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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
I will politely refrain from abruptly bashing one of the best selling books of our times that has never been out of print since the 20s and has been translated in 50 languages and whatnot. I couldn't claim to get all its nuances and maybe I'll come back to it years from now with fresh eyes. Who knows?
I respect its dignified common sense take of every day life, as well as higher spiritual wisdom. I truly do. But I will use a term I read in one of this book's more... I'd say inquisitive reviews: lukewarm.
I respect its dignified common sense take of every day life, as well as higher spiritual wisdom. I truly do. But I will use a term I read in one of this book's more... I'd say inquisitive reviews: lukewarm.
I read The Prophet during my junior year of high school. Now that I'm older, I have found that I can appreciate the beauty of Gibran's writing and the lessons contained therein.
Such an amazing and eye opening book. Loved it. Probably the only book with poetic prose that I have enjoyed and understood. Will explore more of Gibran in the days to come.
Wasn’t good. Wasn’t bad. It just was. One of my best friends gave me this book upon his retirement from teaching. It was/is an extremely important book to him.
With that being the case, I felt compelled to read it. It did not connect/resonate with me. I understand why deep thinkers like this book, but it may also get such high reviews because people feel they need to give it high reviews to seem smarter than they may be.
With that being the case, I felt compelled to read it. It did not connect/resonate with me. I understand why deep thinkers like this book, but it may also get such high reviews because people feel they need to give it high reviews to seem smarter than they may be.
I try to read this once a year - and have since high school. Not sure what it is that draws me to it, but I get a different meaning each time I revisit. Quick read but very impactful.
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
This is book 15 in my 50 book reading challenge and the first I have totally hated!! The Prophet has been continually in print since 1923 and that is quite a feat for any book, so I thought there must be something that makes it so perennially popular I have to try this book...
I am the first to admit I am not a spiritual person - religion, horoscopes, numerology, spiritualism, fuzzy thinking, ghosts, afterlife, anything promoted by Dr Oz: it all goes into the same bullshit box for me. Maybe if I were inclined toward this kind of thing it wouldn't have been such a chore, but as things are I had to force myself to finish (I had assumed it would be a quick read as there is less than 100 pages of actual text. It took me 6 days to force my way through!).
I can see why it may appeal to some; like all good spiritual texts The Prophet is so open to interpretation that pretty much anyone will be able to find somethings they a) agree with; and b) don't understand and feel that if they think about it long enough meaning will come to them (why does it not occur to people that when B) happens maybe it’s just a sign the author was just full of shit??!)
Like all good religious texts there are parts that directly contradict other parts and some bits that have not aged well. If you, like me, love logic, reason, and like more of an explanation to this life than "god did it" or “do x because god will love you” then don't waste your time. If you like beating your head against opaque text and the musings of an average writer who is clearly seeped in the sociocultural bounds of his time and religion then go for your life...
Don't say I didn't warn you.
I am the first to admit I am not a spiritual person - religion, horoscopes, numerology, spiritualism, fuzzy thinking, ghosts, afterlife, anything promoted by Dr Oz: it all goes into the same bullshit box for me. Maybe if I were inclined toward this kind of thing it wouldn't have been such a chore, but as things are I had to force myself to finish (I had assumed it would be a quick read as there is less than 100 pages of actual text. It took me 6 days to force my way through!).
I can see why it may appeal to some; like all good spiritual texts The Prophet is so open to interpretation that pretty much anyone will be able to find somethings they a) agree with; and b) don't understand and feel that if they think about it long enough meaning will come to them (why does it not occur to people that when B) happens maybe it’s just a sign the author was just full of shit??!)
Like all good religious texts there are parts that directly contradict other parts and some bits that have not aged well. If you, like me, love logic, reason, and like more of an explanation to this life than "god did it" or “do x because god will love you” then don't waste your time. If you like beating your head against opaque text and the musings of an average writer who is clearly seeped in the sociocultural bounds of his time and religion then go for your life...
Don't say I didn't warn you.
Me encantó. Excelente, ameno, sencillo, con metáforas acertadas y con mensajes perfectos para ser más mejores personas, todos deberían leer este libro.
4.75✩
There are only a handful of novels that leave an imprint on our souls just as The Prophet does.
This book is a collection of reflections, thoughts and metaphors. It is a timeless piece that brings at the same time knowledge and introspection to one’s beliefs, concerns, values or question about history, humanity, love, pain, joy, relationships and many more.
Ethereal, The Prophet offers wisdom written in the most poetic yet simple fables that invites readers to ponder about life and reassess their priorities. It is a book that will be close to you and that will accompany you in all stages of your life.
There are only a handful of novels that leave an imprint on our souls just as The Prophet does.
This book is a collection of reflections, thoughts and metaphors. It is a timeless piece that brings at the same time knowledge and introspection to one’s beliefs, concerns, values or question about history, humanity, love, pain, joy, relationships and many more.
Ethereal, The Prophet offers wisdom written in the most poetic yet simple fables that invites readers to ponder about life and reassess their priorities. It is a book that will be close to you and that will accompany you in all stages of your life.
I love Gibran's poetry, it is absolutely beautiful.
There was a while that I was carrying this book around with me so that I can pull out a relevant poem to read or share with other people (when appropriate!) if a particular topic came up that felt connective to a particular poem.
All of the poems in this book are connected to a prophet who's conversations with God when deserted through a shipwreck has given them insight on many parts of life. I am not necessarily a religious person, but I think that this book contains wisdom that is accessible whether or not you believe in divinity since the God language is simply the way that Gibran expresses a larger and deeper truth/wisdom that doesn't necessitate a particular theology or lack-there-of.
My personal favourite poem is "on work" which is a beautiful articulation of what work, and more specifically what meaningful work is. I take this poem as a discussion on the need for many humans to create, and do something meaningful in life that they can put their hearts and souls into, and not as a discussion about how meaningful jobs under capitalist systems are LOL. Gibran even says (paraphrasing here) "those who cannot work with love should sit at the temple gates and take alms from those who do" which I take to mean that it is not worth working for those who aren't able to engage in meaningful love-filled work for whatever reason. As an artist, this poem to me can substitute the word "work" with "art" and mean essentially the same thing, using "art" in a broad sense to mean any sort of creative and meaningful expression made tangible into the world through some sort of action.
This book will always be a cherished collection that I return to.
There was a while that I was carrying this book around with me so that I can pull out a relevant poem to read or share with other people (when appropriate!) if a particular topic came up that felt connective to a particular poem.
All of the poems in this book are connected to a prophet who's conversations with God when deserted through a shipwreck has given them insight on many parts of life. I am not necessarily a religious person, but I think that this book contains wisdom that is accessible whether or not you believe in divinity since the God language is simply the way that Gibran expresses a larger and deeper truth/wisdom that doesn't necessitate a particular theology or lack-there-of.
My personal favourite poem is "on work" which is a beautiful articulation of what work, and more specifically what meaningful work is. I take this poem as a discussion on the need for many humans to create, and do something meaningful in life that they can put their hearts and souls into, and not as a discussion about how meaningful jobs under capitalist systems are LOL. Gibran even says (paraphrasing here) "those who cannot work with love should sit at the temple gates and take alms from those who do" which I take to mean that it is not worth working for those who aren't able to engage in meaningful love-filled work for whatever reason. As an artist, this poem to me can substitute the word "work" with "art" and mean essentially the same thing, using "art" in a broad sense to mean any sort of creative and meaningful expression made tangible into the world through some sort of action.
This book will always be a cherished collection that I return to.