Who is the author of 'The Alchemist'?

"The Alchemist" (originally "O Alquimista" in Portuguese) is a novel by the Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho, first published in 1988.

About the novel:

It tells the story of Santiago, a young Andalusian shepherd boy in Spain, who has a recurring dream about finding treasure near the Egyptian pyramids.

He sets out on a journey across North Africa and the Sahara desert, meeting characters such as the King of Salem (Melchizedek), a crystal merchant, an Englishman studying alchemy, Fatima (the woman he loves) and the Alchemist.

Along the way, he learns to listen to his heart, to read the "omens" of the world and to follow his "Personal Legend" (his true purpose in life).

In the end, he discovers that the treasure was buried near the ruined church in Spain where his journey began.

A famous line from the book: "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."

The book was not very successful at first, but it later became an international best-seller, with tens of millions of copies sold. It has been translated into more than 80 languages and set a record as one of the most translated books by a living author.

About Paulo Coelho:

• He was born in 1947 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• Before becoming a novelist, he worked as a songwriter and journalist.
• His experience of walking the pilgrimage route of the Camino de Santiago in Spain (1986) inspired his first book, "The Pilgrimage".
• His other books include "Brida", "By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept", "Veronika Decides to Die", "Eleven Minutes" and "The Zahir".

Other famous Latin American writers:

• Gabriel García Márquez (Colombia): "One Hundred Years of Solitude"; Nobel Prize (1982).
• Jorge Luis Borges (Argentina): "Ficciones".
• Isabel Allende (Chile): "The House of the Spirits".
• Mario Vargas Llosa (Peru): Nobel Prize (2010).

Why not the other options?

• ✗Gabriel García Márquez wrote "One Hundred Years of Solitude".
• ✗Jorge Luis Borges wrote "Ficciones".
• ✗Isabel Allende wrote "The House of the Spirits".