This Man from Lebanon

by Barbara Young

Records the personal history of the Lebanese poet and painter, vividly recreating his personality and philosophy

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Poetry

188 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1945

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Reviews

[Miroku Nemeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was raised around Gibran's books, and they have, I think, left a deep imprint on my consciousness. I have been rereading and exploring his works over the last few months, so I felt that reading a biography would be beneficial. This biography was written by a friend/student of Gibran's, who compiled "Sand and Foam" and was close to the poet for the last seven years of his life. There are interesting insights because of that, but the text becomes a hagiography of sorts at times, and one wishes upon reading it that it was not just an endless tract of praise of the man--the book itself honestly seems a bit anachronistic as far as "biographies" go, though Young does warn that she is not trying to write a chronological biography (and she doesn't). Still, Gibran's work is beautiful and many of the details provided are insightful--and the best moments in the book do come from reading the poet's words themselves.

[Martin Kollouch · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you grab this book in order to read Gibran's biography, you'll probably end up little bit disappointed. This book is panegyric of Gibran. It is written by someone who was very close to him, who loved him with the whole heart (probably not in romantic meaning of love, but who knows...). If you are fan of Gibran's work and him in general, this book is "must read" because you'll find here many unique information. I enjoyed reading because for several years, Gibran is part of my life and reading this was like talking with someone about person who you adore. Of course, from my perspective, it would be great to hear some critical opinion on him too. But this study is great inside look to our beloved authors' life.

[Tamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is great and well put together novel about one of the greatest philosophers and poets to ever walk this earth. Barbara Young does an excellent job describing and giving you a vivid picture of the great prophet, Kahlil Gibran. A novel that describes the way Kahlil seen the world. Barbara Young was the closest friend Kahlil Gibran had. Seeing him at his most highs and lows, where no other person has seen him. She defines his true meaning and everything he stood for. This book is more of an understanding of Kahlil than a bio. Recommended for anyone looking to learn more about Kahlil or if planning on reading more of his work. Start with this book.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is hagiography, not biography. If you’re a Gibran fan, the anecdotes will probably be interesting to you despite the author’s more indulgent passages (it was written by a 1920s poet based in New York City, so that just comes with the territory, I suppose).

[Qais Faqiri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully presented.

[Phan · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A recommendation is to read this book before The Prophet or any other writings by Kahlil Gibran since it tells about why the man wrote, how he wrote and his inspiration for writing.

[Charbel رحمة · Rating 5 out of 5]

I looked a lot to find this historical book, but couldn’t. And when by chance I found in an old friend’s library, I immediately started reading the book and claimed it mine (lol). I was overjoyed when reading about Gibran, while contemplating the mountains of Bsharri where he lived at a young age. This book is a must for Gibran’s lovers. This book shows the beautiful human inside Gibran’s heart. Thanks Barabara Young.

[Dayva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing account of the life of Gibran from a student who knew and loved him.