The Dark Interval: Letters on Loss, Grief, and Transformation (Modern Library Classics)

Having recently read The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius I am struck by the overlap of their acceptance and even celebration of death. Death embraced for its contribution to insight and to spiritual growth.

It is humbling and gratifying to serve as the medium for Rilke's voice to reach new audiences. I have carried these letters in my head and in my heart since 2001, when my father passed away, a few weeks after the events of 9/11 (though entirely unrelated to that terrible event). I could not find words to express my grief, and turned to Rilke to find solace. These letters encouraged me to find a way back "more deeply into life," rather than withdraw from life itself in the face of great pain.

Love the way I felt after reading it.

We who read books are not all writers. I’m not, nor is the friend I gave the book to to read. She both has read Rilke and is in mourning, so I thought she’d be a better judge of this book than I’d be. This is what she sent me (slightly edited for clarity):“I was looking forward to this read, and the preface was so well written that I was a bit disappointed by the letters themselves. The preface said that Rilke composed his letters with the intention of publication, but the letters are often referring to people or instances that would only be known to a real Rilke historian, or to that person to whom the letters were addressed. So I put the book down, disappointed. Then when you wanted me to give you an informal review, I picked it up, determined to give it another go, and Right away, I hit upon this : “Each time we tackle something with joy, each time we open our eyes toward a yet untouched distance, we transform not only this and the next moment, but we also rearrange and gradually absorb the past inside us.”. . .and it goes on.This really made me think, in a positive way. So, I went back and reread the letters I had already read, and highlighted the pertinent parts. And I got a lot more out of the book. If we allow ourselve to feel the suffering, but also the joy of the memory of that which we lost (including our own physical pain, which he also addresses, He died of tuberculosis), then we are truly in touch with what it is to be alive.He also talks in one letter how, "we rest in the pause between two of God's breaths, for that means to be in time." ​That pertains to the meaning of ,"the Dark Interval." Between birth and death, and from what I glean, that God doesn't care what happens to us in this interval. Or maybe it is just we are here to learn how to live. I don't know.Most of the letters have something that I found of value, but really, for my purposes, since I don't care about Rilke's private life, they could have been condensed. But that is just me​. . .”I’d say this is a four star review. Maybe I’ll read the book, too. I’m glad I gave it to my friend. It seems a good book to gift someone who is grieving or a real fan of Rilke’s.

This book of letters to those who are grieving gave me ideas on what to say to grieving friends and relatives!

Those familiar with Rilke will know what to expect. Those who are not should start elsewhere. In addition to containing letters on how to deal with loss, several of the letters replicate the symbols of his masterpieces, for that alone, they are worth getting.

The Dark Interval is a short collection of 23 letters written by the esteemed poet Rainer Maria Rilke in the first quarter of the 20th century. The letters are generally written to console or prop up friends or acquaintances experiencing the loss of a loved one (to include pets). The writing is fairly formal and perhaps dated to an extent, although Rilke's ruminations are timeless and often thought-provoking.The letters are organized chronologically and include a brief paragraph on each of the letter's recipients. The preface by translator Ulrich Baer is really excellent and I honestly enjoyed it more than I did any of the letters. It's a wonderful introduction with plenty of insight of its own. If you love Rilke's style of letter writing, you will likely love this collection as the subject matter and his words are well-suited. Overall, I found it a occasionally moving, thoughtful, insightful, but more than a bit tedious by the time I finished.

Rilke, a master at bringing Your soul to understand why it exists on this level of world...to transcend it to a higher world.

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It was a different edition of the book than the one pictured on line.