Kahlil Gibran
manuscripts donated
to Princeton
University
By CHRIS NEWMARKER,
AP from thnt.com Online, June 20, 2007
TRENTON — The Princeton
University Library is now the holder of working manuscripts and notebooks for
four well-known Kahlil Gibran books, including the Lebanese-American's
best-selling "The Prophet."
The donation was made to the university by the family of the late William H.
Shehadi, a Lebanese-American physician, researcher and professor who was an
admirer of Gibran. Using the collection of manuscripts, Shehadi in 1991
published the book, "Kahlil Gibran: A Prophet in the Making."
Both Shehadi's son and brother are Princeton University alumni.
Born in what is now Lebanon, Gibran moved to the United States in 1912 and spent
most of his creative life in New York City, where he wrote in both Arabic and
English, and also painted.
Decades after his death in 1931, Gibran's writings gained popularity in the
1960s and 1970s during the counterculture movement, which responded to his
lyrical language and mystical treatment of such subjects as love, death, nature
and longing for the homeland.
"The iconic value of this collection is significant," said Don Skemer, curator
of manuscripts in the library's Department of Rare Books and Special
Collections.
Originally published in 1923, "The Prophet" is Gibran's principal work, a
collection of 26 brief poetic essays on aspects of human life. Written in
English, it's been translated into 20 languages.
In addition to papers pertaining to "The Prophet," the Shehadi Collection also
includes manuscripts and notebooks of "The Madman: His Parables and Poems"
(1918), "The Fore-Runner: His Parables and Poems" (1920) and "The Earth Gods"
(1931).
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