“You have to live life to the limit, not according to each day but by plumbing its depth.” –RAINER MARIA RILKE In this treasury of uncommon wisdom and spiritual insight, the best writings and personal philosophies of one of the twentieth century’s greatest poets, Rainer Maria Rilke, are gleaned by Ulrich Baer from thousands of pages of never-before translated correspondence. The result is a profound vision of how the human drive to create and understand can guide us in every facet of life. Arranged by theme–from everyday existence with others to the exhilarations of love and the experience of loss, from dealing with adversity to the nature of inspiration, here are Rilke’s thoughts on how to live life in a meaningful way: Life and Living: “How good life is. How fair, how incorruptible, how impossible to deceive: not even by strength, not even by willpower, and not even by courage. How everything remains what it is and has only this choice: to come true, or to exaggerate and push too far.” Art: “The work of art is adjustment, balance, reassurance. It can be neither gloomy nor full of rosy hopes, for its essence consists of justice.” Faith: “I personally feel a greater affinity to all those religions in which the middleman is less essential or almost entirely suppressed.” Love: “To be loved means to be ablaze. To love is: to shine with inexhaustible oil. To be loved is to pass away; to love is to last.” Intimate, stylistically masterful, brilliantly translated, and brimming with the wonder and passion of Rilke, The Poet’s Guide to Life is comparable to the best works of wisdom in all of literature and a perfect audiobook for all occasions.
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"I really liked this collection of reflections, but my mistake was in trying to read it too quickly. This one is better savored, returned to, and read in an offhand and casual way as needed. Philosophical and emotionally challenging." — Betsy (4 out of 5 stars)
"I really liked this collection of reflections, but my mistake was in trying to read it too quickly. This one is better savored, returned to, and read in an offhand and casual way as needed. Philosophical and emotionally challenging."
" I've read sections of this book many times. "
" I read this every once in awhile, I find it good inspiration "
" A great book to flip through each day. Get from the library and put it on the kitchen counter to make your days better! "
" Rilke quotes from his poetry and letters, organized by topic. Not for reading straight through, but fun to flip through. "
" Good book of aphorisms and musings on life, work, friendship, solitude, education, art, faith and love. "
Ethan Hawke is an Academy Award–nominated actor, author, and director. He studied acting at the British Theatre Association in England and at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. His motion picture credits include Dead Poets Society, Gattaca, Great Expectations, and Snow Falling on Cedars, among many others.
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