Basho: The Complete Haiku Hardcover – September 13, 2013

Ever since I first discovered Basho, some forty-plus years ago in a seventh grade English class, I have been influenced by the seeming simplicity and power of his poetry. But a complete collection of his haiku did not exist in English and I had to make do with the various partial collections which surfaced now and again.Now, at long last, thanks to Jane Reichhold and Kodansha International, we have all of Basho's haiku in English. Basho: The Complete Haiku is a literary tour de force which every lover of haiku, poetry, and Basho needs to have on his or her bookshelf.The book itself is beautifully done with the artwork of Shiro Tsujimura. Subtle and subdued, the illustrations please and tantalize the eye. Offering a wonderful visual counterpoint to the poems themselves.Reichhold, a haiku poet in her own right, has been on the English haiku scene from the beginning. Her understanding of the form is second to none and she stands amongst the best of English-language haikuists. What better tribute to a poet than for another to translate his work?Reichhold's labor of love enriches us all. In Basho: The Complete Haiku, we learn of Basho's life, what were the possible influences upon him, and how he in turn influenced others. We gain an understanding of his literary techniques, as Reichhold presents us with an appendix of analysis. A glossary of important terms is also provided. Then, of course, there are the poems.Basho's haiku are presented in two sections: the main section, which are the superb translations; a second which gives the Japanese, a literal rendering into English, and explanatory notes. The translations themselves are spare, clean, yet full of life. The translator has clearly been touched by the spirit of her mentor. The literal renderings and notes provide the reader an opportunity to go deeper into the poem for an even richer experience of nuanced meanings. This addition gives the book greater depth.My heartfelt thanks goes out to Jane Reichhold for translating the work of Basho and to Kodansha International for bringing the work to the world. We non-Japanese readers can now savor the full range of haiku of one of the truly great poets and philosophers. I cannot help but think the spirit of Matsuo Basho is smiling and filled with great joy.

I like that this is a "Complete" because you see how themes repeat or how the poet plays with variations. I also love the chronology and the biographical introductions to the different phases in Basho's life and art. I also love that it ends up being a window into another time and culture. If this were a world as into poetry as the world Basho lived in--or even half so much--it would be fun to have a weekly poetry reading group that read facing pages of these poems and discussed their favorites, why, what scene it evokes. Did any of them inspire a poem of your own? If you could choose one word to alter in one of the translations, what change would you make? Alas, that is not the world I live in.I will say that if anyone suspects that they would tire of moon, cherry blossom and chrysanthemum references, this book is not for them.I didn't mark favorites in this volume, but I'll randomly choose some to share:fading temple bellthe fragrance of flowers strikesat eveningthe full mooncoming up to the gatethe tide's salty crestsin summer rainthe leg of the cranebecomes shorter

And that's going some.It's physically beautiful, yes. The jacket is sumptuous as is the binding; the art, the type and even the paper are feasts for the eyes; the paper is a pleasure to handle.But it's more than that. It is the most thorough treatment of Basho's work - and maybe of the haiku form itself - accessible to the casual reader. Maybe the casual reader, or the merely curious, might want to start with something else, actually; shorter and less expensive treatments abound. (Sam Hamill's translations, for example, are excellent.) Not that heavy sledding for novices is a detriment. The buyer should, however, be aware.But if you have been exposed to haiku, and feel its pull, this book does much to help you understand why. The translations are spare and intriguing, the author's apparent effort to reach for Basho's intent. This is an inevitable part of what the translator does; a translator of poetry is, unavoidably, *writing* poetry, and must be a poet. Jane Reichhold is. She is struck by Basho's consistent choice of words with the widest range of dictionary meanings, a good indicator that she knows what she is reaching for. She also provides an excellent introduction; biographical sketches of each phase of Basho's life, into which the poems, in chronological order, are grouped; the literal rendering of the original Japanese, plus historical and explanatory notes for each and every poem; an index of first lines for quick reference; and a full exposition of Basho's poetic techniques.If the name Basho means anything of significance to you, get this book. If you aren't truly ready for it yet, you will be, soon enough.

I am a haiku poet and an admirer of Basho. When this hardcover edition of his work went on sale, I had to have it. The book has been a wonderful read and I like the sturdiness of the hardcover. It should last on my bookshelves for a lifetime.

Enjoyable book for haiku aficionados and for those who want to learn more about Basho and his art and life!I read his haiku every day.You can translate his haiku yourself using the original word-by-word transcription.

Shipping and handling good. Item as described. ThxAs far as the book itself, it is too difficult for me to follow the connection between verses.