Letters to a young poet

80 pages

English language

Published Feb. 7, 2002

ISBN:
978-0-486-42245-9
Copied ISBN!
Goodreads:
46199

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4 stars (23 reviews)

Letters to a Young Poet (original title, in German: Briefe an einen jungen Dichter) is a collection of ten letters written by Bohemian-Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) to Franz Xaver Kappus (1883–1966), a 19-year-old officer cadet at the Theresian Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt. Rilke, the son of an Austrian army officer, had studied at the academy's lower school at Sankt Pölten in the 1890s. Kappus corresponded with the popular poet and author from 1902 to 1908 seeking his advice as to the quality of his poetry, and in deciding between a literary career or a career as an officer in the Austro-Hungarian Army. Kappus compiled and published the letters in 1929—three years after Rilke's death from leukemia. In the first letter, Rilke respectfully declines to review or criticize Kappus' poetry, advising the younger Kappus that "Nobody can advise you and help you, nobody. There is only one way. …

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Review of 'Letters to a young poet' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I really, really enjoyed this group of letters and would highly recommend it to anyone who is thinking about writing. Rilke's letters to a young man who is torn between a military career and pursuing poetry professionally are heartfelt and philosophical at the same time. Rilke also shares his ideas about genuine love, gender equality, faith, and literary criticism (which he feels pretty strongly about!). As I said, highly recommended.

To read a more detailed review with excerpts from the letters, go to my blog post: outsideofacat.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/letters-to-a-young-poet-rilke/ -- it seems like a waste of space to post the same review twice. :)

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