My favorite book of all time has got to be "The Alchemist" by Paulo Cohelo. I first read it when I was in college, not really knowing what I wanted to do with my life. It is the story of a Sheppard who dreams of a treasure in the Pyramids of Gizeh, and decides to embark on a huge adventure in which he meets amazing people, including The Alchemist, who all teach him valuable life lessons, like the idea that when you genuinely want something, you can almost always get it.. It is a book about finding what your personal journey is, but ultimately realizing that the goal is nowhere as important as the journey to get there.
It is my favorite book of all time because it opened me up to the sea of possibilities I had in front of me when it comes to my life. I realized I wanted a life filled with adventure, and oh boy did I have plenty of these in the past 2 years! This book is part of the reason I started traveling, I went from South America to the jungles of Africa. Truly, the lesson of that book of appreciating the journey as it happens was applied each and every day of these trips, and I am so grateful for it! I literally went from someone somewhat depressed to someone who was looking forward to life, forward to adventures and simply forward...
Another factor to consider when it comes to the appreciation of the book was the set and setting upon reading it. I was actually reading it alone on a sandy beach of the east coast in theUnited States, with the sea right in front of me, lulled by the calming nature of the water, the wind and the sand. Perfect moment to ponder on my life, on my goals, on my passions, etc. Just writing this brings tears to my eyes as I was able to literally change my life for the better after I read that book.
This book is a rite of passage and should be read by anyone who travels :) Great entry.