Martin Wasserman

Kafka, Rilke, Nadel Martin Wasserman

This work, through poetic renderings, examines how Chinese philosophy influenced the writings of Franz Kafka, Rainer Maria Rilke, and Arno Nadel. The connection for Kafka came through Confucianism, while for Rilke the major tie-in was Zen Buddhism, and for Nadel the primary influence was Taoism. Even though the writings of Kafka and Rilke are generally well known to the English-reading public, this is the first time that selections from Nadels German poetry have been translated into English.