-Mini Book Review-

The simplicity of three lines of poetry bringing honesty, truthfulness, humor and the natural world is what makes Haiku so unique; they are freeing & grounding at the same time.

In this edition the Haiku of 4 master poets; Basho, Buson, Issa and Shiki are displayed in English, alongside the Japanese (both Kanji & Hiragana) and a phonetic transcription. I found these really important to have included; I loved being able to read the rhythm of the 17 syllables that make up each Haiku as it was written centuries ago in its original Japanese. It also makes you slow down and take your time reading them, allowing you to thoughtfully savour the Haiku instead of rushing through them onto the next. Here time slows down and all you need are these three lines guiding you.

Haiku is timeless, it reaches across the centuries making nature, animals, humanity and peace accessible to all who read them. These poems bring you into the moment, make you mindful and feel content. They make you appreciate the calm, healing properties of nature, even when you're nowhere near it and tap into beautiful moments of humanity; like the universal transcending pleasure of a nap!

Beautifully presented, interesting and educational intro, lovely accompanying artworks

I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley, on the expectation that I would provide an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for this ARC

You tend to find that translations are natural enemies to a haiku, however Hart Larrabee showed these four poets the respect they deserved.
The layout is stunning showing not only the English and Romaji translation, but the original haiku as well. These were paired with lovely corresponding artwork.

It was an absolute joy to read.

There’s one enemy to haiku translation that ruins everything special of the form: overcrowding. Be it making the translations into four lines for some reason, or choose anything but concise wording, betraying the original brevity of haikus makes for the most terrible reading experience. Thankfully, Hart Larrabee is a translator who respects, and clearly loves, this wonderful Japanese poetry, for he seeks the simplest expression within three lines, and does a beautiful job of rendering these small poems in all their loving outlook on the delightful moments in life, with the keenness of observations preserved in a timeless voice.

This edition presents a bite-sized encyclopaedic entry-like information on haiku and the four poets translated by Larrabee; but also what is perhaps the most exciting part of the book: the Japanese originals of the haikus as well as their transliteration on the same page as the translation! This offers the chance to experience the sound of the originals, which is a rare opportunity especially for languages with non-Latin alphabets.

Additionally, there are images thematically corresponding to the haikus, offering a more immersive reading experience. I especially loved how, for Bashō’s poem about cherry blossoms being in every food item when you sit below the tree, the petals were made to cross beyond the illustration page and onto the haiku page — the sweet sense of humour, akin to that found in Bashō’s works, put a smile on my face.

This would be a perfect edition to read either on a spring picnic, or cosied up beneath a blanket, preferably with a cat curled in your lap — ideal for when you need to be cheered up by the beauties of our world.

🍃 Serene, beautiful and timeless! 🍃 Reading Haiku poetry from Japan, felt like catching a fleeting moment in time—quiet, precise, and thoughtful. Each poem was a breath of fresh air, embodying a simplicity, stillness and quiet depth that sparked reflection. I felt like the beauty of Haiku lay not only in what was spoken, but also in what was left unsaid.

🌟This collection gives you a glimpse into Japan over the centuries (1644 - 1902), through the eyes and writings of four great poets. I love how entwined their observations and emotions were with nature - I think that is what made these poems feel timeless in their essence. The illustrations in the book were stunning! They added wonderfully to the experience of visualising these fleeting 'moments in time' captured by the poets.

I loved that the haikus were presented in Japanese lettering, Japanese English, and then the English translations. It was nice to be able to read them in Japanese as well this way. I enjoyed the short introduction to the poets in the beginning, along with the history of haiku poetry which set the stage well.

I'm from Bharat (India) and read a lot of books in Sanskrit that have a format of text in Devanagiri (language script for Sanskrit), English Sanskrit and then the English translation. They are written as 'shlokas' which are poetic stanzas of four lines, containing deep, layered meanings and philosophical truths. When they are recited or memorised, rhythm and sound are beautifully blended together. The meters and rhythms can vary in terms of syllables in every line for every shloka.

Therefore, I am used to reading in a similar format as how the haikus were presented, and enjoyed being able to read them in their original language. While I don't understand Japanese, it was still nice to get a phonetic understanding of the expressions in the language, and sound out the words.

