Rediscovering Basho [Hardcover]

Edited by Stephen Henry Gill and C. Andrew Gerstle (Author), Stephen Henry Gill (Author)

Book Description

Series: Rediscovering | Publication Date: June 1999

A book both for devotees of the great wandering poet Basho as well as those looking for an introduction and insight into one of Japan's great folk heroes. Basho is famous for the Haiku (3-line, 17-syllable) poetry he wrote during his many pilgrimages to different parts of Japan, the most famous collection being entitled "Narrow Road to a Far Province". Today, writing Haiku and interest in Basho and this particular art-form has spread throughout the English-speaking world, and to all age groups. A group of leading Basho specialists offer their own commentaries about the great man and anticipate his inspiration in the years ahead. The book also incorporates an account of a mini "Basho-type" journey (in England) by a group of people who composed "haiku" as Basho did "en route" and includes a record of the experience and personal feelings of those involved.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: BRILL/Global Oriental (June 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 190190315X
• ISBN-13: 978-1901903157
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #752,556 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Flowers of shepherd's purse at the foot of the hedge.", October 13, 2010

By 

Crazy Fox (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rediscovering Basho (Hardcover)

As Ooka Makoto points out in this very book, Japanese poetry is short and this especially goes for Haiku--so it stands to reason that the baker's dozen of articles in this rather slim volume are short as well. Based on presentations given during a commemorative symposium for Basho at London University in 1994 (the 300th anniversary of the quintessential haiku poet's passing away) along with related events held by the British Haiku Society, the tone throughout is warm and light of touch, which is probably the way Basho would have preferred it. This fact did shift the focus just a tad closer to contemporary haiku practice in Britain and North America (including a detailed retrospective on the life of one of the pioneers in the field, Reginald Blyth) which is fine but a bit out of alignment with my own interest, but several pieces by Japanese presenters on Basho's poetry and his modern relevance evened things out well enough (and the haiku journey northwards through England and Wales turned out to be a pleasant surprise). Overall the tone is learned but never ponderously academic; the presenters seek to appreciate and celebrate Basho and his way of poetry, not critique or deconstruct him. One will probably never need to cite this book in one's dissertation, then, but--or I should say rather, therefore--it is all the more enjoyable for that very reason.

Articles included in this book:

1. "Introduction--Shepherd's Purse: A Weed for Basho" by Stephen Henry Gill
2. "An Offering of Tea" by Michael Birch
3. "Basho and I: The Significance of Basho 300 Years after his Death" by Tsunehiko Hoshino
4. "Representation of Basho in the Arts & Media" by Stephen Henry Gill
5. "Basho has been Found: His Influence on Modern Japanese Poetry" by Hirofumi Wada
6. "Laughter in Japanese Haiku" by Nobuyuki Yuasa
7. "One Hundred Blyths" by David Cobb
8. "Haiku in the Year 2094" by George Swede
9. "A Haiku Meditation" by Brian Tasker
10. "Swiftly Flowing: British Haiku Society River Thames Ginko-no-Renga"
11. "Poetry for the Computer Age: Antidote for Anomie" by Makoto Ooka
12. "Fifty Basho Haiku for the Sky: BHS Primrose Hill Balloon-Launching Ceremony"
13. "In the Autumn Wind, Offa's Dyke: A Haibun Travel Journal" edited by Stephen Henry Gill and Fred Schofield