“Every sensitive person carries in himself old cities enclosed by ancient walls.”
— Robert Walser

Sadly, Robert Walser is not often read these days, especially by English speakers. He had a tragic life, but penned some extraordinary literature.

Due to a long struggle with schizophrenia, Walser was a patient at the sanatorium of Herisau (Switzerland) for nearly 30 years. He often wrote mikrogrammes  (undecipherable short texts handwritten in a nano text-size) during long walks. On the 25th of December 1956 he was found, dead of a heart attack, in a field of snow near the asylum.