Sand and Foam: A Book of Aphorisms.
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1926 Stock Code: 127018
First trade edition, first impression, rare in the dust jacket. Born in Lebanon, the poet Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931) emigrated to the US at a young age. He became a leading member of the "Pen League", an influential circle of Arab writers based in New York. After producing several works in Arabic, he published his masterpiece, The Prophet, in English in 1923. The present work was his next production, combining both his own aphorisms with his own artwork. A signed limited edition of 100 copies was also issued the same year.
Gibran's writings and philosophy were a major influence on the artistic movements of the 1960s. A line from this book, "half of what I say is meaningless; but I say it so that the other half may reach you" (p. 14), was used in a slightly altered format as the first line in the Beatles' song Julia.
Description
Octavo. Original black cloth, titles to spine and front cover in gilt, roundel to front cover in gilt. With the dust jacket, illustrated by the author.
Illustrations
Frontispiece and 6 plates by the author, engraved decorative head- and tailpieces and similar decorations used as text breaks.
Condition
Bookseller's ticket to rear pastedown. Spine gently rolled, gilt title rubbed, tips slightly bumped, contents lightly toned but clean. A very good copy in the dust jacket, head of spine chipped, partially affecting text, spine panel and edges toned, some shallow chips to extremities.
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