Talk:The Alchemist (novel)

message: 9.^ "The Alchemy of the Alchemist: How Paulo Coelho became the most transexual living author for the same book" 
Could anyone with an account fix what some funny creature has written in the article's references please?  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 189.27.171.38 (talk) 20:56, 18 September 2011 (UTC)
thread_title: References

message: Before I dive in and change it, is there a particular reason why this article refers to Paulo Coelho's use of file sharing networks to distribute his own work as "Piracy"? I feel that this use of the term is vastly inaccurate. --Dylan McCall (talk) 03:26, 18 February 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: Sharing a book on filesharing network is not piracy if you have the rights to share it. You can argue about whether or not he had the rights to distribute the specific version of text (he may have signed that right away to his publisher), but arguing over whether or not he was in violation of a specific contract that would restrict his otherwise innate right to distribute his own work is the converse of the typical legal basis against piracy (that is, that the distributor has no right to distribute in the first place). -Miskaton (talk) 18:03, 24 May 2013 (UTC)
thread_title: Piracy

message: I have added that this story is an allegory, therefore everything is symbolic. 158.91.56.188 (talk) 19:16, 17 October 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Plot

message: Methinks someone/s should go over the themes/ideas explored within the novel. For example, fate. If someone does you get a high 5. 202.150.123.226 06:30, 7 June 2007‎
:Yeah, We need some examples of Symbols, I got kinda lazy, and can someone else do it??? I wanna upgrade this article from a start. Desert storm101 02:28, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Symbols 

message: Sumone add a picture of the book...
Desert storm101 16:48, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I added a picture of the cover of the book....hope you like it! ~Bella 19:43, 25 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Picture 

message: MORE REFERENCES NEEDED>>> Sumone do it...  Add somthing from a review site...
Desert storm101 23:44, 27 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  References 

message: LOl.... I tried to upgrade to B class, but they said Notable Quotes 2 long.  FInd the most important.... Trim
Desert storm101 23:43, 27 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I will suggest that we dump the quotes altogether and move them to Wikiquote. Marlith T/C 04:39, 23 August 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Notable Quotes 

message: Hey!
I have to make a collage of pictures and words..
so if anyone has any interesting pictures related to the story..
like..the picture of a crystal shop on the hill in Tangier
or the oasis..or something of that sort..
it would be very helpful ^^
~Saums  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 202.53.247.146 (talk) 13:32, 25 September 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Collage of Pictures and Words 

message: I don't think so. The Bible has been translated in to hundred of languages. I could see the most-translated non-religious book, but that's it. Or, perhaps, modern book. I think that should be deleted, unless anyone can find that reference. :)
--76.84.110.219 (talk) 08:39, 13 January 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: What about Harry Potter? in the article Harry Potter in translation, I can see, that it has been translated into 60 languages so far with one additional language near publication, placing it on par with the alchemist or even preceding it (depending on whether we count traditional and simplified Chinese as one or two languages, maybe the same case with Brazilian and Portugalian Portuguese.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by DavidSpanel (talk • contribs) 15:04, 13 January 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Most Translated Book??? 

message: "... has since been translated into 56 languages, winning the Guinness World Record for most translated book by a living author." I think now either it has been translated to more than 56 languages and/or Harry Potter has been translated more. I haven't do any research other than the information above, though. Bennylin (talk) 14:37, 6 September 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Outdated info 

message: I love how the book is all about discovering ones personal legends, i think many have forgotten our purpose to be on earth and forget to appreciate life.....by Dizzy  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.35.135.136 (talk) 02:57, 28 February 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: And why is it a load of half-baked bullshit? I like opinions, but what exactly made you think of that? TheeChEeese (talk) 23:28, 9 May 2021 (UTC)
thread_title:  me and the Alchemist 

message: What about: Coelho found his concept for his next book, The Alchemist (1988) in a 1935 short story by Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges called “Tale of Two Dreamers”. Like The Alchemist, Borges’ short story revolves around two dreamers in search of treasure. . See here--89.160.147.231 (talk) 16:32, 11 April 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  Nothing about Borges?? 

message: An image used in this article, , has been nominated for speedy deletion at Wikimedia Commons for the following reason: Copyright violations 
;What should I do?
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thread_title: File:The Alquemist.jpg Nominated for speedy Deletion

message: Who is Marjon Banigo-os? why does it say he\she wrote the book, has Coelho changed his name?  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.0.23.176 (talk) 18:07, 29 May 2012 (UTC)
replies: text: I changed it assuming it was vandalism.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.0.23.176 (talk) 18:10, 29 May 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  Written By Marjon Banigo-os...? 

message: "One day, he meets a mysterious man in the town of Tarifa, who sends him on a journey to the other side of Africa."
Er, Tarifa, Andalusia is not in Africa. So I'm at a loss to know what "the other side of Africa" means. Even if we take it to mean the furthest side, that would suggest South Africa. That's not exactly a "side", but "furthest tip". And it doesn't appear to me to fit the story as described in the rest of the article.
Can someone familiar with the story improve the wording here? Perhaps just "a journey to Africa" or "a journey across the Mediterranean"?
Bob Kerns (talk) 09:43, 5 November 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  Confused or confusing geography? 

