Kahlil Gibran (January 6, 1883 - April 10, 1931) was a Lebanese-American artist, poet, and writer of the New York Pen League. He is chiefly known in the English-speaking world for his 1923 book The Prophet, an early example of inspirational fiction that includes a series of philosophical essays written in poetic English prose. The book sold well despite a cool critical reception, gaining popularity in the 1930s and again in the 1960s. Gibran is the third bes-selling poet of all time, behind Shakespeare and Lao Tzu.