Kahlil Gibran's Little Book of Love

by Neil Douglas-Klotz

Kahlil Gibran’s aphorisms, stories and poetry on themes like love in all its myriad forms, and relationships in all its hues, remain among the best loved by readers. Gibran’s views, however, extend beyond the most-quoted ‘greeting card’ sayings, to encompass a wide realm of human emotions and relationships—passion, desire, idealized love, justice, friendship, and the challenges of dealing with strangers, neighbors, and enemies. This book captures love and life in all their complexities and nuances. This beautiful volume includes over 90 selections from Gibran’s writings, and is informative, illuminating and inspirational, and makes for an ideal gift for all occasions.

220 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 3, 2019

About the author

Neil Douglas-Klotz, Ph.D. is a renowned writer in the fields of Middle Eastern spirituality and the translation and interpretation of the ancient Semitic languages of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic. Living in Scotland, he was for many years co-chair of the Mysticism Group of the American Academy of Religion. A frequent speaker and workshop leader, he is the author of several books. His books on the Aramaic spirituality of Jesus include Revelations of the Aramaic Jesus, Prayers of the Cosmos, The Hidden Gospel, Original Meditation, and Blessings of the Cosmos. His books on a comparative view of Native Middle Eastern spirituality include Desert Wisdom: A Nomad’s Guide to Life’s Big Questions and The Tent of Abraham (with Rabbi Arthur Waskow and Sr. Joan Chittister). His books on Sufi spirituality include The Sufi Book of Life: 99 Pathways of the Heart for the Modern Dervish and A Little Book of Sufi Stories. His biographical collections of the works of his Sufi teachers include Sufi Vision and Initiation (Samuel L. Lewis) and Illuminating the Shadow (Moineddin Jablonski). He has also written a mystery novel set in the first century C.E. Holy Land entitled A Murder at Armageddon.
In addition, he recently edited five “Little Books” published by Hampton Roads, four devoted to a new selection of the work of Lebanese American writer, poet, and mystic Kahlil Gibran, and one dedicated to Wild Wisdom, a collection early ecological writers and mystics.

Reviews

[Abirami Sridhar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book for a simple read even though I knew how deep Gibran's words will cut you. And it was not a simple read at all.

It talks about the nuances of love in all the perspectives of life. Gibran has romanticised love in his words.

To love and be loved is the essence of human kind. In Gibran's words, "To be loved is to be seen". And this books brings out all sort of emotional connection we have in our life and make us reflect on it. This book makes us question what love is and how you, I and the world looks at love in different eyes. Yet it gives us hope and answers to the same. I paused and wondered, and reflected on so many levels where I could connect myself through his words.

Gibran has given words to many of our feelings on love that we couldn't express because we couldn't or didn't know how to. I felt the pain, and the hope, and the happiness and the drain, all the same as he took my hands with his words and showed me.

This book has it all. Small poems, anecdotes, paragraphs and short convos. I loved this collection of Gibran's work but to me it was scattered. It went from high to low in the turn of a page. It also requires a reader to have some knowledge about Christianity as Gibran shares his thoughts through 'Jesus'.

It's wonderful compilation with deep rooted meaning in each page. Whatever stage you are in right now in your life, in terms of love and longing, this book will mirror you as you are.