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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
I started reading this book thinking it may teach me more about writing. It did, and also a lot more philosophical ideas than I thought I would get. Rilke writes his letters to Franz with assurance and humility. He often tells Franz that he isn't sure he is qualified to teach him things. I feel that this is due to his nature of questioning himself and the fact that some things just cannot be taught but have to be personally reflected upon and realised. The first 4 letters were most relevant to me and my earnest to learn about writing. There are some very powerful lines such as: "Can you avow that you would die if you were forbidden to write?" when he tells Franz to only write when he feels that he cannot live without it (essentially, I am for sure butchering this). And later, when Franz seems to have experienced grief, he talks about how one needs to be alone and fully take in this pain. I felt that so completely.
There are about 2-3 letters that has topics on sexuality and other things that I don't necessarily relate well to or really want to know much about. Frankly, I am unsure of how to rate this because it isn't like a book book, it's a collection of someone's letters. I've left my rating blank because of that. I really felt like it's an essential read, however. I think one can take something away from it no matter where they are in life, and especially if they want to write.
There are about 2-3 letters that has topics on sexuality and other things that I don't necessarily relate well to or really want to know much about. Frankly, I am unsure of how to rate this because it isn't like a book book, it's a collection of someone's letters. I've left my rating blank because of that. I really felt like it's an essential read, however. I think one can take something away from it no matter where they are in life, and especially if they want to write.
“But difficult things are what we are set to do, almost everything serious is difficult, and everything is serious.”
Word.
Closer to 4.5 stars, but I am going to need to spend more time with this work. I don’t know that I was in the best headspace to fully appreciate this special little collection. I’ll give it another read through in a few months and see how my perception shifts.
Word.
Closer to 4.5 stars, but I am going to need to spend more time with this work. I don’t know that I was in the best headspace to fully appreciate this special little collection. I’ll give it another read through in a few months and see how my perception shifts.
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
profound advices, a bit pretentious at times. but what do i know
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Good but not groundbreaking
I think people should start writing beautiful letters to each other again.
“It is good to be solitary, for solitude is difficult; that something is difficult must be one more reason for us to do it. It is also good to love: because love is difficult. For one human being to love another human being: that is perhaps the most difficult task that has been entrusted to us”
“Your solitude will be a support and a home for you, even in the midst of very unfamiliar circumstances, and from it you will find all your paths”
“Believe in a love that is being stored up for you like an inheritance, and have faith that in this love there is a strength and a blessing so large that you can travel as far as you wish without having to step outside it.”
“It is good to be solitary, for solitude is difficult; that something is difficult must be one more reason for us to do it. It is also good to love: because love is difficult. For one human being to love another human being: that is perhaps the most difficult task that has been entrusted to us”
“Your solitude will be a support and a home for you, even in the midst of very unfamiliar circumstances, and from it you will find all your paths”
“Believe in a love that is being stored up for you like an inheritance, and have faith that in this love there is a strength and a blessing so large that you can travel as far as you wish without having to step outside it.”
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
If you are an artist of any kind, then I recommend this book. Rilke's correspondence with the young poet is inspiring (as well as beautifully written) and gets at the heart of why we create art and how personal issues artists face.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced