Kahlil Gibran

"The Prophet," first published in 1923 by Alfred A. Knopf, is Gibran's best-known work, consisting of 26 prose-poetry fables delivered by a fictional prophet named Almustafa before departing the fictional city of Orphalese. The book has sold tens of millions of copies worldwide and remains one of the best-selling books of the 20th century. It has been translated into more than 100 languages.

Gibran was born in 1883 in Bsharri, in what is now Lebanon, then part of the Ottoman Empire. He emigrated to the United States with his mother and siblings around 1895, settling in Boston's South End neighbourhood. He later moved to New York City, where he spent most of his adult life and wrote "The Prophet."

Yes, Gibran was a self-taught painter who created drawings and watercolours throughout his life. He exhibited his work in Boston and Paris and illustrated some of his own books, including "The Prophet." He was connected to the artistic and literary circles of early 20th-century New York, including his close patron Mary Haskell.

Gibran died in 1931 in New York City and was buried in his hometown of Bsharri, Lebanon, as per his wishes. The former monastery that houses his tomb has been converted into the Gibran Museum, which displays his original paintings, manuscripts, and personal belongings. It remains a major cultural and tourist destination in Lebanon.