Customer Reviews
Wonderful, essential collection of one of the greatest poets - By: , 02 Feb 1999 
This is one of my favorite collections of poetry. Excellent translation (though I'd recommend you collect several to get different views to clarify the exact meaning), very , very rewarding reading. A book I take with me when I travel. Highly recommended.
Absolutely magnificent - By: , 06 Apr 1998 Very few translations of poetry manage to capture not only the content but the "feel" of the original text. Mitchell's rendering of Rilke is one of these rarities: without slavishly imitating Rilke's rhythms or attempting to pin down his sometimes elusive meanings, he's enabled the non-German-speaker to experience Rilke's poetryin spirit as well as sense. (I'm not a Rilke scholar, but I know enough German to read & appreciate the originals.) The notes are useful too -- sometimes an idea that Rilke expressed obliquelyin a poem is much clearerin his correspondence! This volume contains all of Rilke's "major" poetry & selections from his prose, so it's a good, reasonably priced introduction to his work. (And the book has a good "feel" too -- heavy paper, clear type, a solid cover -- which is rarein these days of cheap computer-assisted printing!) This book belongsin the library of anyone who's serious about 20th century poetry -- & anyone who appreciates the art of translation.