💡 Interesting Fact: The longest and oldest epic poems in the world are written in Sanskrit and they originate from India. The Mahabharata (composed by Srila Vyasadeva) has more than 100,000 shlokas, and the Ramayana (composed by Maharishi Valmiki) has about 24,000 shlokas.

I loved learning about an older Japanese art form, and the tradition of Haikus through this book. They poetry was beautiful and thought-provoking. I appreciated every single poem - many often bringing a smile to my face, while some leaving a pang of emotion.

I would be more than happy to buy this book, and will certainly be returning to read through these poems again!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you @netgalley & @amberbooks #amberbooks for approving my request for this book’s arc.

With a threat of war looming between India and Pakistan from the last few days (I am in Pakistan), this book approval surely came as a beautiful surprise. Yes, we have outshined the enemy on every front and I am immensely happy and grateful about that but when it was another sleepless night yesterday, I started reading this book and what an adorable book it is!

Honestly, the scenario a Haiku presents in just a few words is surely enough to create a perfect image in your memory but the illustrations accompanying the said Haiku’s in this book are like a cherry on top. They are simply gorgeous. They are minimal, aesthetically pleasing and so captivating.

This book is definitely like a soothing balm for a stressful heart and mind as it makes you believe in the beauty and power of cherishing the simplest pleasures offered by life.

I would have loved it even if it was longer, nonetheless, reading this book was a beautiful experience.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this free review copy. 

What a delight this book was!!  Because I was reading an e-book, I couldn't really see how many pages I had left, so when I got to the last page it was a surprise, and I felt so sad.  What?! No more beautiful little poems to read as I start my day???!!    I will have to start over from the beginning then!

I've always been fascinated by haiku, although I am not excessively educated about it.  I know enough to know the whole "5-7-5" rule is not actually correct, but an extreme simplification used to teach young school children about the format. 

This lovely little collection includes translations of Basho, Buson, Issa, and Shiki.  (I only recognized the names Basho & Issa, so that's how uneducated I was when I started reading.)  On each page is one haiku displayed three times:  in English, in phonetic romaji, and in the original Japanese calligraphy.  On the facing page is a lovely minimalist illustration that matches the poem.  The introduction gives a brief bio of each author, which I found very enlightening.  

At its very best, a haiku perfectly describes a time or place in just a few words:

<blockquote><i>An old pond --
The splash of
Plunging frogs.</i></blockquote>

That was just exquisite, I was instantly transported to my childhood, to a small pond in a wooded clearing, hearing the "bleep" call of the frogs and the quiet "blooop" splash as they jump in the water when startled by my presence.

Sometimes the descriptions are so far outside of anything I've experienced in my 21st century American life that I just don't get it:

<blockquote><i>In this bleak rain
Even the monkeys seem to want
Little straw cloaks</i></blockquote>

And sometimes I feel like I SHOULD get it, but ... I don't:

<blockquote><i>Those who see lightning
Without thinking of trascience
How admirable!</i></blockquote>

(Each of the above three haiku is written by Basho.)

I am so charmed by this edition that I may go buy myself a hardcopy to keep and admire.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an eARC.

Loved it, my only complaint is that it wasn’t long enough.

Haiku is a centuries old Japanese art form. The poems have 17 syllables and are created to capture a scene or impression in just a few words. This collection presents English translations of haiku written by four masters and each is accompanied by an appropriate artwork.

I’m not a connoisseur of haiku. I’m not even a great poetry reader, to be honest Reading this collection made me feel very peaceful, however, and the illustrations are generally very beautiful. In fact, I would buy this book for the artwork alone. Examples of evocative verses are -

Such joy in crossing
A summer stream
Sandals in hand

On every island
Lights have been lit
Spring sea

Even loathsome crows
Are transformed by
Morning snow

4 stars only because I would have liked some information about each of the illustrations. I appreciate that the focus is on the haiku but for me the artwork was equally fascinating.

With thanks to NetGalley and Amber Books for a review copy.

I love the vivid images such few words can produce and so many of these conjured up beautiful imagery. I just wish there were more!

