The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
If I had read this book in one sitting maybe it wouldn't have been so painful. It reminded me of "Tuesdays with Morrie" but without the emotion. I probably I lost brain cells each time I picked it up. It has sweeping and dramatic plot moves which makes some sense given the allegorical style, but I LOLed several times at the simple ways something big was introduced. "And then he understood love." Come on. I realize this book is meant to be inspiring and motivational, and perhaps elements of it can be for some people. But a repeated theme in the book is that 'when you follow your personal legend, the universe conspires to help you' and I object to that whole line of pre-determined thinking. It suggests that if you are brave and "follow your personal legend," good things will come. But sometimes you are brave and good things don't come. Sure, not everything is meant to be, but also, nearly everything could be. It's not a sign from the u...