A gorgeous edition of one of the most beloved classics of the twentieth century, published in celebration of W. W. Nortons 100th anniversary.This slim volume of letters from the poet and mystic, Rainer Maria Rilke, to a nineteen-year-old cadet and aspiring poet named Franz Xaver Kappus, has touched millions of readers since it was first published in English in 1934. The translator, Mary Dows Herter Nortona polymath extraordinaire with expertise in music, literature, and science, and who, along with her husband, William Warder Norton, founded the company that bears his nameplayed a crucial role in elevating Rilkes reputation in the English-speaking world.This Norton Centenary Edition commemorates Norton, known as Polly to friends and colleagues, and the 100th anniversary of the publishing company she co-founded. An admiring foreword by Damion Searlshimself a recent translator of Rilkes Letterscelebrates Pollys stylistic achievement, and an afterword by Nortons President, Julia A. Reidhead, honors her commitment to maintaining W. W. Norton & Companys independence.This handsome new edition of a beloved classic brings Rilkes enduring wisdom about life, love, and art to a new generation, in the translation that first introduced him to the English-speaking world.
