Ratings7
Average rating4.6
the great Lebanese-American poet and artist Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931) first became known to Americans in 1918 with the publication of The Madman.Thought-provoking and inspiring, the book is a collection of memorable, life-affirming parables and poems, many of them casting an ironic light on the beliefs, aspirations, and vanities of humankind - and many reminiscent of the work of Tagore and Nietzsche, both of whom were strong influences on Gibran.
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I've read all of Kahlil Gibran's writing and this is by far (in my opinion) his best. Kahlil intones that there are 7 masks that we wear. Our out garment that we show the world. But the true self, the self without the masks is the madman. We are all madmen. This is a quick but deep read and well worth your time and attention.
In my college days, Kahlil Gibran was one of my favorites, but that was back when I also adored Paulo Coelho and Ayn Rand. Now that I am a slightly more discerning and far more cynical reader, I was expecting to be underwhelmed when I re-read Gibran. But no; the dreamy and irreverent verses are as delightful as I remembered them to be.