In Search of a Prophet

July 31, 2017
Chandler blends memoir and biography in this introductory exploration of poet Kahlil Gibran’s influences, writings, and impact. He traces Gibran’s life from his birth in Lebanon in 1883 and his immigration to the United States in 1895 to his return to the Middle East in 1899 and his encounters with leading artistic figures in Europe before his death in 1931. Each chapter centers on a key work of Gibran’s, with ample excerpts to get a sense of his style and messages. This orderly chronology will help readers fill in details and get a better sense of what events shaped Gibran’s work, including personal losses, World War I, and the dislocation of being an immigrant. Those unfamiliar with the poet’s work will gain solid insights into how and why Gibran sought out universal reconciliation of the religious impulses stemming from his Maronite Catholic upbringing, his Arab identity, and his Western education. Chandler includes anecdotes from his own travels, including (but not exclusively) to sites related to Gibran’s life. These asides muddle more than illuminate his key points, often having very loose connections to the central narrative. Though this is not an entirely successful mash-up, it provides a solid introduction to Gibran and his complex work.

August 1, 2017

Episcopal priest Chandler (Pilgrims of Christ on the Muslim Road) concedes that there are many fine biographies of Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931), the early 20th-century artist and writer best known for The Prophet. Instead, Chandler invites readers to follow Gibran's spiritual journey, of which Prophet is but one vista. The narrative is also a record of Chandler's own pilgrimage. With each stop, Chandler reveals how Gibran's intense embrace of all that was around him mirrored a direct spiritual encounter that underlies the edifice of religion. Chandler enriches the narrative with quotes from Gibran's works and letters, descriptions of his artwork, reflections from people who knew him and those for whom his works are still transformative. Gibran was bound and embraced by many worlds: East and West, Muslim and Christian, pastoral and urban, ancient and modern; intoxicated with the teachings of Jesus, but not the church. VERDICT Chandler succeeds in providing a portrait of a hard-won spirituality that transcended religion even while embracing it.--JW

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