This is a lovely book beautiful poems and pictures to reinforce the image that the poem creates. It is a very quick read.

Truly a moving book of carefully written verse. Each piece is intricate and brings intrigue and insight with ease.

Beautiful! It’s so cool how so few words can become something so mind blowing. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this chance to read this book.

I have heard so much about haiku, I have read few once in a while. First of all a little introduction to Haiku. Haiku is a form of poetry that focuses on a brief moment in time, and a sense of sudden illumination or enlightenment. It is usually composed of 17 syllables in three short lines with five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third.Haiku – seventeen-syllable poems that evoke worlds despite their brevity – have captivated Japanese readers since the seventeenth century.


Today the form is practiced worldwide and has become established as part of our common global heritage. Now this book presents modern English translations of classic poems by the four great masters of Japanese haiku – Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson, Kobayashi Issa, and Masaoka Shiki – accompanied by both the original Japanese and a phonetic transcription, and a photograph or artwork highlighting or echoing the poem's theme.

This book is a treat to the eyes. The illustrations are beautiful. The Haiku short but has impact a regular reader of poetry can understand. Even then something felt of about translation. I can not pinpoint it but it was like these were not translated to their full potential.

Overall I enjoyed reading it and will recommend to those who enjoy poetry.

Thanks you amber books and Netgalley for ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Rating : 3.5 stars

This was the most pleasant read. I have always loved haikus and got to learn a bit about the history and its format. Each poem was beautifully illustrated.

This pocket edition is a lovely book which concisely details the evolution of the haiku form through the ages. The book presents an evocative collection of translated haikus together with beautiful matching illustrations and also their original Japanese writing.

Haiku by translator Hart Larrabee ticked ALL my boxes.
A huge thankyou to NetGalley and Amber Books for the chance to read and review this beautiful collection of poems by Basho, Buson, Issa and Shiki.

Each poem is a double page spread with a stunning illustration on one side, while the other side has the original kanji with furigana hints down the right-hand side of the page, plus a rōmaji text follwed by the English translation by Larrabee. The ebook version was just lovely; I can only imagine how gorgeous the print version will be.

Highly recommended for fans of Haiku or all things Japanese. A lovely gift book.

This delightful Pocket Edition illustrated anthology of Haiku follows on from the original book, released earlier in 2024, bound and presented in the traditional Japanese style.
Hart Larrabee has taken four masters of the art of Haiku poetry, translated their works and presented them in a beautiful format once again, allowing the spare, elegant words to be able to be read anywhere, anytime.
This formal style of Japanese poetry goes back to Renga, which dates back to the medieval period (1185-1600) and was a form of Court poetry. Settled times allowed a lighter form of the poetry to emerge known as Haikai which was able to be enjoyed by people of all walks of life.
Hokku was the next style to be developed which has slowly ebbed into the modern world as a form of poetry, Haiku, that is written and enjoyed by many, but a form of poetry that must still adhere to the traditional format, that of no more than seventeen words, set out in the 5-7-5 pattern.
Each of the chosen Masters, Matsuo Basho (1644-1690, Yosa Busin (1716-1784)0, Kobayashi Issa (1763-1828) and Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902), works have been carefully selected to bring into the world of today the ever changing landscape of poetry.
Their words are presented in Japanese then translated to English, the traditional characters lining the e edge the page. Elegant pictures and sketches add an additional layer of beauty to the carefully chosen words to make the Pocket Edition of Haiku one of charm and grace.

"Haiku" the pocket edition has a nice font and some beautiful pictures inside. It made me realize that Haiku are really great for people learning Japanese (to practice reading). I think it would even encourage people to learn the language as meaning can get lost in translation.

Love this haiku book. Not only does his translations of the haikus of the masters, it has thre original Japanese haiku too, which I am always curious about when I come across a haiku. I am on a journey of learning Japanese to understand haiku better. If I saw this book last year, I wouldnt be able to understand the furigana. I have learned hiragana and am on the way of learning Kanji. But with this year's work, I am able to read Kanji when furigana is available. With all that said, Japanese script shines in all its red glory. Very thankful to the translator and publishers for keeping thr original along with the translation that sustains the interst of readers and their interest in different languages.