Gift Of Love, A

"The innocence of my life releases the God I love everywhere." These are the words of Rumi, 13th-century poet and founder of the Whirling Dervishes of Sufism, as spoken by the mature and melodious voice of Rosa Parks. Her voice, American history, those words, intense longing: Power. In celebration of the human spirit, The Gift of Love is a recitation of the love poems of Rumi by Dr. Chopra and celebrity friends, including Madonna, Goldie Hawn, and Robert A.F. Thurman. Sensual Middle Eastern-influenced music backs the reading and provides breaks between sections such as "Love Drunk" and "The Light of Love." The Gift of Love is sincere and potent stuff, unafraid of the deep physical, spiritual, and mental hunger that Rumi's words not only taste, but roll about the tongue and swallow whole. --Paige La Grone