Born in 1875, the great German lyric poet Rainer Maria Rilke published his first collection of poems in 1898 and went on to become renowned for his delicate depiction of the workings of the human heart. Drawn by some sympathetic note in his poems, young people often wrote to Rilke with their problems and hopes. From 1903 to 1908 Rilke wrote a series of remarkable responses to a young, would-be poet on poetry and on surviving as a sensitive observer in a harsh world. Those letters, still a fresh source of inspiration and insight, are accompanied here by a chronicle of Rilke's life that shows what he was experiencing in his own relationship to life and work when he wrote them.(www.mostinfluentialbooks.com/book/272/letters-to-a-young-poet/)

Presenter: Anindita
Commentator: Igor

Date: 5 March 2014
Time: 19:15 sharp

Format:
1. Members introduction (5 minutes)
2. Club statistics (2 minutes)
3. Introducing interesting books (5 minutes)
4. Brief introduction of next book (2 minutes)
5. Book presentation (20-30 minutes)
– A brief history of author’s life
– A short summary of the book
– Main/new ideas that the book brought to the society at the time that it was written
– What were the major implications/reactions at the time that it was written?
– What are the major implications on our daily lives (if any)?
6. Group discussion led by the commentator (45-60 minutes), member’s personal view about the book, opposing ideas.

At the end of the meeting, a group of us goes to a bar nearby for a drink, everyone is welcome to join.

Venue: 15, rue des Savoises, la Maison des Associations. Room: Salle Jacquad ( there's a list of rooms on the noticeboard in the Maison lobby)

Map: http://www.lafea.org/contacts.htm

Note: reading the book is not a "must" to attend the meeting!

Look forward to see you all!

To participate in the on-going book selection process:www.mostinfluentialbooks.com

To see the upcoming events:
http://www.mostinfluentialbooks.com/page/event_list/

To join the club: http://www.glocals.com/groups/geneva/geneva-book-club.htm