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: Where did the essence go?
Summary: 3 Stars
While the poems are indeed beautiful to the common reader who doesn't know Rumi well, in reality, Barks has done an awful job. Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi (may God be pleased with him) was one of the greatest Scholars in Islam and Barks has taken out all references to Islam from the poems (basically in every line).Nevertheless, Rumi's work still transcends Barks' unexplainable butchering of his poems.
Book Review: Wonderful poetry, but not well arranged
Summary: 4 Stars
I do not understand how Barks organized these poems. They're amazing, every last one but the order that they're in is quite confusing. Nonetheless it should be read by everyone, whether a poetry lover or not. Also, check out the recipes in the back of the book! As the name states, it is ESSENTIAL!Book Review: a spiritual eye openner
Summary: 5 Stars
Jalal Al-Din Rumi was one of the pioneers of "sufi-ism" or islamic mysticism. In every religion, there are three categories of followers: the clergy, or the stereotypical fundamentalists who stress the FORM of the religion rather than its essence, secondly the masses, who follow a little of the form and a little of the essence, and thirdly those who focus on the ESSENCE of faith, and consider the form as a secondary, and sometimes even dispensible entity. Rumi belongs to the third class of people.
Most of his poems have roots in historical facts, sayings of religious/historic figures, mostly from islamic traditions. Rumi re-narrates these stories, bringing into light the spriritual vibes that reverberate underneath the materialistic form of an actual incident. peoms like "Mohammad and the Huge Eater" is one of my favourites in this regard. His narrations should not be taken as historical facts. Those who are well-versed in islamic traditions would know that his versions of the narrations aim to highlight the spiritual aspects and not the physical details of the actual occurances. Then again, some of his stories are purely fictional.
His lightness regarding description of taboo subjects like indulgence in wine and women in a conservative islamic background is also very intriguing. But the stories in his poems evaporate, leaving the reader with only with the message that he wishes to convey.
Coleman Barks has done an excellent job at translation. He has done humanity a great good by making this ocean of spiritual knowledge available for diving into for those who wish to undertake such a task.
Book Review: absolutely beautiful
Summary: 5 Stars
Rumi's insight into the human condition is timeless and transcendent. He will open your eyes to a vision of God and man that will captivate and inspire you.Book Review: beautiful book, but also see new biography
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a beautifully put together book of interpretations of translations of some of Rumi's work, though I do think other scholars, Nicholson comes to mind, have gotten much closer to the essence of Rumi. Nicholson doesn't water Rumi down; often, very often, Rumi's work was incredibly rambling, and extremely hard to follow--but delightful and compelling nonetheless. Though I do immensly enjoy Barks' work, he makes Rumi too tidy, and much of Rumi's brilliant essence and expansive mind is missed.I recently stumbled across an absolutely engaging biography of Rumi, and which is a popular, short form account. Why the heck did it take so long for this? is anybody's guess. There is one other very good biography out there by a scholar named Iqbal, but even this is still too academic. This new book, Rumi: A Spiritual Biography by Leslie Wines though is a vigorous and ambitious little book and I think a must read for all those with a real love for this most incredible man and poet.