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  • The Alchemist

  • A Fable About Following Your Dream
  • Written by: Paulo Coelho
  • Narrated by: Jeremy Irons
  • Length: 4 hrs
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (3,259 ratings)

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The Alchemist

Written by: Paulo Coelho
Narrated by: Jeremy Irons
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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

What the critics say

"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)

Editorial Review

The Alchemist tells the story of Santiago, a young shepherd who quests through the desert to find a treasure. He runs into many obstacles during his journey, but what if the treasure was inside him all along? Santiago learns important life lessons through his hurdles, and inspires listeners to follow their dreams and change their lives forever.

The Alchemist takes place in an indistinct period of the past, but clearly in a pre-modern era. The main plot is set in the Spanish pastures, the Spanish city of Tarifa, the city of Tangier in North Africa, and the Sahara Desert. The Alchemist has been translated into 67 languages and has won the Guinness World Record for the most translated book by a living author. Paulo Coelho has written over 25 titles in all and is one of the best-selling writers in the world. Besides The Alchemist, his other best sellers include Eleven Minutes and The Pilgrimage, which are also available for download on Audible.

Jeremy Irons narrates The Alchemist in a captivating, silky voice, with a flawless pacing that brings unexpected dimensions to Santiago’s journey. The award-winning film, television, and stage actor has narrated many other world-renowned audiobooks, such as Lolita and Brideshead Revisited.

The Alchemist was not an instantaneous international success, selling just 900 copies at first. Yet now with more than 85 million copies sold worldwide, it is one of the best-selling titles in history. The literature classic has won several international awards, including the 2004 Nielsen Gold Book Award for outstanding sales in the UK, and Germany’s 2002 Corine International Award for best fiction.

Featured Article: Best Audiobook Narrators for an Immersive Experience

Audiobooks have revolutionized the literary world, opening up classic books to a whole new generation of listeners. It isn't just as simple as committing a great story to tape and letting the tale do the rest, of course, it isn't. In this new and exciting world, an audiobook is only as good as its narrator. A bad voice can drag a good story down, while a great voice can lift good stories. Luckily for listeners across the world, there is no shortage of fantastic voices in the Audible library, filling classic and contemporary stories with character, charm and glee. These are the very best audiobook narrators going today.

What listeners say about The Alchemist

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Source of Wisdom

This books has so much wisdom to learn from. Everyone who is in their mid-life still trying to chase or pursue their personal legends should read this book. This book is like a beacon of light that will serve as your guide.

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Essential

This book will teach you so much in such a small amount of time. If you haven’t yet, read this book.

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The Alchemist

A wonderful simply written and beautifully depicted story but I wish it was longer and transitioned more smoothly from one stage to another

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An absolute story of stories that hold many truths

We all can take many lessons from this book! It has many aspects that can apply to each and everyone's life!

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What a wonderful Book!

Stories - this is one of the best - it will help you in living your life!!! #Audible1

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Excellent narration.

It’s wonderful when a well established actor does the narration. Jeremy Irons was fantastic narrating this wonderful tale. He changed his voice and tone and accents for the various characters in the story. It was like watching a movie...I really enjoyed it...better then reading the book itself.

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  • tai
  • 2018-08-22

a1

excellent narrator. wide range of voices for different characters. finished this book In 3 days,- really makes you think about your lifes purpose and if you're truly pursuing it.

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personal legend

The story talks about the personal legend of every person. It's hard to get it on the first try, but you will often figure out about personal legend if u listen to it many times. It WILL help you find your personal legend.

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omg is that a great book!

the narrater is awesome. story is great. i wish it was longer. highly recommend it

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A beautiful rendition

One of two books I’ve shared again again with many.
I last read this book over 15 years ago. A treasure to read, a treasure to share, and now a treasure to listen to.

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