Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith from 1921 to 1957, made the selection and performed the translation, which was first published in 1935.
The book can be divided in five parts:[2] Among others, passages from the following works are included: In addition, works partially translated in Gleanings were published more completely in the following compilations: The book was published without a list of which passages were derived from which works of Baháʼu'lláh, but such a list has been reconstructed subsequently and is on the web.
[3] Because of its broad selection, Gleanings is one of the first works of Baháʼu'lláh many people read.
Rúḥíyyih Rabbání, Shoghi Effendi's widow, called it "a magnificent gift" to the Western Baháʼís.
[4] Queen Marie of Romania wrote that "even doubters would find a powerful strength in it, if they would read it alone, and would give their souls time to expand.