Prophet: The Life and Times of Kahlil Gibran

by Robin Waterfield

This respectful but frank biography of the author of The Prophet reveals Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931) as a deeply conflicted man. Robin Waterfield, an English translator of ancient Greek philosophical texts, believes that Gibran never felt entirely at ease in America (to which he immigrated from Lebanon in 1895) or in his native culture. His influential Arabic poetry infused a rigidly classical literature with Western-style romanticism and colloquialism. And his English-language books like The Prophet (which has sold millions since its initial publication in 1923), with their emphasis on the individual's quest for enlightenment and inner peace outside of the constraints of organized religious institutions, helped to create New Age spirituality. Yet Gibran was an alcoholic, frequently unhappy in his relationships with women, and in Waterfield's judgment became so enmeshed in his role as poet-prophet that he "could not endure the reality of being a human being." Somewhat pedantically written and argued, this useful work sifts fact from fiction to illuminate Gibran's links with early 20th-century bohemians in Boston and Greenwich Village, his political and literary affiliations with fellow Arab immigrants, and his impact on the culture of his time and our own. --Wendy Smith

Genres: Biography, Literature, Poetry, History

288 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1998

About the author

Robin Anthony Herschel Waterfield (born 1952) is a British classical scholar, translator, editor, and writer of children's fiction. Waterfield was born in 1952, and studied Classics at Manchester University, where he achieved a first class degree in 1974. He went on to research ancient Greek philosophy at King's College, Cambridge until 1978, after which he became a lecturer at Newcastle University and then St Andrews University. He later became a copy-editor and later a commissioning editor for Penguin Books. He is now a self-employed writer, living in southern Greece, where he has Greek citizenship.

Reviews

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I confess to not being a fan of Kahlil Gibran. As a middle school student I found a dusty copy of The Prophet on my parent’s bookshelf and thought it the silliest book I had ever read (at the advanced age of 13) despite not being an expert in literature. It seemed that the Prophet of Lebanon was trying too hard to seem mystical and wise – long before I had words for such things.

The Prophet felt like a charlatan trying to sound like a biblical sage. Each verse lacked the eloquence of King James English or the stilted English of the Al-Quran translation that my school library had available. Later on my first College English teacher would refer to Gibran’s most famous work as a fine example of Gibran gibberish. That stuck with me and I haven’t been able to give his work a fair shake since.

It was with the intention of being more judicious with the man and his work that I picked up Robin Waterfield’s biography, Prophet: The Life and Times of Kahlil Gibran. I was warned ahead of time that Waterfield was a Gibran enthusiast who has made something of a career translating and studying his work. However, the biography was quite frank and honest about the man himself; a man who was something of an old school cad in his pursuit of the affections of women and his pursuit of money and patronage. Liesl Schillinger, The National Post and The New Yorker, labels Waterfield’s biographical exercise briefly as “pathology” in comparing to other notable Gibran biographies. This is truth to the point. Kahlil Gibran was remarkably gifted at self promotion and the way his devotees perceive him may often be as the result of this skill set rather than any he possessed as a poet or mystic. This Man from Lebanon was a sly and slick salesman.

I’ve come to see Kahlil Gibran as the forerunner of the modern New Age Guru who had the ability to weave pleasant sounding words together that imitates an aesthetic or mystic ambience, but is devoid of real substance one you contemplate what is beneath the surface. Gibran, as a poet, possessed neither the ecstatic eloquence of Rumi nor the bawdy barroom wit of Hafiz. Whether he truly understood the Sufi traditions he played with is hard to tell, but he remained a Maronite Catholic of dubious character which is on evidence in his treatment of Mary Haskell.

Robin Waterfield’s book is a worthy read to all who are interested in Kahlil Griban’s life and work regardless of their position on either. It’s good that readers can have an honest look at a character that is often remembered for being the seer he pretended to be rather than the man he really was.

[Haya Naji · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a coincidence that I’m reading the biography of Gibran before reading any of his books. Despite this is an objective investigation for his life, it's still obvious that he was a narcissist, selfish, liar, and his attitudes and behaviour contradict with the morals he writes about. How can someone with this awful personality relate himself to a prophet or Jesus character!!!

[Laurie Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enlightening. (Isn't that ironic?) First half is sluggish re: his personal relationships, but the 'life and times' aspect was interesting re: the Arabic community in the U.S. turn of the 20th century. And the rise of the "prophet/poet/philosopher" image and cult status is interesting to a poet.

[نهلة · Rating 1 out of 5]

نجمة واحدة للصور فقط، كتاب سيء.

[David A-S · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gibran spiritual philosophy in the Prophet and insight in Jesus, Son of Man, always intrigued me. This novel places the man in his context as a Syrian, as an immigrant, as an artist, and a human. What comes through is a truly talented thinker, a vulnerable and ambitious human being, and many unsung supporters.

[Chicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE this guy. Though his words are deep, symbolic, it flows nicely and captures the essence of much of what I feel about many different aspects of life that he speaks of.