The Alchemist by Paul Coehlo

I did not find this book particularly enjoyable. It might have been the translation, but I wasn't crazy about the style. Furthermore, I felt like the simple moral of the story was overdone and overwrought. Borges gets the same point across much more movingly in a short story. Also, I felt like the point of the story was a bit simple.

The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder

I found this parable very moving. At times Wilder sounded like García Márquez. This book ultimately rejects the attempt to create a greater pattern out of life and God's will, but instead shows the power of a life well-lived and well-loved.