One of the 20th century's most exquisite poets, Rilke also experimented with prose. The two stories included here are set in Prague, where Rilke was born and raised, and reflect the tensions between the German nationals living there and the Czech-speaking majority . . . They are important for their insight into the development of Rilke's writing. For students of German literature, Esterhammer's excellent introduction is worth the price of the book.
—Library Journal

Two Stories of Prague comes at an opportune moment. New developments in Central Europe . . . [prompt one] to look anew at the historical relationships between the nations, and Rilke's early work again reemerges as an illuminating plea for mutual understanding and sympathy.
—Peter Demetz, Yale University

Esterhammer shows that in these early, satirically colored narratives Rilke is no timeless aesthete but rather an astute and critical observer . . . These two stories contribute to our understanding of the young Rilke ‘in transition,’ on the way to becoming the great poet we continue to read and admire.
—Steven Scher