September 27, 2011

The Books You Love

The Novel Reader, by Vincent van Gogh

Live for awhile in the books you love. Learn from them what is worth learning, but above all love them. This love will be returned to you a thousand times over. Whatever your life may become, these books—of this I am certain—will weave through the web of your unfolding. They will be among the strongest of all threads of your experiences, disappointments, and joys.

Viareggio, April 5, 1903
Letters to a Young Poet

2 comments:

  1. I can't help but wonder what Rilke might make of books on Kindles and Nooks and iPads.

    He captures perfectly the experience of books that open worlds to us.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ohh dear Rilke... Reading his writings even a short note like this always unfold the most strangest hidden piece in me... And I do not know what piece is that... so strange.

    ReplyDelete

"Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night."

~ Rainer Maria Rilke

Go ahead, bloom recklessly!