The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran (Book Review: 4.5*/5) !!!

  

34^th Book of 2024

It’s very rare when people gift me book or even exchange books for that matter. I have mostly been dependent on my own when it comes to books. Incidentally, someone gifted me a book when I met them on this Christmas and I ended up even finishing it today as soon as weekend began. The book is none other than the popular Kahlil Gibran’s most popular book called “The Prophet”. The book was originally written in Arabic which has been translated into many languages. Obviously, I read the one in English.

 

The book is a very short read which you can easily complete within an hour or two. More than its quantity, what matters is the quality it reflects. This is not just a one-time read but something you can read every now and then. Every time, you will find something new which you must have missed in your previous reads. Similarly, you’ll find new meanings to the same text with each read. Such is the philosophical outlook of this man, Kahlil Gibran!

 

The book seems like a blend of spirituality, philosophy, poetry, prose, wisdom etc. Though a prophet talks with the people of Orphalese in this book, I felt as if a soul talks in a similar fashion with our mind when we get enlightened or reach the Kundalini stage which all of us aspire for. There are few sentences which aren’t distinct as many authors or poets have spoken the same facts of life in different words but there are few of them which Kahlil has said a century ago but is yet so defining and transformative.

 

All the chapters are short but covers the philosophical and spiritual aspects on the topics such as love, marriage, children, giving, joy/sorrow, buying/selling, reason/passion, pain, reaching, friendship, talking, time, prayer, beauty, religion, death etc. I wish if I could read a detailed explanation to all of these which would help us explore more of Kahlil’s insights towards these social and internal issues.

 

This book is definitely difficult to understand in few sections but wherever it engages you, it teaches you something you didn’t know before. Even though it has been written a century ago, the ideology is very profound and modern which can be applied even in modern times. This is what makes this book special for being relevant even after the changes a human psyche has gone through.

 

Overall, I give this book 4.5* out of 5.

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Thanks!

 

WRITING BUDDHA