Letters to a Young Poet

In this slim collection of ten letters, written to an aspiring poet in the early 1900s, Rilke speaks with his unique insistence about living your true, authentic life. Countless readers have found inspiration, wisdom, and guidance in these deeply personal letters now famous the world over. 

Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926), born in Prague into a German-speaking family, is widely recognized as one of the world’s great poets. While based in Paris, he traveled broadly until finally settling in Switzerland. Rilke’s writings have deeply influenced countless readers, including major writers, the world over. His Duino Elegies and Sonnets to Orpheus count among the great achievements in world literature. 

Ulrich Baer is a graduate of Harvard and Yale and has been awarded Guggenheim, Getty, and von Humdoldt fellowships. He is University Professor at New York University and has translated Rilke’s Letters on Life and The Dark Interval and edited other books by and about Rilke. He has also translated works by Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Buber, and Sigmund Freud.b