Soseki Natsume's Collected Haiku - (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

1,000 haiku by Soseki Natsume, collected into one volume for the first time!

Soseki Natsume is Japan's most popular writer, well known in the West for his satirical novels like I Am a Cat, Botchan and Kokoro. However, he first made a name for himself in Japan as a poet, publishing hundreds of haiku over a period of several decades. Until now very few of these have appeared in English.

Soseki Natsume's Collected Haiku presents 1,000 of the author's most famous verses, selected and translated by Erik Lofgren, a leading Soseki expert. The poems are grouped into chapters corresponding to the five traditional Japanese seasons (New Year, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter).

In these poems, Soseki explores themes ranging from wabi sabi Zen simplicity to his personal experiences including several years studying in England. His verses are evocative of the splendor of the natural world, the power of human emotions, and the serenity found in living a peaceful life.

Each poem is presented in the original Japanese with a Romanized version and English translation. Audio recordings of the English and Japanese versions are provided online.

Review Quotes

"This is a thoughtfully produced collection that will be enjoyed by any lovers of haiku or fans of Natsume Soseki. While these short verses are not masterpieces of the same magnitude as his novels, they shine just as bright." --Poetry Non-Stop Podcast

About the Author

Soseki Natsume was born in Tokyo in 1867 and attended prestigious University of Tokyo before working as an English teacher for a time. He went to London for three years in 1900 on a government literary scholarship, where he developed a love for Shakespeare. Returning to take up a position at his alma mater, his writing career began with I Am a Cat in 1905. Botchan followed in 1906 and these remain his most popular works, along with Kokoro. Soseki enjoyed great popularity during his lifetime, and when Japanese readers and critics are asked today which author they most admire, Soseki's name always appears at the top of the list.

Erik Lofgren is Professor of East Asian Studies at Bucknell University where he teaches classes on Japanese language, literature, and film. He has published several works on the poetry of Umezaki Haruo, works of fiction by Furui Yoshikichi and Ooka Shohei, and the films Rashomon and Shin Gojira.