Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) was one of the greatest lyric German-language poets. Born in Prague, he published his first book of poems, LEBEN UND LIEBER, at age 19. In 1897 he met Lou Andreas-Salomé, the talented and spirited daughter of a Russian army officer, who influenced him deeply. In 1902 he became a friend, and for a time the secretary, of Rodin, and it was during his 12-year Paris residence that Rilke enjoyed his greatest poetic activity. In 1919 he went to Switzerland where he spent the last years of his life. It was there that he wrote his last two works, DUINO ELEGIES (1923) and SONNETS TO ORPHEUS (1923).

Books by Rainer Maria Rilke

The Dark Interval: Letters on Loss, Grief, and Transformation

written by Rainer Maria Rilke, translated and edited by Ulrich Baer - Collection, Letters, Nonfiction, Personal Growth

Gleaned from Rainer Maria Rilke’s voluminous, never-before-translated letters to bereaved friends and acquaintances, THE DARK INTERVAL is a profound vision of the mourning process and a meditation on death’s place in our lives. Following the format of LETTERS TO A YOUNG POET, this book arranges Rilke’s letters into an uninterrupted sequence, showcasing the full range of the great author’s thoughts on death and dying, as well as his sensitive and moving expressions of consolation and condolence.