WEEK 3: KAHLIL GIBRAN

The book that I have read more than any other publication, and the book that I have purchased more than any other publication is “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran. 

 I got my first copy in 1974 and have read it dozens of times since – every year at least two or three times. I have a copy of The Prophet in all of my spaces – this house, my cabin and Eden by the Sea in Newfoundland. Whenever I find one at a book sale, I pick it up to pass on to someone else. I also bought the audio, and find listening to wonderful voice who reads it, very soothing.

I made bookmarks with the quotes from The Prophet long before I started my card creations. In fact, I send his ‘On Work’ quote along with all my creations.

 Kahlil Gibran

 January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931 

 Gibran, born in Lebanon, immigrated to the USA as a young man where he studied art. He became known a literary and political rebel, and as being at the ‘heart of renaissance’ with his prose style poetry. 

Still a literary hero in Lebanon, Wikipedia states he is “chiefly known in the English speaking world for his 1923 book ‘The Prophet’ – an early example of inspirational fiction.”  It gained a resurgence of popularity in the "1960's counter-culture", which would be why I was able to find it in the early seventies.

Also quoted from Wikipedia is the fact that Gibran is the third best-selling poet of all time, behind William Shakepeare and Lao Tzu.