concise, beautiful, and mystifying. And though the story and words are simple, the philosophy and meaning are challenging. Still, I think almost everything about this book is widely accessible. A friend described it as a "modern myth", and I have to agree with him. It reads like a myth: something ancient and wise, unbelievable and fantastic yet applicable and meaningful. It seems that the author has gathered the unspoken wisdom of a generation and wrapped it into this tight, literary package.

It Really Was Very Good

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indescribable magic, I am left without words to praise his genius

Probably the finest story ever told

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Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me think about what there was to understand about belief and faith.

Any additional comments?

It is worth the listen more than once.

Great Book... very insightful and thoughtful

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A classic I had never read. I'm glad I waited until Jeremy Irons read it to me. Beautiful rendition of this story. The Boy uncovers the secrets of the universe. Bravo!

Jeremy Irons is perfect; Story is pure wisdom

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This book is delicate, beautiful, and gently thought provoking. Whether you are on a journey or right where you are supposed to be, this book will motivate you.

Why did I wait so long to read this?

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Loved the book and how it was narrated! I am not a Christian but still found the message profound.

Best narrating voice ever!

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The theatrics of the different characters voices were nothing short of INTRIGUING. This was already one of, if not, MY FAVORITE BOOK of all time.

I believe in Omens/Signs of the universe. This story has so many lessons to take in. Thank you for the experience.

Even BETTER if an EXPERIENCE!!!

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