Philosophical Library would like to wish third best-selling author of all time, Khalil Gibran, a happy 133rd birthday! Born on January 6, 1883 in the Lebanese town of Bsharri, Khalil Gibran experienced a life of poverty in his early years and a lack of formal education; however, visits from priests provided teachings of the Bible and the Arabic language which undoubtedly would prove beneficial as he would later become a praised author for his abilities to write of his philosophies masterfully in both Arabic and English. After having lost the family home when his father was imprisoned for embezzlement, his family journeyed to the United States in 1895 and settled in a Syrian-Lebanese-American community in Boston, Massachusetts. Once Khalil began attending school, he studied art and was encouraged by avant-garde artist, photographer and publisher Fred Holland Day to pursue his creative talents. In 1898, Gibran’s drawings were selected to appear on book covers.
Though Gibran was experiencing success as a student in America, he returned to Lebanon to continue his studies and acquire more learnings of his heritage at a school for higher education. Khalil continued to broaden his literary knowledge as well as further develop his skills as an artist as he attended school in Paris, gaining a talent for drawing and watercolor.
Khalil Gibran is well known for his talent as an artist, poet and writer in both Arabic and English languages. His prose style of poetry and philosophies can be enjoyed through his book Tears and Laughter where he writes of his perspective of Eastern and Western philosophy and shares his yearnings for love and beauty through his artful poetic style. Other works by Gibran include Mirrors of the Soul – a collection of poems inspired by both his life in America and his childhood in Lebanon. To experience more of best-selling author Khalil Gibran’s other titles, click here.