The Alchemist

   It isa novel by paulo coelho first published in the year1988. originally written in portuguese by its brazlian-born author,it has been translated into atleast 67 languages as of october 2009.an allegorical novel,the alchemist follows a young andalusian shepered named santiago in his journey to egypt,after having a recurring dream of finding treasure there...
the book is an internatonal bestseller.according to agencefrance-presse(AFP),it has sold ore than 65 millions copies in 56 different languages. becoming one of the Best Selling Books in history and setting the Guinnes World Record for most translated book by a living author..

SHORT history

the alchemist follows the journey of an Andalusian shephered boy named santiago.

believing a recurring dream to be prophtic, santiago decides to travel to a Romani fortune-teller in a  nearby town to discover its meaning. agypsy woman tells him that there is a treasure in the pyramids in egypt

early into his journey, he meets an old king,melchizedek,who tells him to sell his sheep to travel to egyt and introduces the idea of a personal legend your personal legend is what you have always wanted to accomplish. everyone,when they are young, knewswhat their personal legends is. he addsthat when you want something,all the universe conspiresin helping you toachieve it.

this is the core theme of the book.

along the way santiago meets an englishman who has come in searchof an alchemist andcontinues his travels with him.theytravel through the sahara desert andduring his journey,

santiago meets and falls in lovewith a beautiful arabian women named fathima.he asks fathima to marry him,but shesays she will only marry himafter finds his treasures.he isperplexed by this.butlater learns that true love will not stop ones personal legend,and if it does, its not true love.

santiago then encounters a lone alchemist who also teaches him about personal legends but not the personal legend itself.santiago feels unsure about himself as he listens to the alchemist's teachings..the alchemist states," those who don'tunderstand their personallegends will fail to comprehend its teachings". it is also stated that treasure is moreworthy than gold..

Charcters..

santiago

santigois the protagonist of the alchemist.born in a small town in andalusia,he attends the seminary as a boy but longsto travel the world.he finally gets the courage toask his father for permission to become a shephered so that he can travel the fields of andalusia one night,in anabandoned church,he dreams of a child telling him that if he goes to the egyptian pyramids,hewill find a treasure. later,he meets a ysterious man in thetown of tarifa,who sends him on a journey to the other side of africa..