Rilke on Death and Other Oddities

Opening With A Brief Account Of The Life And Work Of The Early 20Th Century German-Language Poet Rainer Maria Rilke The Book Then Has Its First Major Set Piece A Lengthy And Provocative Selection From His Prose Writings On Death For Him The Most Important Topic Of All.This Is Followed By A Light-Hearted Account Of Rilkes Surprising Popularity In The U. S. Of A. Evenextending To Hollywood. A Short Chapter On Rilkes Obsession With The Scientific Accuracy Of His Poetry And Another On His Poetic Humor Prepare The Reader For The Second Major Set Piece Of The Book --- A Revealing Look At His Masterwork On Death The 860-Line Poem Duinese Elegies.The Book Closes With Appendices On Rilke And God Translating Rilke And A Listing Of The Nearly 30English Translations Of Duinese Elegies.