Basho and His Interpreters: Selected Hokku With Commentary

Matsuo Basho is perhaps the best known of all classical Japanese poets, achieving a prodigious output in a variety of genres and styles. His impact on the literature and philosophy of that country has been great. Ueda aids us by selecting some of Basho’s best efforts and then relating them to the body of criticism available. This approach is especially effective, for it facilitates use of the text for the two stated purposes of translation and criticism availability. More than that, a useful chronological history of Basho the man emerges from the work and commentaries provided. Especially helpful are the references to hokku’ s development into haiku, and the emergence of karumi, that style of "lightness" that is the hallmark of the mature Basho. Filled with erudite scholarship and evocative of an age of great literature, this book is essential for all collections of poetic literature and criticism and is highly recommended for academic libraries as well. - Mike Heines, USAF Rome Laboratory Technical Lib., N.Y.