Books To Find Under The Tree – Part 3

Carrying on with our Christmassy reading theme of the week: Which books would we like to find today?

The Call of The Wild/White Fang – Jack London
(Wordsworth Classics; 1992)

“I’d quite like to read ”The Call Of The Wild” and “White Fang” by Jack London over Christmas because my Dad has just started it and it would be nice to share the experience with him.”

(Victoria Clarke, Get Into Reading Wirral Project Worker)

Letters to a Young Poet – Rainer Maria Rilke
(Penguin Classics; 2012)

“I have been a fan of Rilke ever since I first discovered one of his poems a few years back, and having loved all of the poetry I have discovered so far by him, I would love to unwrap this book, which contains a collection of correspondence between Rilke and a young man called Franz Kappus who was torn between duty for the Austro-Hungarian army and following his dream of becoming a poet. Kappus wrote to Rilke for advice and what followed was not just guidance upon literary matters but about everything in life, meaning you don’t just have to be a budding artist to take something of influence from it.

As always, Rilke writes beautifully, his words an effortless burst from the heart. Who could not want to follow advice such as this:

‘Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.’”

(Lisa Spurgin, Online Communications Assistant)