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The Book of Alchemy

The Book of Alchemy

A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life

Summary

A guide to the art of journaling – and a meditation on the central questions of life – by the bestselling author of Between Two Kingdoms

For as long as she can remember, Suleika Jaouad has kept a journal. She has used it to mark life's biggest occasions and to ride its roughest waves. It has buoyed her through illness, through heartbreak, and the deepest oceans of uncertainty. And Suleika is not alone. For so many people, journaling is a process of discovery, sometimes vulnerable and terrifying, always transformative.

The Book of Alchemy is based on the premise that journaling is an essential tool for navigating the challenges of modern life. We live in a world where we’re not only forced to grapple with personal peaks and valleys but also global upheavals far beyond our control—political, social, economic, technological, environmental. More than ever, we need a space for puzzling through.

Designed to be a companion through challenging times, The Book of Alchemy will explore the art of journaling, offering encouragement, direction, and support to those looking for a way to navigate the in-between. It is designed to expand that space, giving readers tools to engage with discomfort, to ask questions, to peel back the layers, to uncover their truest self – and in doing so, to find clarity and calm, to hold the astonishingly beautiful and the often unbearable facts of life in the same palm.

"Not only beautiful but exceedingly helpful. I recommend it to every dreamer, with the highest respect and joy." Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love

Reviews

  • Beyond her brilliance as a writer, Suleika Jaouad's greatest offering to the world is her brilliance of generosity, her curiosity, her seeking heart and mind. The Book of Alchemy is an extension and expansion of these gifts, carefully curated and thoughtfully presented, it doesn't offer just one single answer, or one north star, but an entire galaxy. A path, with many paths springing forth from it, for anyone who wants to write, or chase an idea, or descend into their work with a newfound exuberance. This book is a gift.
    Hanif Abdurraqib, author of There’s Always This Year

About the author

Suleika Jaouad

Suleika Jaouad is an Emmy Award-winning writer, speaker, and the New York Times 'Life Interrupted' columnist. Her essays and reported features have appeared in The New York Times Magazine and Vogue. She is also the creator of The Isolation Journals, a global movement cultivating creativity during challenging times. Between Two Kingdoms is her first book.
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