Which Brazilian author wrote 'The Alchemist'?

The Brazilian author who wrote *The Alchemist* is Paulo Coelho. First published in Portuguese in 1988, the novel follows Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd who travels toward the Egyptian pyramids after dreaming of buried treasure.

Coelho drew on themes of destiny, spiritual searching, and the pursuit of a “Personal Legend.” The book was initially released by a small Brazilian publisher in a modest print run, but later became an international bestseller after Coelho’s subsequent novel *Brida* attracted wider attention.

Readers sometimes mistake the title for a historical account of alchemy or associate it with a Spanish author because much of the story takes place outside Brazil. Coelho, however, is Brazilian, and the original novel was written in Portuguese. His other notable works include *The Pilgrimage*, *Brida*, and *Veronika Decides to Die*.