Independent Reeding

I just finished reading The Alchemist  and all I can say is "Wow!" Prior to reading the book, I thought it was going to be good, but I did not expect it to be nearly as good as it was. I can say, without a doubt, The Alchemist  is one of the best books I have ever read. So before I talk about the book, I think it is only fair that I give Paulo Coelho a quick shutout... he deserves it.  Throughout this book, Coelho manages to teach numerous life lessons and present many interesting perspectives all the while maintaining an intriguing plot. One of the most interesting aspects of the story were the different cultures that were introduced. The main character, Santiago, is from Spain. Therefore, the beginning of the book included a lot of Spanish and Iberian culture. Santiago then spent a good portion of the book working with a crystal merchant in Tangier, Morocco. During his time in Tangier, there were a lot of African and Islamic cultures that were discussed. Then, ...

Below are a few of Santiago's journal entries. This is what Santiago would be writing about during 4 significant events from the first half of the book: His appointment with the gypsy, his interaction with Melchizedek, after getting tricked in Tangier, and while working with the crystal merchant. Please note: The Alchemist's exact date is not specified but it can be assumed that it occurs sometime between the 1500s and 1800s. This can be determined because it is too early for there to be planes and other, modern technology, but Southern Spain is free from Muslim rule and there are Englishmen in Africa for work. Entry 1: Once again, I had that dream. Yes, that  dream. Again, I found myself in the field with my sheep and, again, that strange child approached the sheep and began playing with them. Like before, this irritated me because I don't like when strangers play with my sheep; they are afraid of strangers. But, just like last time, the sheep peacefully played ...

For my next book, I am going to be reading The Alchemist  by Paulo Coelho. Unlike when I read Into the Wild , I knew virtually nothing about The Alchemist when I began reading it. All I knew about it was that it was about a Shepard named Santiago, it was originally written in Portuguese, and it supposedly contains a lot of life lessons. After knowing those three things, who wouldn't want to read the book? A book about a Sheppard? I love Sheep! A book that was translated from Portuguese? I'm learning Spanish in school which is similar to Portuguese! A book that contains life lessons? I'm a teenager who is qualified for nothing; I desperately need suggestions and guidance! So basically, this book sounds perfect.  So far, the book has been really interesting and I'm excited to continue reading! Paulo Coelho The Original Cover Side Note: The copy that I got from my local library has little drawings in it every few pages, so that's epic! ...

From the numerous movies, documentaries, articles, etc. about McCandless, so many people know about his various adventures, most notably his final. Those, however, do not give the whole story of who Christopher McCandless truly was. Almost all of the things that he is known for can be drawn back to specific events from his upbringing, so a crucial part of understanding Chris is understanding his backstory. Although it has been nearly twenty-eight years since McCandless' passing, considering how many people were impacted by his story, I feel that it is only fitting to write a eulogy for Chris, documenting his life, his journey, but most importantly, his character.  Christopher J. McCandless Alexander Supertramp (2/12/1968 - 8/18/1992) Chris was born in El Segundo, California but was primarily raised in Annandale, Virginia after his father, Walt McCandless, accepted a position as a NASA rocket scientist. Chris had a troubled childhood, experiencing physical and menta...