130,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ 

IT'S FINALLY HERE! HAPPY ACOTAR 6 RELEASE DAY! ✨

Walks with Walser

4.19 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 396 ratings, 66 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
After a nervous breakdown in 1929, Robert Walser spent twenty-seven years in mental asylums, living in near anonymity. During this time, he preferred walking over writing. Beginning in 1936, his friend and literary executor Carl Seelig visited him regularly at the Herisau sanitarium, accompanying him on walks and recording their conversations. These strolls reveal Walser's thoughts on books, art, writing, and his life in the sanatorium, providing a unique insight into the inner and outer life of this remarkable writer.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2999
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 3-4 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Walks with Walser will appeal to readers interested in literary biography, fans of Robert Walser's work, and those drawn to intimate accounts of artists living with mental illness. It is ideal for anyone fascinated by the interplay between creativity and the challenges of life.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

A unique and personal portrait of the beloved, legendary Swiss writer, finally in English

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

After a nervous breakdown in 1929, Robert Walser spent the remaining twenty-seven years of his life in mental asylums, closed off from the rest of the world in almost complete anonymity. While at the Herisau sanitarium, instead of writing, Walser practised another favourite activity: walking. Starting in 1936, Carl Seelig, Walser's friend and literary executor, visited and accompanied him on these walks, meticulously recording their conversations.

As they strolled, Walser told stories, shared his daily experiences of the sanatorium, and expressed his opinions about books and art, writing and history. When Seelig asked why he no longer wrote, Walser famously replied: "I'm not here to write, I'm here to be mad."

Filled with lively anecdotes and details, Walks with Walser offers the fullest available account of this wonderful writer's inner and outer life.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Reviewers praise Carl Seelig's personal, firsthand account as the closest thing to a memoir of Walser, highlighting the candid and humorous conversations between friend and writer. It is described as an invaluable text for serious readers of Walser, noted for its delightful anecdotes and essential role in preserving Walser's legacy, ensuring his continued recognition rather than obscurity.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780811221399

Publisher: New Directions Publishing Corporation

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 25 April 2017

Country: United States

Imprint: New Directions Publishing Corporation

Contributors:

  • Translated by Anne Posten

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 13.0mm

Width: 132.0mm

Height: 203.0mm

Weight: 159g

Pages: 144

About the Author

Carl Seelig (1894-1962) was a Swiss editor and writer and Robert Walser's friend, guardian, and literary executor. He was a selfless supporter of countless other writers, and was also Albert Einstein's first biographer. Anne Posten is a literary translator based in New York.

More from Biography & Memoir

View all
  • New Release
    One Helluva Ride
    "This book is about where I came from, what I fought against, and what I chose formyself. Fame can blur the truth; this is my attempt to bring it back into focus." A legendary actor and Hollywood Icon whose five-decade career spans film, television,and producing, Michael Douglas has won two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, fiveGolden Globes, a Primetime Emmy,...
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    A Life in Lyrics
    Freddie Mercury was one of the greatest showmen of the twentieth century. With his unparalleled voice and searing on-stage energy, he was a great pretender, a killer queen and a champion of the world. But behind the glamour lived a musician and lyricist talented beyond measure, and the creative force behind one of the most culturally significant and musically diverse...
    Hardback
    $5000
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?
    New Release
    Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?
    The book we've all been waiting for, national treasure Judi Dench opens her almost inexhaustible collection of memories from life and acting. Join Judi as she lifts the curtain on cherished memories and hilarious anecdotes from seven decades of performing with some of the greatest names in theatre. Step behind the camera as she reprises her most famous roles, such...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Drive
    New Release
    Drive
    A thrilling, candid and uncompromising memoir covering over twenty-years at the pinnacle of Formula 1,Β DriveΒ sees Christian Horner, one of the sport’s biggest characters, take readers into the heart of Red Bull Racing as he reflects on his extraordinary career. For over twenty years Christian Horner built and ran Red Bull Racing, transforming a rookie team acquired for Β£1 into one...
    Paperback
    $3999
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Book cover for 'Swan Song: Diana, my sister' by Charles Spencer, featuring a black-and-white portrait of Diana with white and gold text on a gray background.
    New Release
    Swan Song
    Beautiful. Beloved. Hunted. The extraordinary life and death of Diana, as told by her brother, Charles – available to pre-order now. β€˜When asked, β€˜What was it like, growing up with Diana?’, my first thought is always, But I don’t know what it was like not to grow up with her…’ In September 1997, Charles Spencer stood in Westminster Abbey before...
    Hardback
    $5499
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Fictional Selves
    From the beloved actor and star of Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet and Sex and the City comes a candid and deeply personal memoir. In this highly anticipated memoir, the beloved actor and star of Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Sex and the City and more shares his utterly original account of his offbeat journey in Hollywood, his battles with fear and...
    Hardback
    $4799
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    The Steps
    The long-awaited memoir from a true Hollywood icon. We know Sylvester Stallone as one of the most revered actors, writers, and directors of all time, yet his life story is every bit as dramatic, intense, and inspiring as his greatest creations on screen. Bringing together a no-holds-barred account of a fascinating life with messages of hope, positivity, and resilience, in...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    16% off
    New Release
    Home Again
    Join rock-legend, former Shihad frontman and lead singer of The Adults, Jon Toogood in this unflinching and no-holds-barred memoirΒ Home Again.This is more than a rock story.Β Toogood looks back on a 37-year career that helped define New Zealand rock music, and the personal cost that came with it.Β From a music-obsessed childhood in Wellington to the deafening roar of international stages, this...
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    18% off
    Dogs, Boys and Other Things I've Cried About
    From the social media superstar behind @SimonSits, Isabel Klee--known for her heartwarming tales of dog rescue--comes an utterly winning memoir about a twentysomething woman's search for true love in New York City and the dogs who helped her find it. A Jersey girl by birth, Isabel Klee had always wanted to live in New York City. At age 20, she...
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Famesick
    Chronicling the tumultuous decade between the premiere of Girls to her 2021 shotgunΒ wedding (minus the baby, because she has no uterus), Lena Dunham takes us through herΒ journey with her trademark mix of humor, unsparing honesty, and keen eye for detail. We peek behind the scenes - of her work, her family, her relationships, and her battle to reclaim her body...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • On Sale
    21% off
    This Angry Pen of Mine
    This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...
    Hardback
    $5800
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Signed Copy
    Stakes
    Read our interview with author Noelle McCarthy! A darkly funny, sparkling follow-up to the author’s bestselling memoirΒ Grand. You have to invite him in. You have to want the vampire’s badness in the house with you. Growing up in Catholic Ireland, Noelle McCarthy is captivated by Bram Stoker’sΒ Dracula. The vampire is a risk-free fantasy, a suave alternative to the fraught realities...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.