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A very short book, only 133 pages published in 1926. To be honest I have no idea why I downloaded this. I have a vague memory of listening to a radio programme on the author some time ago, which I found interesting, so it must have been that! Gibran is described in Wikipedia as, 'the third best selling poet of all time, behind Shakespeare and Laozi.'
The book is written in bible-esque so if you are not a fan of that or indeed of religion it may not be a book for you. On the other hand and bearing in mind this was published in 1926 almost every passage can be related to every single one of us and our lives today.
There are no chapter numbers in this short volume but they are defined by the questions asked of 'The Prophet' by the assembled town folk as he prepares to leave them, returning to his 'home'.
Marriage
Children
Giving
Eating and Drinking
Work
Joy and Sorrow
Crime and Punishment
Freedom
Reason and Passion
Pain
Teaching
Friendship
Good and Evil
Prayer
Pleasure
Religion
Death
So many of the words written by Gibran over 80 years ago, must surely, if you are tempted to purchase this book, resonate with something in your life today and his simple but reasoning outlook will remind you to step back and reflect on how you look at life and maybe think that there is something that you can do to change, for the better, on how you interact with others and with yourself!
I'm not saying that I have had a religious or moral epiphany while reading this book, I personally still have no idea whether I am an atheist, agnostic or just a plane old fence sitter waiting for something different or better to come along, if that is indeed possible. I did write somewhere in regard to the Bible, and I suppose in the same tone the Koran would be included, that I look upon the former as a good novel and if only more people would read it (them) without the religious zealotry and bigotry surrounding it (them), the world would probably be a far better place for all humankind, but that aint gonna happen. But that should not take away from the fact that there are important life lessons in these works that are as relevant today as they were when they were written, as Mr Gibran's words, I believe, fall firmly within that description.
Enjoy.....
Editing for Kindle: 4 out 5
Reading Enjoyment: 5 out of 5
Plot:
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5
Chapters:
Page length: 133
Plot:
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5
Chapters:
Page length: 133
His work is pretty amazing. He and Hermann Hesse - my two bibles. And Martin Buber - I and Thou. Another short book.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed, Tom. Getting all spiritual on me, are you?
Nah, still on the fence, but it is a "good read" and still relevant event to the non spiritual ......
ReplyDeleteAh, THE PROPHET. Enjoy it in small bites, not full meals.
ReplyDeleteSome of the chapters felt lukewarm, but others were fire hot and burning with truth. But then I was an English major and a literature teacher. Some of the students who loved THE PROPHET most were those who had never felt the love or the friendship he described. One very sad and troubled student took his own life several years later, and in his pocket he asked that the chapters on children, death and prayer--in that order--be read at his memorial.
Well, I didn't get bored with it Marylin, so I just read it through in two sittings. Sad when any one takes their own life but comforting I suppose that he took solace from some of the words, which probably meant that he was sending a message that he wished his childhood had had a bit more love and joy in it!
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