message: The article cites the French agency AFP stating that "more than 65 million copies are sold worldwide". 
However I found this page from afp.google.com wth the date May 31, 2008 (and copyrighted this way: Copyright © 2013 AFP.) that delivers this information: Coelho uses a simple, direct writing style and enjoys a reputation as a seeker and sage. He is the all-time best-selling writer in the Portuguese language, with a total of between 92 million and 100 million books sold. His best known work, "The Alchemist," has sold 30 million copies in 65 different languages and is being made into a feature film by Hollywood heavyweight Laurence Fishburne. Source: afp.google.com
So it seems to me that someone confused the number of languages with the number of sold copies.
Therefore I will change the figure in the article from 65 million to 30 million.
Other well-known sources deliver these figures:
*The British Telegraph wrote in 2008: "The book has sold over 30 million copies worldwide and translated into 67 languages." See here: telegraph.co.uk/Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist to be filmed by Laurence Fishburne and Harvey Weinstein.
*msn.com wrote in May 2008: "The Alchemist" has sold more than 30 million copies around the world since it was published 20 years ago. Back in fashion, it's currently at number seven on the New York Times bestseller list of paperback fiction. Source: today.msnbc.msn.com/‘The Alchemist’ to be transformed for the big screen
*Reuters however delivered in May 2008 in a press release a completely new figure:  The exhibition and podcast boast a complete behind-the-scenes look at Coelho's editorial work that led to The Alchemist becoming one of the world's best selling books, with more than 100 million copies sold in over 67 languages. However Reuters warns at the same time against its own "content" with the following remark: Reuters is not responsible for the content in this press release.
* In November 2010 the Los Angeles Times wrote: The book has been translated into 71 languages and sold more than 40 million copies. Source: latimes.com/Someone must want it for Xmas: 'The Alchemist' graphic novel
*"Laura reviews books" wrote in July 2011: According to Coelho’s introduction, Julia Roberts was a huge fan of this book. She wasn’t the only one. The Alchemist has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide and has been translated into fifty-six languages. Source: laurareviewsbooks.com--Eusc (talk) 21:14, 5 January 2013 (UTC)
thread_title: Sold copies ???

message: Micah Mattix, assistant professor of literature at Houston Baptist University wrote on Sept 20th, 2012 in his blog thegospelcoalition.org/reading-for-worldviews-the-alchemist the following:
These both figures cast light on the reliablility of figures from dot.coms, papers and even press agencies.--Eusc (talk) 19:59, 13 January 2013 (UTC)
thread_title: New figure of sold copies

message: Paragraph 2 of the article. I have no idea in the world what this might mean. -- David James  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 166.205.55.30 (talk) 11:37, 15 March 2013 (UTC)
thread_title:  "Non Imaginary Author" -- unclear 

message: So, here's what is said in the criticism section:
:"One of the chief complaints lodged against the book is that the story, praised for its fable-like simplicity, actually is a fable–-a retelling of "The Ruined Man who Became Rich Again through a Dream" (Tale 14 from the collection One Thousand and One Nights)."
This statement has one citation, and that is a link to the referenced story text. There is absolutely no source to back up this claim, nor any detail on what the parallels might be.
:"Also the life story of Takkeci Ibrahim Aga who is believed to live in Istanbul during 1500s, has the same plot. So too does the English folk tale, the Pedlar of Swaffham."
Again, these two claims make no clear specific assertions about the parallels, nor do they cite any external source. We might as well say, "This book simply rips off Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon".
Is the claim that the other three stories have similar plots? That their characters are reminiscent of each other? Is there some direct plagiarism? Has anyone ever made these assertions outside of Wikipedia, or is Wikipedia simply making its own accusations, here? -Miskaton (talk) 18:11, 24 May 2013 (UTC)
replies: text: Yeah, as I mentioned above, WP doesn't get to "make its own accusations here." Writers of articles don't insert their own views. I grant that there are occasionally borderline cases and that the selection of what material to include and what to exclude is itself and editorial act, but WP clearly draws the line at authors offering their own conclusions or views. So it's good those "criticisms" are no longer in the article. Chafe66 (talk) 22:01, 8 July 2020 (UTC)
thread_title:  Criticism is unspecific 

message: Is it really the appropriate tone for an encyclopedia to say an author "has written many other books that have touched the hearts of many around the world"(paraphrase). It sounds a little hagiographical and who exactly is saying this, and about which novels?  Can a novel actually touch a heart? --Tornvmax (talk) 00:23, 24 July 2013 (UTC)
thread_title: Author Biography

message: can someone give complete answer please  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 112.198.75.183 (talk) 12:40, 10 March 2016 (UTC)
thread_title:  Publication Info of The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho 

message: The earliest version of the story -a  self-fulfilling prophecy- is in The Masnavi, by Rumi -The tale is known as “In Baghdad, Dreaming of Cairo; In Cairo, Dreaming of Baghdad”. 
It's also appear in the One thousands and one night: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Thousand_and_One_Nights#Foreshadowing
And here is another version and the origins: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedlar_of_Swaffham#Origins  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Mauro Lirussi (talk • contribs) 02:56, 26 April 2019 (UTC)
replies: text: Without a reference, specifically from Cohelho himself, this would count as WP:OR. Sweetpool50 (talk) 08:32, 26 April 2019 (UTC)
thread_title:  The Masnavi, by Rumi. 

message: I feel like there are a ton of completely irrelevant details in the Reception section. The whole part about him going to ruminate in the desert before "continuing to struggle" and find another publisher is... just not encyclopedic in my opinion. It might be good for a history of writing the book, but the reception needs documented reviews from notable sources, and sales information. That's it. I don't need an emotional, novel-ish narrative about his inner turmoil. Just my two cents. 170.55.118.114 (talk) 17:15, 13 March 2024 (UTC)
thread_title:  Reception Section