Dark Interval (Bloomsbury Publishing)

From one of the most famous poets in history comes a new selection of writings to bereaved friends and acquaintances, providing comfort in a time of grief and words to soothe the soul. 'A treasure.

The solace Rilke offers is uncommon, uplifting and necessary' - OBSERVER Throughout his life, the poet Rainer Maria Rilke addressed letters to individuals who were close to him, who had contacted him after reading his works, or who he had met briefly - anyone with whom he felt an inner connection.

Within his vast correspondence, there are about two dozen letters of condolence. In these direct, personal and practical letters, Rilke writes about loss and mortality, assuming the role of a sensitive, serious and uplifting guide through life's difficulties.

He consoles a friend on the loss of her nephew, which she experienced like the loss of her own child; a mentor on the death of her dog; and an acquaintance struggling to cope with the end of a friendship.

The result is a profound vision of mourning and a meditation on the role of pain in our lives, as well as a soothing guide for how to get through it. Where things become truly difficult and unbearable, we find ourselves in a place already very close to its transformation...