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Product Description
Product Description
In a few words, haiku goes beneath surface appearance to grasps the heart of an experience. Each word is chosen to unlock a world of memories and associations in the reader. Haiku, like Zen, is an intensely personal experience. Jonathan Clements has selected the best of three centuries of haiku, including the work of classic poets such as Basho, Buson and Chiyo-Ni and rendered into English the elusive spiritual quality of the poems. The poems are illustrated with images from the collection of Japanese prints and paintings at the Art Institute of Chicago.
About the Author
Jonathan Clements studied at the universities of Leeds, Cheng Chi, Kansai and Stirling. He speaks Chinese and Japanese and was dubbed 'the medium's most sought-after translator' by the Sunday Times for his work in Japanese animation. He has worked as an Asian linguist and writer for the BBC, the Financial Times and the Guardian.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A delightfully presented and translated set of haiku. The book is hardcover and the paper thick and glossy which adds to the feeling of quality. The pages are interspersed with woodblock prints that seem appropriate to the haiku amongst which they nestle. But what really sets this book apart from so many others are the wonderful translations of famous haiku. For the first time they seem to resonate with me and I get a glimpse of their beauty and what they're trying to get across. I always thought Basho was a bit overrated and although I'm still not a huge fan of his, the author's sensitive translations have allowed me to see why he is so popular.
If you're a haiku novice I'd particularly and highly recommend this book over most others that are available as an aesthetically pleasing and inspiring first foray into this brief but profound art form. I really hope Mr Clements translates some more and publishes them because I think he has a real skill in making them vibrant and meaningful.
If you're a haiku novice I'd particularly and highly recommend this book over most others that are available as an aesthetically pleasing and inspiring first foray into this brief but profound art form. I really hope Mr Clements translates some more and publishes them because I think he has a real skill in making them vibrant and meaningful.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Dr A. Sahal describes this book as 'delightful', and he is spot-on . Whether you enjoy Haiku or have never delved into their glittering depths before, this is the book for you! A large variety of different poets, including women, are included, along with prints of Japanese woodcut illustrations from the Art Institute of Chicago.
The book forgoes traditional formatting and instead divides into Dawn, Daylight, Dusk and Moonlight, with haiku pertaining to these times of day lucidly and beautifully translated, interspersed with stunning and always appropriate illustrations. It all combines to make an ęsthetically magnificent book that you can treasure, or give as a gift for someone else to marvel at and pore over with pleasure.
The section after the haiku details the context of the poems themselves, as well as providing explanations. Since this all comes after you've read the poems, it adds an extra layer of meaning to whatever you yourself have drawn from the haiku. It is a rather neat touch.
The one issue I have with this book is the crass title: Zen Haiku. I much preferred the original title of 'Moon in the Pines'. However, it would be churlish of me to mark this work down simply for that, so I shall award it full marks and I recommend it strongly!
My favourite haiku in the collection is from Buson:
The evening breeze
Blows ripples 'gainst
The blue heron's legs.
The book forgoes traditional formatting and instead divides into Dawn, Daylight, Dusk and Moonlight, with haiku pertaining to these times of day lucidly and beautifully translated, interspersed with stunning and always appropriate illustrations. It all combines to make an ęsthetically magnificent book that you can treasure, or give as a gift for someone else to marvel at and pore over with pleasure.
The section after the haiku details the context of the poems themselves, as well as providing explanations. Since this all comes after you've read the poems, it adds an extra layer of meaning to whatever you yourself have drawn from the haiku. It is a rather neat touch.
The one issue I have with this book is the crass title: Zen Haiku. I much preferred the original title of 'Moon in the Pines'. However, it would be churlish of me to mark this work down simply for that, so I shall award it full marks and I recommend it strongly!
My favourite haiku in the collection is from Buson:
The evening breeze
Blows ripples 'gainst
The blue heron's legs.
1 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Item arrived promptly and in condition described. I am very pleased with the service.
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