April Book Discussion

The Handmaid's Tale led to interesting conversation on topics from conformity to suffrage to religion at today's book club meeting. For April, Marla has chosen The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. This book was originally written in Portuguese but has since won the Guinness World Record for the most translated book by a living author, having been translated into 67 languages! The discussion for this book will be on Saturday, April 11, at 9:00 a.m. EST. If you are interested in participating, please speak with Anissa, Cross, Faith, Janet or Marla so you can be sent a copy of the discussion questions via email prior to the meeting.

This is a synopsis taken from the Reading Group Guides website:

Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy, has a dream about finding a treasure in the pyramids of Egypt. A gypsy woman and an old man claiming to be a mysterious king advise him to pursue it. "To realize one's destiny is a person's only obligation," the old man tells him. "And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."

This story, timeless and entertaining, exotic yet simple, breaks down the journey we all take to find the most meaningful treasures in our lives into steps that are at once natural and magical. It is about the faith, power, and courage we all have within us to pursue the intricate path of a Personal Legend, a path charted by the mysterious magnet of destiny but obscured by distractions. Santiago shows how along the way we learn to trust our hearts, read the seemingly inconspicuous signs, and understand that as we look to fulfill a dream, it looks to find us, if we let it.

Author: Paulo Coelho; Publisher: HarperCollins, 1993; 197 pages