The Essential Rumi, New Expanded Edition by Jalal al-Din Rumi Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Essential Rumi, New Expanded Edition
Book Review: The Best Poet Ever
Summary: 5 Stars
When Rumi writes there is something more there is an ever constant presence just beyond words, beyond articulation. His divine encounters come across as dreamy sermons in which he transports the reader if only for a second to his world of endless joy and sustained ecstasy. I do not belive there is any poet of this age or any other who has shared Rumis endless style. I do however see allot of similarities with the latter Jewish Mystic Martin Burber. Burbur shares Rumi's notion of what constitutes a divine encouner; being open seeing the "beloved," in every aspect of human life. Further like Burber he believes in the endless power of the believer. Rumi's writings are free of any self consciousness or self loath thing each of his poems inspires a new refreshing idea of how the world is. I love Rumi's poetry and I think nothing short of, total reinterpretation of everything they know should be expected of the reader.Book Review: The Idiot's Guide Rumi book by explains Rumi better
Summary: 2 Stars
As some posters have pointed out, Barks is far from faithful to Rumi's original words. I have some literal translations from the Persian and when I compare them to Barks translations, he is way off base. Can you call something that is not rumi as rumi? Barks also gives unsatisfactory summaries of who rumi was and what he stood for. Folks, he was not some flower child with roses in his hair dancing in the night to a candle! The best (I think) overview of who rumi was and what his poetry really stands for is in this book I got 3 months ago: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Rumi Meditations I felt like this was the first time I got a realistic picture of this great poet and spiritual master. Any books that you get that make rumi's poems out to be some new-agey feelgood gobeldy gook are not ral rumi poems.Book Review: The Leftmost Wing of Islam
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a book of poetry by one of the more important and influential people of Sufism. In it you will find most of the difficult but most interesting aspects of life expounded.
Rumi has a fun way of simplifying life with entertaining stories and constantly shows an extreme love for his closest historical companions.
Rumi is most kind and respectful to the figures of the Bible (particularly kings David and Solomon of the OT and Jesus of the NT). I say this with the full admission of being a Christian. It is quite obvious that this individual values humanity at the core and sees all people as God's children. We should all benefit from such an example.
The only thing I found difficult was that some of the allegorical content is hard to decipher being 800 years removed from the true context. However, the translator's comments at the beginning of each section and the notes in the back of the book clarify much and help the reading immensely.
Book Review: These poems are God's whisper...
Summary: 5 Stars
Words can not do these poems any justice,a must read for anyone who loves God or just amazing poetry...Book Review: This is not poetry as we know it in west
Summary: 5 Stars
This is not just a collection of pomes. It is a commentary on life at the time it was written. The meanings of the pomes are in the most part straight forward. No tortured soul trying and failing to express them selves. There is a different style to the writting. The reader is encouraged to engage with the writer. It is like a conversation with the writer's voice heard by many. The other voice belongs to the reader and only they hear it. The subjects of the poems are as relevant today as they were all that time ago. It has been said that there are only five main storylines with many variasions. If this is true the Rumi was a master storyteller. To have a gift such as that was to be blessed.