Letters written over a period of several years on the vocation of writing by a poet whose greatest work was still to come.
Annotation: Arguably the most famous and beloved letters of our century. Relatively early in Rilke's literary career, these letters began as advice addressed to a young student who had solicited it by sending Rilke some poems. The two authors never met, but over the course of several years a correspondence developed in which Rilke composed astoundingly elegant and eloquent characterizations of the craft and discipline of poetry. Subsequently, these letters have come to embody a seminal 20th-century statement on the artistic temperament and on creative work.
Praise
Choice "Rilke's finely wrought advice about art, personal fulfillment and love....This book is a very important addition to those who love Rilke."
Milwaukee Journal "Rilke's letters...have become classic statements of creative process and spiritual development....They help us to know ourselves."