March 8, 2010

Eric has a book club group he has started on Facebook called "Don't Join This Book Club." He picks a book every other month to read and discuss. The inaugural book was The Alchemist by Paul Coelho. Neither of us had read it, and I don't think either of us were particularly fond of it. While not a big fan of the first pick, I am a big fan of my husband and his ideas to get people reading and talking together. At any rate, here is a half-hazard attempt at a review that I wrote about it:
It has now been well over a month since I've read this drivel, but I'll do my best to discuss my opinion on the book. I'll preface by saying, if you enjoyed the book that's great. Some people like horoscopes, some people like newspapers; we all have our own cups of tea. Personally, I found the book boring, simple, and lacking in literary merit (kind of like this post from me will be.) It baffles me that this book has such a huge following and has received so much praise. Follow your dreams....sure....but following your dreams also means you have to indulge in a little reality sometimes to make them happen. I love idealism and think the overarching theme of trying to fulfill your potential is great, but the undertones to this theme drove me bonkers in this book. I was totally bugged by the fact that he fell in love so fast with not much substance behind it. I was totally bugged by the fact that it implies if you don't reach your personal legend, you are just lazy or didn't try hard enough. Can't there be environmental factors that stop you? It really bugged me that the whole point was about getting there. It didn't seem to be that the journey mattered at all - only the final destination. And the reward of your final destination? Self accolades, money, happiness for you, self fullfillment.....blah blah blah. Where is the benefit to others? Why isn't the journey of equal importance, or at least significant. Before I read this I heard it compared to Jonathan Livingston Seagull. They are both ultra cheesy symbolic books, yes, but Seagull is far superior. Maybe I am biased because I read the book in Elementary School and it spoke to my little brain, but the point is that it ''spoke" to me. It actually had something of import to say. Its message that you achieve your dreams and THEN help other people reach the same destination just does a lot more for me than the find your own happy place dogma Coelho shouts at the reader ad naseum. I can remember quotes from Seagull (amazing for amnesiac me) but a month later, I don't recall anything moving from The Alchemist. So, in conclusion, if you liked this book that is just fine. I won't make fun of you. If it spoke to you - great. I won't make fun of you, but you have to promise not to make fun of me for loving Jonathan Livingston Seagull so much.