Personally, this is such an important book to me that I find it difficult to easily describe it in any down-to-earth terms. It's full of timeless wisdom, beautiful illustrations reminiscent of Blake and clear, simple writing on the human condition.

About 15 years ago, The Prophet was given to me as a present by a friend and it has since become one of my most treasured reads, helping me through many difficult life situations. It is, of course, most enlightening when read as a whole, but also (usefully) it's structure serves to make it a good, quick look-up source of wisdom too.

I was, therefore, delighted to find another (cheap!) copy at a recent jumble-sale in York and leapt at the chance to purchase it for release into the wonderful, serendipitous world of bookcrossing...

Blessings be upon it on it's travels...

RELEASE NOTES:

Picked up at the August bookcrossing meet. Will journal later when I've read it.

Kahlil Gibran's philosophy seems essentially to boil down to 'Be excellent to each other, and yourself'. Nothing particularly new there, but it is beautifully written; a couple of his sentences absolutely stopped me in my tracks. Great illustrations as well. I wouldn't call it a life-changing book for me, but it's rather better than, say, Paulo Coehlo's half-baked New Age meanderings.

RELEASE NOTES:

As this book is special to the original BXer, I though I'd release it at the monthly meet rather than wild releasing, to give it a better chance.

Picked this up at the York bookcrossing meet last night. Will read it over the holidays and journal properly later.

I've 'borrowed' this from Tree-hugger's TBR pile in a fit of nostalgia.
According to Simon and Garfunkel: The words of the Prophet are written on the subway walls - Sound of Silence (probably late 60s).
We went to at least two weddings in the early 70s when his thoughts on Marriage were read during the service.
I think I gave away my own copy in the mid-80s as part of a massive shelf-clearing exercise.
It'll be interesting to look through it again after all this time.

This is the same edition as I had 30 years ago - beautifully written and illustrated.
I think it must be a younger persons book as I found nothing new in it for me, probably because I really have read it all before!
Thanks for the loan. I'm returning it to Tree-hugger - with my apologies for getting cynical in my old age ...

I read this today on a long train journey along the coast - I like the enforced inactivity of travelling, and the way it gives you time to think. Reading this book in that way was a beautiful experience. As Moondark said, the ideas themsleves are not particularly life changing or new, but I very much enjoyed sitting still and contemplating them for a while. I'd recommend it to anyone.

I'll take it back to the York Meetup tomorrow night.

Caught as a leftover from the York Meet last night - will find it a new reader soon.

RELEASE NOTES:

Off to the Meet to find a new reader. :)

now reading

Pretty good. Liked his philosophy whilst reading like poetry. Had some nice little take away phrases. Particularly liked his section on talkig and silence.

I picked this up at the Leeds May meetup. I haven't read it yet but will journal it when I do.

Jimi.