What Gar is Reading . . .

CURRENT: Amiko Miyashita and Lee Gurga : Einstein's Century: Akito Arima's Haiku

Miyashita and Gurga combine as the translation team to bring the English speaking haiku world access to the poems of one of the most popular haiku group leaders in Japan.

RECENT: Jim Kacian and the Red Moon Editorial Staff : dust of summers: The 2007 Red Moon Anthology of English-Language Haiku

Jim and his crew continue to find some of the very best English-language haiku. If you've missed a single year of this anthology series, please do yourself the favor of going back and catching up. I've discovered some great new poets this year that I would have missed altogether if not for the work of Red Moon Press! Frustratingly, Jim still won't let Amazon sell his books, but the greatly improved Red Moon Press website was not hard to use at all and the book arrived very quickly.

Peggy Lyles : To Hear the Rain

I have no idea why I didn't already have this book in my collection. Surely I've meant to buy it before! Regardless, it was a pleasure to reflect on the poems of such a great haiku poet, excellently arranged and produced in a nice hard cover edition by Brooks Books. (Thank you, Randy!)

George Swede : Almost Unseen

I find it necessary now to go buy several more collections of "Brooks Books". There are certain poets that you see reading the main haiku magazines and every time you see them, you feel a connection, if only because of the frequency of their name. How refreshing to finally get the time to "know" George Swede better by reading an entire volume of work dedicated to his poetry. Often when I'm reading a book or magazine of haiku, I'll use a strip of notebook paper as a bookmark, and copy my favorite poems onto the strip. After filling a first and second strip, I gave up with Swede's poems and realized that to read my favorite haiku I would just need to re-read the book again. So many wonderful haiku! (Thank you, Randy!)

Abigail Friedman : The Haiku Apprentice: Memoris of Writing Poetry in Japan I wish that I could meet Abigail Friedman and personally thank her for this book. As a diplomat in Japan, Mrs. Friedman met haiku as a stranger, and embraced the haiku club concept, at first as a way of exploring the culture and meeting people, but eventually because of a love of haiku poetry. Her careful recollections of each phase in her personal haiku journal unmask this Japanese poetry form in its native environment better than any book I have read to date. If you only buy one haiku book this year, this one should be it. It will change the way you think about haiku.

Translated by Takafumi Saito and William R. Nelson : 1020 Haiku in Translation: The Heart of Basho, Buson and Issa Technically, this was a 2007 book. But I still keep going back to it over and over, so I'm going to list it at the bottom of my 2008 Booklist as well. Anyone who is interested in classical haiku needs to have this book. Each poem is placed by its season, and given in English, kanji, and romanji, allowing the reader to experience the sound and rhythm of the original poem, even to some extent if he or she lacks Japanese altogether. Topics have been given for the poems in a catalogue fashion, and the dates, where known, are also included.

Recent Haiku Books Reviewed by haikuworld

Review: A New Moon by Bruce H. Feingold - Red Moon Press has published the first collection of haiku from this poet, who you've seen published in Brussels Sprout, Cicada, Frogpond, Haiku Headlines, Hummingbird, Modern Haiku, Woodnotes, and elsewhere.

Review: Haiku Guy by David G Lanoue - The first "haiku novel" will have you laughing and learning about haiku as you follow the adventures of two writers -- one in 17th century Japan and the other in 21st century New Orleans.

Review: Far Beyond the Field: Haiku by Japanese Women - This important new book from Makoto Ueda reveals much about the history and modern day practice of haiku by Japanese women. Over 400 haiku by 20 Japanese poets, arranged with wonderful translators notes and biographies.

Review: Book of Haikus - Everyone's talking about the new Jack Kerouac book. Its been Amazon's top-selling haiku book for more than a month, so I thought I'd check it out. While reading up on it, I also found an interesting article on Amy's website about Kerouac, Zen, and haiku.

This Wine by William Ramsey. Deep North Press has uncovered a jewel in William Ramsey. The haiku in this collection are snapshots of life -- at times beautiful, at times painful, and at times shocking -- but always honest. Aspiring poets would do well to emulate the honest contemplation of life that is demonstrated by Mr. Ramsey in this work.

The Nick of Time: Essays in Haiku Aesthetics by Paul O. Williams. Although I've been active in haiku for more than a dozen years, for the first ten years I only had two magazine subscriptions. What a treat to discover so many of the essays I missed earlier collected in one source!

Haiku Book Information Received by haikuworld

an'ya has shared news of her newest book: the natal * light press is pleased to announce a new book entitled /moon/ /moths /volume I, haiku & haiga by an'ya. Published in 2006, on papers handmade out of the bark naturally shed from mulberry trees. First edition, stitched by hand with sinew in what's known as oriental fukuro-toji (pouch binding) in the yotsume-toji (4 eye) method; signed by the author. Printed and distributed by the natal * light press, POB 3627, La Pine, Oregon 97739 USA, or contact anya@bendnet.com (new email address). The cost of this book is $14.95 US + shipping.

David H. Rosen, M.D., has shared news of his upcoming book, The Healing Spirit of Haiku, with us. Co-authored with Joel Weishaus and illustrated by Arthur Okamura, more a book of healing than a traditional haiku book, we can't wait to see this book from the author of Transforming Depression: Healing the Soul Through Creativity. Please see the pre-release flyer for more information.

Modern Haiku Press has announced the publication of Lee Gurga's new book -- Haiku: A Poet's Guide. Lee was good enough to share an excerpt from the book on begin haiku as our featured article for June.

Deep North Press has sent word of the availability of Inside Out: Haiku and Dreams by Joseph Kirschner.

RedMoon Press's pegging the wind: Red Moon Anthology 2002 information has been added to their Anthologies Page! Last year's anthology has received the Haiku Society of America Merit Book Award -- this year's is certain to be a top contender for next year's prize!

Deep North Press has sent word of the availability of This Wine by William Ramsey.

Press Here has added a new book to their catalog. Michael Dylan Welch has just sent word that Finding the Way by paul m. is now available. Please use this new printable order form to make purchases from Press Here.

Natal * Light Press has announced two forthcoming books. 'haiku wine', featuring the haiku of Ernest J Berry and an'ya, and 'haiku for a moonless night', a solo collection by an'ya with illustrations by Kuniharu Shimizu.

Vietnam Ruminations is a new book by Robert Wilson. In this 153 page downloadable book, the author recalls his experiences in Vietnam, with a haiku providing a touchstone to each memory. Very personal, yet very readable.

Book Catalogs Available from haikuworld

Brooks Books -- Randy Brooks has several new things in the works, but if you're like me there is a LOT of catch-up reading to do also. I'm currently enjoying Fresh Scent: Selected Haiku of Lee Gurga, from 1998, and I just placed my order today for Global Haiku, published in 2000. Take a look! I'm sure you are missing some things as well!

Haiku books from Amazon

• Far Beyond the Field - a new book by Makoto Ueda of haiku by Japanese women.
• Global Haiku: 25 Poets World-Wide - edited by George Swede and Randy Brooks.
• Writing and Enjoying Haiku: A Hands-On Guide - the new book by Jane Reichold!
• Haiku Landscapes: In Sun, Wind, Rain, and Snow - the new book by Stephen Addiss

Searching for Hard to Find Haiku Books? Try Alibris!

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Amazon still has a GREAT collection of haiku books!