introduction
These Testimonials
Is He Following Me or Am I Following Him? A deep sense of euphoria set in the moment the stewardess announced our arrival at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York on an April morning in 1985. I was not only excited to begin a new life as the Editor-in-Chief of Al-Hoda (The Guidance) newspaper, but also thrilled to explore the places once frequented by one of Lebanon’s most world-renowned poets, Kahlil Gibran. I soon realized the Al-Hoda office, located on 34 West 28th Street, was near 28 West 9th Street, Gibran’s first home upon arrival in New York in 1911. It was there his dear friend, Ameen Rihani, hosted him prior to a subsequent move to a studio a few metres away at 51 West 10th Street. This flat remained his home for twenty consecutive years: 1911 until his death in 1931. 11
