Description

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One of the most powerful poetry collections of the twentieth century, now in a beautiful new edition 

Although The Book of Hours is the work of Rilke’s youth, it contains the germ of his mature convictions. Written as spontaneously received prayers, these poems celebrate a God who is not the Creator of the Universe but rather humanity itself and, above all, that most intensely conscious part of humanity, the artist. Babette Deutsch’s classic translations—born from “the pure desire to sing what the poet sang” (Ursula K. Le Guin)—capture the rich harmony and suggestive imagery of the originals, transporting the reader to new heights of inspiration and musicality. 

About the Author

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Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926), the author of Sonnets to Orpheus, Duino Elegies and Letters to a Young Poet, was one of the greatest poets of the German language.

Babette Deutsch (1859–1982) was a poet, critic, and novelist, as well as a translator.

Praise For…

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If Rilke cut himself shaving, he would bleed poetry.
— Stephen Spender - The New York Review of Books

Rilke remade the sturdy sonnet, recast the sonorous song. He quickened the
German language itself.
— Rika Lesser - The Nation

Poets in English continue to line up for the inevitable failure of translating
Rilke’s short lyrics. The best translations I have seen are from Babette
Deutsch.
— Clive James