88. Love, Longing, and Letters: Kahlil Gibran’s Correspondence with Mary Haskell and May Ziadah

In this episode of One Sealed Letter, we explore the deeply personal and poetic love letters of Kahlil Gibran, the celebrated author of The Prophet. Through his correspondence with two extraordinary women—Mary Haskell, his closest confidante and literary patron, and May Ziadah, a fellow writer with whom he shared a long-distance intellectual romance—we uncover the themes of love, longing, and creative collaboration that shaped his work.

Join us as we analyze their letters, comparing the nature of each relationship and the ways in which they influenced Gibran’s philosophy on love, art, and spirituality. How did letter-writing become a space for Gibran to express devotion and explore the depths of human connection? Tune in to discover the untold stories behind his most intimate words.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

• Gibran, Kahlil. Beloved Prophet: The Love Letters of Kahlil Gibran and Mary Haskell, and Her Private Journal. Edited by Virginia Hilu. New York: Knopf, 1972.

• Gibran, Kahlil. Love Letters: The Love Letters of Kahlil Gibran to May Ziadah. Beirut: Dar Al Saqi, 1996.

• Gibran, Kahlil. The Prophet. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1923.

• Gibran, Kahlil. Sand and Foam: A Book of Aphorisms. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1926.

• Gibran, Kahlil. Jesus, the Son of Man. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1928.

Secondary Sources

• Bushrui, Suheil, and Joe Jenkins. Kahlil Gibran: Man and Poet. Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 1998.

• Gibran, Jean. Kahlil Gibran: His Life and World. New York: Interlink Publishing Group, 1991.

• Hawi, Kamal. Kahlil Gibran: His Background, Character, and Works. Beirut: Arab Institute for Research & Publishing, 1963.

• Oweis, Fadi. “A Correspondence of Souls: The Love Letters of Kahlil Gibran and May Ziadah.” Al Jadid: A Review & Record of Arab Culture and Arts, vol. 15, no. 67, 2010.

• Ziadah, May. Complete Works of May Ziadah. Cairo: Dar Al Maaref, 1982.

Online Sources

• “Kahlil Gibran: His Life, Work, and Influence.” KahlilGibran.com. Accessed March 2025. www.kahlilgibran.com

• “The Love Letters of Kahlil Gibran.” Omer Journal. Accessed March 2025. www.omerjournal.com

• “Reflections on the Letters of Kahlil Gibran and Mary Haskell.” Silent Theory. Accessed March 2025. www.silenttheory.net

• “Year with Hafiz.” Yearwithhafiz.blogspot.com. Accessed March 2025. www.yearwithhafiz.blogspot.com

• “Paulo Coelho Blog.” PauloCoelhoBlog.com. Accessed March 2025. www.paulocoelhoblog.com