Finished...?

I have finished the book, though I chose the pull-the-band-aid-off-slowly approach which really is more painful, and I can think of nothing more accurate to say than to reaffirm the pollyana-likeness of the book in question. Of course that's giving away nothing. It's pretty clear by about page 10. But the idea of the alchemist is pretty interesting - like a personal trainer for the soul - if completely unrealistic. (I personally think more pastors, counselors, and psychologists should just tell people to STOP.) I shall wait until more people finish, but I suspect that I will react to this book like Hunter S. Thompson might on a weeklong bender in Puerto Rico - sans gun of course.