The Alchemist

I read The Alchemist written by Paulo Coelho.
This is a story of a young shepherd who pursues his treasure.
One time a shepherd had an impressive dream of the pyramid, and a mysterious old man he encountered informed him that visiting Egypt and finding his treasure at there is his personal legend. And then, he started his journey to the pyramid.

This is not the kind of fantasy like slay a dragon or save the world, but rather familiar one to us.
I think the theme of this story is to accomplish one's dream. And in this story, the dream is expressed as personal legend.
Everyone has own personal legend in each heart, but few people try to realize them, a character said.  But once decide to realize it, every omen helps one who pursues one's personal legend, and every legend comes true, if one tries to, another character said.
This is a fantasy story, but I felt that the shepherd is one of us who keeps trying for one's dream.
The original version is written in Portuguese, but this novel is translated in many languages and read around the world. I think the reason is that this story reminds modern people to pursue what really want to do.

Girl with a Pearl Earring

I finished reading girl with a pearl earring written by Tracy Chevalier, which I chose as a summer reading.

This is a story about how Johannes Vermeer came to drew the painting of girl with a pearl earring.
This novel takes style of first-person narrative of Griet, the model of the painting.
The setting is 17th century Delft, Nederland. Sixteen-year-old Griet starts working at Vermeer's house as a maid for help her family, and become fascinated by his paintings and himself...

While reading this novel, I attracted by unique characters; Griet, another maid she works with, Vermeer, his wife, his mother-in-law, his children, a butcher's son, and Griet's own parents and siblings.
The basis of this story is romance between Griet and Vermeer, but circumstance around them and other characters make it more vivid.
And I think Chevalier's close historical research also gave reality to it. The values and customs are described well, and I could feel the atmosphere of that time.

But most of all, I admire Chevalier's great imagination. Though I'm not used to reading books in English, I could enjoy this book.
There is also a movie that based on this book, so I wanted to see it too.
Although I finished assignment already, I have plenty of time yet, so I want to read more English book during the summer vacation.