The Alchemist- Paulo Coelho’s bestselling novel has continued to inspire and awe readers across the globe. With his books translated in more than 39 languages, he has fascinated readers with his writing which imparts in us a greater understanding of our self and that of the universe. With the hard-hitting and universal truth presented in his book, The Alchemist is surely on my list of ‘Books to Read before You Die’. Here are a few quotes from his famed novel:

At a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what's happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate. That's the world's greatest lie.
p. 18

There is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it's because that desire originated in the soul of the universe.... The soul of the world is nourished by people's happiness.
p. 22

When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. (my personal favourite)
p. 22

At that point in their lives, everything is clear and everything is possible.They are not afraid to dream, and to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives. But, as time passes a mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be impossible for them to realize their destiny.

If good things are coming, they will be a pleasant surprise," said the seer. "If bad things are, and you know in advance, you will suffer greatly before they even occur.
p. 102

Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dream.
p. 130

There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.
p. 141

What happens once will never happen again. But what happens twice will surely happen a third time.
p. 156


...And that dream, day by day, became less important. May be cause it wasn't really his dream
Don't think about what you've left behind.
If what one finds is made of pure matter, it will never spoil. If what you had found was only a moment of light, like the explosion of a star, you would find nothing on your return.
It's not often that money saves a person's life.
It is said that the darkest hour of the night comes just before the dawn.
If I am really part of your dream, you will come back one day.
Fatima

May love be your guide in every moment of your life.
As he mused about these things, he realised that he had to choose between thinking of himself as the poor victim of a thief and as an adventurer in quest of his treasure
The desert takes our dreams away from us, and they don't always return. We know that, and we are used to it. Those who don't return become a part of the clouds, a part of the animals that hide in the ravines and of the water that comes from the earth. They become part of everything... They become the soul of the world.
Fatima