The Alchemist, written by Paulo Coehlo, is a modern day classic. It is an allegorical novel which was published in 1988. The original language in which the novel was written is Portuguese and it was later translated into 56 distinct languages. The book holds the Guinness World Record for the most translated book by a living author. Approximately, around 65 million copies of The Alchemist have been sold world over in more than 150 countries making it an all-time best seller.
The novel describes the journey of Santiago, an Andalusian young shepherd boy. Santiago experiences a dream repeatedly and believing that it is prophetic, he sets out to travel and find a treasure in the pyramids of Egypt. Love, opportunity, danger and disaster visit the boy during his journey. A significant character that Santiago meets on his way is an old king. The king tells him that when you really deem about something and want to have it, the whole universe comes forward and conspires in order to help you achieve that thing. The only philosophy that this book preaches is about the universe helping you to achieve all those things that you are seeking for.
The novel has attracted universal praise throughout the globe and has made it to the peak of best selling books in 74 countries. It has also been honored with prestigious awards in Italy and Germany. The praise for this interesting creation speaks about it as a charming tale narrated in simple language. The book which was first published in year 1993 in English language has indeed enthralled readers with its plot, characters, philosophy and writing.
