Publisher's Synopsis
Although seemingly unrelated, the three Arabic articles in this book focus on one major theme: they relate the journey of the Lebanese hero in diaspora and at home, his quest for a permanent peace, and his ongoing saga that chronicles the legend of his unreachable dream and promised victory. This book takes you on a journey from the bitter, but enduring experience, of spreading the Arabic alphabet in New York to the inevitability of baptism, sacrifice and total redemption in the "River of Ashes" where a new civilization is expected to be born, and ultimately, to the final triumph embodied in the dignity of the human voice, the sacredness of the eternal oral word, and the power of the holy vision that can recreate a country that knows how to love, persevere, give and create. These articles narrate the epic of suffering, redemption and triumph of four men (Mirshid Masoud of Arsoun, Khalil Hawi of Shouwair, Joseph al Hashim of Damour, and Mousa Zughaib of Kesirwan), all of whom were endowed with genius and exceptional gifts and who accepted the mission of transforming their country and its history through the medium of language into an odyssey of mythical wonders and realistic dreams. These are their tales that bespeak of their deep and eternal connection to Kahlil Gibran who inspired them and brought them together in this book, and to Said Akl, who embarked them on an unexpected journey and an historic encounter of unparalleled dimensions.
