Japanese Haiku: Its Essential Nature, History, and Possibilities in English [Paperback]

Kenneth Yasuda (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English
Original Language: Japanese

Product Details

• Paperback: 260 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing (December 15, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804810966
• ISBN-13: 978-0804810968
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,061,351 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Resource, March 12, 2001

By 

"citricacid" (Madison Heights, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Japanese Haiku: Its Essential Nature, History, and Possibilities in English (Paperback)

Yasuda paints an elaborate, defining vision of the haiku as a universally adaptable poetic structure. This book provides an impressive history of the haiku and its evolution; it discusses the beginnings of Japanese poetry and the subsequent fads and extensions of a couple basic forms.

I would highly recommend it to anyone studying haiku.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Important Book For Historical Reasons, January 7, 2005

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Hortensia Anderson "Hortensia Anderson" (nyc, ny, usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Japanese Haiku: Its Essential Nature, History, and Possibilities in English (Paperback)

A very concise volume on the history of haiku. It has been described as the most "comprehensive introduction" to haiku for the novice. Happily, there are other books that have been published with a more contemporary feel. For example, Yasuda translates Japanese haiku into English with end rhymes. But remember, this book, published in 1957, reflects the poetics of the period. Yet having as the purpose of haiku, the expression of the "aesthetic experience", renders "Japanese Haiku" a valuable addition to any haijin's collection.