Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

“Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.”

Rainer Maria Rilke, a German poet now revered for his beautiful and moving works, was relatively unknown in his own time. Despite that, a young military cadet and budding poet named Kappus stumbled upon one of his books and was so taken with it that he sent Rilke a fan letter praising him and asking for advice. Happily, Rilke wrote back, kicking off years of correspondence on a huge breadth of topics, from the futility of literary criticism to the nature of solitude. They include passionate calls to write, somber ruminations on depression, and comforting advice about love and marriage. After Rilke's death, Kappus published a collection of his letters under the title Letters to a Young Poet.

I'm not often a fan of old classics or poetry, but this was an absolutely breathtaking work. It is endlessly quotable, and some of Rilke's observations are truly heart-rending. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Dan Stevens, and was unable to multitask while listening, because I kept pausing to contemplate Rilke's words. It's a very short work, but definitely worth reading if you have any interest in poetry, philosophy, writing, or Rilke.