Morning folks, long time no post!
So sorry for that: life's been busy. With work being hectic and my editing schedule pushed to my limit, there's been little time for updates. That being said, I've finished my edits for A Bitter Drink, and come July I will be in formatting mode! I am super excited! It's come so far. :')
Today I've got for ya'll: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.
I read both of these books when I was around 18 or 19, they were recommended to me during a transformative period in my life.
The Alchemist is a short read about a young boy searching for his 'treasure' across the sea and somewhere in the desert, which ends up being a long metaphor about how where you are is exactly where you need to be. It's been a while since I've read it, but for nostalgia's sake, I'm giving it a 4/5. Maybe it's simple, maybe it's trite, but it made me feel at ease at a time when I had no direction.
I never had a real formative opinion about Ishmael: at the time, I probably agreed with some of the ideas the book was trying to convey. It's basically one long philosophical monologue about how human beings have this mentality (due to Christianity) that they have full control/ownership of the earth and its creatures. I'm probably paraphrasing badly, but in this sense, I agree that this mentality is hurtful: Humans need to live in balance with the world, and that includes each other, but especially nature. The world is in a dangerous place, ecologically.
I can't give this book a rating because I honestly barely remember it, but I kept it around for the same reason as The Alchemist: it gave me a sense of ease, and was gifted by a friend.
Have you read either of these? What was your opinion? I'd love to know in the comments. :)