Customer Reviews

Traditional Japanese Poetry: An Anthology

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This anthology of traditional Japanese poetry, presents a grand collection of more than 1,100 poems assembled by Steven D. Carter, and translated by Carter and his colleague, Helen Craig McCullough. Carter trace's Japan's poetic tradition from the poets of early courts, as recorded in the Kojiki (712 A.D.) and Man'yoshu (759 A.D.) through the beginnings of the Modern Age (early 1900's), in both transliterated Japanese (romaji) and English, headnotes with brief biography on each poet, and extensive footnotes and appendices on many aspects of the poetry. Carter, Professor of Japanese at the University of California, Irving, has provided us with a solid reference for exploring the great cross-section of one of the world's most fascinating subjects. I purchased my paperbound copy several years ago, and keep it at hand.

Stephen Carter is one of the better translators of Japanese poetry, and his anthology presents a good history of traditional Japanese poetry from the Manyoshu to modern era. Also appreciated are the Japanese versions of poems in the margin, albeit in romaji. For those who have no knowledge of Japanese, the translations and notes enable understanding, but having the original poems included provides those who know Japanese an opportunity to read them for themselves and compare them to the translation.

I have been a fan of Japanese poetry for years, and have sought a collection of uta (song or lyrical poem) at an affordable price. The relatively extinct form, chooka, is in my opinion, well represented in this compilation. My favorate form of uta/waka, the tanka, is extreamly well represented.

The hokku/haiku sections are not as definitive, but are also great. A chapter is included with senryu.

The only items missing is originol Japanese orthography, however the roomaji that is included is (to a lesser extent) extreamly usefull.

In my opinion this book is well worth considering.

I have read several transliterated books on Japanese poetry (mainly haiku and tanka), but Steven Carter does a great job. There are more than 1,000 poems ranging from two-liners to full pages, many have comments and additional information apart from the very useful chapter introductions, and they have all been transcribed in romaji in case you would like to know how it sounds in Japanese without actually having to understand Hiragana, Katakana or even Kanji. The poems are a cross-section of what Japanese literature has offered: from the classical and beautifully depictions of seasons and life in haikus and tankas to more frivolous works of art and serious contemplations on life, people and the world. A truly great book, worth every penny.