The Madman: His Parables and Poems

Rating:
Summary: Gilbran's first masterpiece
Review: Kahlil Gilbran's masterpiece has always been considered THE PROPHET. In addition to writing this profound and inspiring poetry, he composed 12 other books of verses. However, none of these are as renown as THE PROPHET. In fact, many Americans who love THE PROPHET don't realize the existence of his other work. This is too bad.

THE MADMAN was first published in 1918. Although written nearly 100 years ago, it remains timely. In addition, it was Gibran's first published verse. It went out of print several years ago, but has recently been made available. This book of verse is a real treasure. Of all Gilbran's writing, THE MADMAN is my favorite. In fact, I like it more than THE PROPHET. I found it thoughtful, insightful and most importantly self reflecting.

Rating:
Summary: a bit of wisdom
Review: this book is amazing. gibran has a sense of wisdom in his words that makes us think about who we really are. truly a beautiful work.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect
Review: This is a collection of short parables ranging in length from a single paragraph to a few pages. They are individualist in nature and center around a single soul's dealings with the world around it. Notions of truth and being are communicated in that soul's interactions with God, friends, neighbors, strangers, animals and itself. It is quite possibly the most perfect writing I have ever read.

Fans of prose should enjoy Gibran's style immensely. I prefer it to the general colloquial style of writing and it is more expressive than similar styles of essay and short story writing. Gibran also has several other books, in addition to "The Prophet," that are worthy of reading. I own "The Madman,
"The Voice of the Master," and "Sand and Foam." This one is my favorite. It is an astoundingly eloquent, but still clear and expressive collection of writing on the most fundamentally important of all topics.

There are very few human beings capable of rivaling scripture in the emotions that their writings invoke. Kahlil Gibran was one of them.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect
Review: This is a collection of short parables ranging in length from a single paragraph to a few pages. They are individualist in nature and center around a single soul's dealings with the world around it. Notions of truth and being are communicated in that soul's interactions with God, friends, neighbors, strangers, animals and itself. It is quite possibly the most perfect writing I have ever read.

Fans of prose should enjoy Gibran's style immensely. I prefer it to the general colloquial style of writing and it is more expressive than similar styles of essay and short story writing. Gibran also has several other books, in addition to "The Prophet," that are worthy of reading. I own "The Madman,
"The Voice of the Master," and "Sand and Foam." This one is my favorite. It is an astoundingly eloquent, but still clear and expressive collection of writing on the most fundamentally important of all topics.

There are very few human beings capable of rivaling scripture in the emotions that their writings invoke. Kahlil Gibran was one of them.

Rating:
Summary: Slam Poetry for the God -Intoxicated
Review: Throughout this brief collection by Kahlil Gibran is the theme of rejecting and shedding the superficial, outer, social masks and embracing the inner or true Self - Soul. Gibran characterizes one who has done so as a madman - one who has tapped into the vein of Spirit, and appears to others to be 'drunk on God'. Though some pages come across like a bizarre Aesop's fables, it is his 'Madman' character who voices this theme repeatedly throughout.

In "The Gravedigger", he surrenders an old self without attachment or grief, but with joy and laughter.
In "The Greater Sea" he rejects the social traps of the physical world and seeks something higher.
In "Faces" he looks beyond the physical to view the true countanence of Soul.
In "The Eye" his 3rd or 'spiritual' eye sees that which his other senses cannot.

Yet, the greatest of these is the first page and a half (untitled, I assume its called "The Madman") which captures the essence of this drinking straight from the well of Soul. It amazes me each time I read it and is alone worth the price of the book.