I'm not much for poetry but this is a beautiful and tragic work. ( )

I read this book during a very stressful and busy time of my life. It is such powerful writing that each time I opened up this book of Gibran's writing, I would have to stop after a few pages, not wanting to spoil the beauty of the words by reading too quickly or in the wrong setting. ( )

Couldn't decide on 2 - 2.5 - 3 stars for this one. I've read some of Kahlil Gibran's other works (notably The Prophet and Voices of the Master), and while this was still good in that vein.... it was a lot more of the "I am the soul" or "wholeness of one deity" ala Paulo Coehlo style stuff. Not really my bag, my cup of tea, or my 'hipster new-age' beliefs.

This collection of poems/short stories (Tears and Laughter), much as the title gives the impression of - was rather maudlin and depressing. The 'laughter' came from that of death and the joy of the release of it. This was basically a collection singing the praises of death, dying, being dead, suicide, and the joy of the release of life on 'such a grim [insert: shitty - my vocabulary, not his] world' and the embrace of it into this overarching heaven that includes those of all denominations and religions (primarily the Abrahamic ones, Judaism, Islam, Christianity).

Its 94 short quick easy to read pages solely devoted to the release of life into this embrace of heaven, through death, particularly suicide in some cases. Eh, I guess not the greatest choice of reading for me - especially lately, and especially in winter. ( )

Verse and prose. ( )