The poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke addresses the issues of God, death, and destructive time. Rilke tries to transform these problems into an inner world, what he calls a whole inner world as if an angel, comprehending all space, were blind and looking into himself. Eminent author and translator Stephen Mitchell brings these ideas vividly to life in this new translation of Rilke's most transcendent works.
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"I wish I was fancy enough to comment on this translation versus others. Alas, I am not fancy. Only deeply impressed by Rilke's elegies. I had read them before and enjoyed the terrifying angel, and Rilke's observation that terror must be attendant to beauty. But this reading, oh, this reading. If I had the eyes and mentality of an animal I might be able to do justice to all that is beautiful here. But I am only too human." — Kent (5 out of 5 stars)
"I wish I was fancy enough to comment on this translation versus others. Alas, I am not fancy. Only deeply impressed by Rilke's elegies. I had read them before and enjoyed the terrifying angel, and Rilke's observation that terror must be attendant to beauty. But this reading, oh, this reading. If I had the eyes and mentality of an animal I might be able to do justice to all that is beautiful here. But I am only too human."
" I love it too much to write about it. "
" I feel like the Elegies were WAY better than the Sonnets... But what do I know? "
" Dad read this to me at bedtime see . I must admit...it did put me to sleep. "
" The Duino Eleegies are way better than the Sonnets to Orpheus. "
" It seems wrong to mark this as "read", as I don't think I will ever be done with it. There is infinity here. "
" but you really need to read the German. All the salt and dirt is gone from the English. "
" Although I've been attached to the Edward Snow translation, I really liked the intuitive, organic quality of Poulin's. "
" This book is astounding. I can't believe myself for not reading it sooner. POETRY. "
" I don't know what's going on for half of this book, but I'm not sure I care--that's how gorgeous some of these lines are. Really lovely and mysterious. "
" so FUCKING good. like, SO fucking good. like he built a universe out of nothing. read the stephen mitchell translation-- not the one that's shown in this image. "
" The only poetry that's kept my attention during this my dollying year in Spain. "
" I'm completely in love with him. "
" The ninth elegy is my favorite poem of all time. "
" Not what I would recommend as starting Rilke-literature, but truly his jewels. "
" An OK translation of the Elegies, but an excellent translation of the Sonnets. It you know the Elegies you have to read the Sonnets, you will not be disappointed. "
" Stunning books, written about angels, touched by angels. "
" These poems had a huge impact on me in college. Finally, poems about life! "...animals already know by instinct that we are not comfortably at home in our translated world." "
" I really enjoy Rilke's poetry, so I give it four stars. However, this translation leave something to be desired. "
" One of the better translations I've read but it is hard to go wrong with RMRilke! "
" You pick it up, you fall in love, you put it down, you skip to a different page, you get punched in the face, and you fall in love all over again. "
" beautiful. the sonnets to orpheus are memorable and divine. "
" In a side-by-side this seemed the best translation...intro by Mark Doty is wonderful. "
" One of my all-time favorites. I will continue to read the Duino Elegies until the day I die. Amazing. I'll post more of a review later. "
" One of the best translations I've read. Al Poulin would make Rilke sing to all his terrifying angels. "
" the robert hunter trans. of this book is awesome. "
Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) is considered one of the greatest poets who ever wrote in the German language. His most famous works are Sonnets to Orpheus, The Duino Elegies, Letters to a Young Poet, and The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge. His collected works include hundreds of other poems, essays, plays, and stories.
Stephen Mitchell was born in Brooklyn in 1943, educated at Amherst, the Sorbonne, and Yale, and de-educated through intensive Zen practice. His many books include the bestselling Tao Te Ching, Gilgamesh, and The Second Book of the Tao, as well as The Gospel according to Jesus, Bhagavad Gita, The Book of Job, and Meetings with the Archangel.
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