Customers visiting the Dahesh Heritage Bookstore in Midtown Manhattan experience a taste of true Middle Eastern hospitality. The bookstore’s knowledgeable manager, Mike Masri, exhibits a modesty that belies his education and experience.
The bookstore carries a wide array of books in English and Arabic by and about Kahlil Gibran, the Lebanese-American who gave us The Prophet. Many events in the U.S. and in his birthplace are being held to commemorate the 125th anniversary of his birth.
Many Americans growing up in the sixties became acquainted with the poetic writings of Kahlil Gibran during their high school years. His spiritual approach to human activities spoke to their youthful idealism.
Most are not aware that Gibran became an American soon after emigrating as a young child from Lebanon and wrote some of his best work in English, including his most famous collection of essays, The Prophet. The Prophet has never been out of print and continues to be in demand.
In his scholarly endeavor, Shasha wrote his master’s thesis on Gibran and later corresponded directly with Gibran’s nephew and sister.
Shasha received permission from the playwright’s nephew, also Kahlil Gibran, to translate two plays by Gibran, “Lazarus and His Beloved” and “The Blind” from English into Arabic. Gibran’s sister personally gave him the manuscripts.
Most people are not aware that Gibran wrote much of his work first in English where it was later translated to Arabic.
Shasha said that there are many forums, lectures and literary events both here and in Lebanon to commemorate the writer’s birth, including a forum at Columbia University and discussions at the Gibran museum in Bsharri, Lebanon.
Masri says the bookstore specializes in Arabic literature, poetry, philosophy and—amazingly—carries dictionaries in 85 languages. He said interest in learning Arabic increased after 9/11 and his store receives orders from all government levels as well as schools.
Gibran remains popular even today because his philosophy touches a common chord. According to Shasha, Gibran speaks of “the unity of all beings,” and “all the world is just one entity.” Shasha used the example,“If a leaf comes out in a tree, the whole tree must agree.” In other words, everything is inter-related. Shasha also says that people like Gibran because “he is very optimistic.”
Gibran’s birthplace in Bsharri, Lebanon, has a museum with the writer’s artwork and original manuscripts. Shasha noted that his home was near the legendary Cedars of Lebanon and the writer would often ride a mule there. Although the writer lived and worked in New York, his remains are buried in Lebanon.
Shasha says Gibran created a unique style in Arabic literature and was inspired by the Psalms and the Old Testament’s Song of Songs. “Modern Arabic poetry is now influenced by Gibran,” Shasha says.
The Dahesh Heritage bookstore is located at 1775 Broadway, Suite 533, New York 212-265-0600 and is open Mon-Fri 9am-6pm and Sat 10am-5pm. Visit their website daheshheritage.org. The text of The Prophet can be found online at http://leb.net/gibran/works/prophet/prophet.html.
