First time I read the first edition in Portuguese, I was living in Brazil, and this was an amazing book, the story is fiction, but Paulo Coelho gave great insights about alchemy and transformation, even from his personal experience were amazing.
This book tells you to believe in your dreams.
The book shows how the Universe is always working to make your dreams come true, using a symbolic language, most from alchemy, it tells you that changes, mysterious coincidences, people will show up, to assist you on the turning points of your life.
This books makes a great point on explaining that you can achieve your dreams, your can transform your life, and that everyone is an alchemist, even if you don't know that you are.
Paulo Coelho had a great life story before his famous book, but my favorite part of his biography is that he was a musical partner with the late Raul Seixas, in some great music from the Brazilian 70's folk culture.
After reading his books several times, it gave me the necessary vibe to stand up and start pursuing my dreams, to leave a whole life behind, looking for my own personal treasure, everyone needs a wake up call, for some will be a divorce, others it will be a death in the family, for me this book was great tool, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.
The book will inspire you to follow your dreams and to free your mind, to look to this world with the eyes of a conqueror not a victim, enjoy it.