Rainer Rilke is considered one of the most significant poets in the German language. The letters in this book were written by Rilke to Franz Kappus, a 19-year-old student at the Military Academy of Vienna. Discouraged by the prospect of military life, Kappus began to send his poetry to the 27-year-old Rilke, seeking both literary criticism and career advice. After Rilke's death, Kappus assembled and published the letters. Although the first letter from Kappus asked for critiques of his poetry, Rilke gave him very little ...
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Rainer Rilke is considered one of the most significant poets in the German language. The letters in this book were written by Rilke to Franz Kappus, a 19-year-old student at the Military Academy of Vienna. Discouraged by the prospect of military life, Kappus began to send his poetry to the 27-year-old Rilke, seeking both literary criticism and career advice. After Rilke's death, Kappus assembled and published the letters. Although the first letter from Kappus asked for critiques of his poetry, Rilke gave him very little during their correspondence. He also discouraged Kappus from reading criticism, advising him to trust his inner judgment. Instead, the majority of the letters address personal issues that Kappus revealed to Rilke; their span is tremendous, ranging from atheism, loneliness, sexuality, and career choices.
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Add this copy of Letters to a Young Poet to cart. $70.79, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2013 by Important Books.
This book is really inspirational! As an artist, it really helped me see things in myself I never knew were there, and to connect more with my subconcious. If you enjoy this book, also engage yourself in another quick, but wonderful read, "Letters to a Young Artist." It's more current, and set up in the same fashion, just speaks to a the visual crowd.
GailChiarello
Aug 16, 2007
Robert Duncan Praised This Book
Robert Duncan, the San Francisco poet, praised Rilke to the skies in his graduate seminar Advanced Poetry workshop (English 204) at San Francisco State in the spring of 1965. Following Robert's lead, this book became my daily companion the entire spring. I was working in the UC Berkeley library and would sneak off into a cubicle in the stacks during breaks and lunch hours to devour Letters to a Young Poet. Highly recommended for young (and older!) writers.
simitatores
Jul 26, 2007
Solace in solitude
This book pulled me through during my spells of depression. Rilke speaks with utmost warmth and sincerity that is so much akin to a friend. Here are some excerpts from the book.
"Things aren't so tangible and sayable as people would usually have us believe; most experiences are unsayable, they happen in a space that no word has ever entered"
"You are so young, so much before all beginning, and I would like to beg you, dear Sir, as well as I can, to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer."
