Cartas a um Jovem Poeta

Franz Kappus, a nineteen-year-old officer-in-training at a military academy, wrote to the already famous poet Rilke, enclosing his verses and asking whether they were any good. Rilke did not give a verdict. Instead, over the following years, he sent ten letters, from Paris, Italy, and Sweden, urging Kappus to ask himself whether he would die if he were forbidden to write. He recommends living through the questions rather than hunting for answers, embracing loneliness, and trusting slow growth. Kappus later gathered the correspondence into the book.

Readers who write, paint, or compose will find something to hold on to, as will those facing choices about vocation. The letters are short, warm, and easy to read in an evening.

Deep, inward-looking and contemplative; a moderate read.

Best for readers like The Mindful Reader. Which reader are you?