Letters to a Young Poet (Penguin Classics)- Hardcover

Rainer Maria Rilke’s powerfully touching letters to an aspiring young poet.

Rainer Maria Rilke wrote a series of letters to a young officer cadet at the start of the twentieth century. He advised him on writing, love, sex, suffering, and the nature of advice itself. These profound and lyrical letters have become hugely influential for generations of writers and artists, including Lady Gaga and Patti Smith. This showcases honesty, elegance, and a deep understanding of the loneliness that often comes with being an artist.  Rilke’s letters are an endless source of inspiration and comfort. Lewis Hyde’s new introduction explores the context in which these letters were written and how the author embraced his isolation as a creative force.