The Prophet
by Kahlil Gibran
Alfred A. Knopf, 1977
Comments: My copy of The Prophet is not a significant edition by any collecting standard, it being the 99th printing of a book that was first published in 1923. But I've had it for over three decades, since I was in college, and it has much significance for me. I find it to be one of those rare, comforting works that can sooth the soul in times of tribulation. As a sort of moral touchstone it bears repeated reading, and I have done so many times. What makes it so powerful is that it gets to the nature of human spiritual quest without being constrained by religious denomination or dogma. Part of the appeal for many is that it reaffirms the value of a spiritual life, without any particular religious baggage.
The full text is not lengthy and can be read in one sitting, but the pensive nature of the story and the lyrical quality of the writing lend themselves to being consumed in smaller measures. That's how I most often approach it, and how I imagine others do as well. It's accompanied by several beautiful illustrations from the author's own hand, and though they are not strictly illustrative of events from the story, they add a wonderful ethereal quality to one's perception of it. I'm sure there are many fine editions of this book to be found, but this ordinary one has suited me for many years, as I hope it will do for many more.
Copy Notes: Hardback, 99th printing from 1977, illustrations
by Kahlil Gibran
Alfred A. Knopf, 1977
Comments: My copy of The Prophet is not a significant edition by any collecting standard, it being the 99th printing of a book that was first published in 1923. But I've had it for over three decades, since I was in college, and it has much significance for me. I find it to be one of those rare, comforting works that can sooth the soul in times of tribulation. As a sort of moral touchstone it bears repeated reading, and I have done so many times. What makes it so powerful is that it gets to the nature of human spiritual quest without being constrained by religious denomination or dogma. Part of the appeal for many is that it reaffirms the value of a spiritual life, without any particular religious baggage.
The full text is not lengthy and can be read in one sitting, but the pensive nature of the story and the lyrical quality of the writing lend themselves to being consumed in smaller measures. That's how I most often approach it, and how I imagine others do as well. It's accompanied by several beautiful illustrations from the author's own hand, and though they are not strictly illustrative of events from the story, they add a wonderful ethereal quality to one's perception of it. I'm sure there are many fine editions of this book to be found, but this ordinary one has suited me for many years, as I hope it will do for many more.
Copy Notes: Hardback, 99th printing from 1977, illustrations
