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_sabir_alii's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
5.0
massy_masroor's review against another edition
5.0
I knew very little about Rumi’s life till I finished this book, except reading many of his poems from various sources. I have a book on Rumi’s poetry by Coleman Barks, which I refer to quite frequently. I believe that 'to understand poetry, one should understand the poet first'. Without understanding the inspiration behind the words, one gets deprived from its true essence.
The Book by Brad Gooch has come as a blessing for me at this time, when I really wanted to learn about Rumi in more detail. I knew little about the role and influence of shams of Tabrizi on life of Rumi, till I read Elif Shafak's The Forty rules of love. One cannot understand Rumi without knowing shams. He was the one, who broke the heart of Rumi into pieces, which then turned into something which we all admire today through his poetry and his words.
While reading Brad Gooch's book one should be cautious about the fact that it is not a book of Rumi's poetry, rather an introduction to Rumi’s life. The book starts from early childhood, which was shaped under the influence of his father, who travelled across cities in middle east, before settling down in Konya (Turkey) at last. Later, it accounts the details of Rumi's transformation from a religious leader into a Poet under the influence of Shams and compilation of his work in the form of a book named Masnavi.
The writer has translated the idea that 'Sufi’s have no religion of their own than the religion of love' beautifully throughout the book. I was a little disappointed by absence of details of sham’s life, though it was compensated up to an extent by stories of Shams narrated in context of Rumi's life, which writer has emphasized upon.
This book is highly recommended for those who want to understand the context and events which turned Rumi into a poet and the essence behind his words. Read it if you want to know the real Rumi, the person, before he became well known as a Poet.
The Book by Brad Gooch has come as a blessing for me at this time, when I really wanted to learn about Rumi in more detail. I knew little about the role and influence of shams of Tabrizi on life of Rumi, till I read Elif Shafak's The Forty rules of love. One cannot understand Rumi without knowing shams. He was the one, who broke the heart of Rumi into pieces, which then turned into something which we all admire today through his poetry and his words.
While reading Brad Gooch's book one should be cautious about the fact that it is not a book of Rumi's poetry, rather an introduction to Rumi’s life. The book starts from early childhood, which was shaped under the influence of his father, who travelled across cities in middle east, before settling down in Konya (Turkey) at last. Later, it accounts the details of Rumi's transformation from a religious leader into a Poet under the influence of Shams and compilation of his work in the form of a book named Masnavi.
The writer has translated the idea that 'Sufi’s have no religion of their own than the religion of love' beautifully throughout the book. I was a little disappointed by absence of details of sham’s life, though it was compensated up to an extent by stories of Shams narrated in context of Rumi's life, which writer has emphasized upon.
This book is highly recommended for those who want to understand the context and events which turned Rumi into a poet and the essence behind his words. Read it if you want to know the real Rumi, the person, before he became well known as a Poet.
shiradest's review against another edition
5.0
This is a wonderful wonderful book which deserves to be reread, and then read yet again, after learning Persian! But first I need to finish learning to read Turkish, and then go on to Arabic in order to properly appreciate the life of this great Sufi mystic, poet and teacher. I may just have to purchase the library's copy of this book or buy a new one and donate it to the library.
Wow.
Peace.
Wow.
Peace.
shiradest's review against another edition
5.0
This book is beautifully bookended by an almost similar illusion of a friendship like that Shems and Rumi in that of the lost Sebastian with the author. 15 years or more now since I've lived in Turkey, and I still long to find those of that Mevlana Hane that I was not allowed to enter, and community with that love for the divine, which is the love for the universal in all of us: the " better than we are " in all of us.
yasminmayat's review against another edition
3.0
I've always been fascinated by Rumi and a biographical account always gives the poetry new meaning. A bit difficult to get into but a good introduction on Rumi's life that will only make you want to reread his work.
xilajung's review against another edition
4.0
A great book to get to know Rumi and an understanding his life in his time.