"I know that the principles upon which I base my writings, are echoes of the spirit of the great majority of the people of the world..." (656)
-Kahlil Gibran in a letter to his cousin, Nakhli Gibran, in 1908. "The Treasured Writings of Kahlil Gibran", is a compilation of three other books of Gibran's treasury of writings, that each contained several books in one volume. They were: "A Treasury of Kahlil Gibran" (1947), "A Second Treasury of Kahlil Gibran" (1957), and "A Third Treasury of Kahlil Gibran" (1965). A total of ten books in all, this volume contains earlier books by Gibran such as, "Tears And Laughter", and more mature and widely acclaimed books such as, "The Broken Wings." In addition to the beautiful prose, verse, and imaginative stories, there is also biographical information and letters written by, and to Gibran. This is perhaps the most comprehensive book of Kahlil Gibran's writings, and one of the most informative about the man himself.
Philosopher, artist, and poet; these are some of the titles that are used to describe Kahlil Gibran. In order to fully describe this remarkable man, and this book, "The Treasured writings of Kahlil Gibran", one must reach beyond a mere title and use words such as passion, purity, and even divinity. To read this book is to realize this was a mortal man who sincerely understood the difficulties of being human, and yet often looked into the tender eyes of the divine, and shares his belief that he can see this light in the eyes of others.
"The riches of the spirit beautify the face of man and give birth to sympathy and respect. The spirit, in every being is made manifest in the eyes..." (488)
To absorb the depth of Gibran is to discover your own soul's longing for light and life, for beauty and joy. It is to hear the cries of your own heart's ecstasy as a friend, companion, and lover. With his writings, Gibran seems to gently take us by the hand, and listen with us, for our own whisper of echoing spirit.
~Brian Douthit
author of "Perfectly Said: when words become art"