The Stacks

Ep. 430 The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho — The Stacks Book Club (Mary H. K. Choi)

June 24, 2026·1h 1m
Episode Description from the Publisher

Today is The Stacks Book Club Day, and we’re joined by bestselling author Mary H.K. Choi (Pool House) to discuss our June pick, The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. This allegorical novel follows Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy whose quest from Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of buried treasure transforms into a life-changing journey of self-discovery. We discuss the book’s legacy, how it relates to the cultural phenomena of “girl boss” and “the manosphere,” and which parts we loved and hated.There are spoilers in this episode.Make sure you listen to the end of the episode to find out our July book club pick!Connect with Mary: Instagram | Threads | Substack | WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | YoutubeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Podzilla Summary coming soon

Sign up to get notified when the full AI-powered summary is ready.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.

Listen to This Episode

Get summaries like this every morning.

Free AI-powered recaps of The Stacks and your other favorite podcasts, delivered to your inbox.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.