Narrow Road to the Interior: And Other Writings (Shambhala Classics) (original 2000; edition 2000)

by Matsuo Basho, Sam Hamill (Translator)

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Mentions
224	4	120,173	(4.17)	5
Here is the most complete single-volume collection of the writings of one of the great luminaries of Asian literature. Basho (1644-1694)--who elevated the haiku to an art form of utter simplicity and intense spiritual beauty--is best known in the West as the author of Narrow Road to the Interior, a travel diary of linked prose and haiku that recounts his journey through the far northern provinces of Japan. This volume includes a masterful translation of this celebrated work along with three other less well-known but important works by Basho- Travelogue of Weather-Beaten Bones, The Knapsack Notebook, and Sarashina Travelogue. There is also a selection of over two hundred and fifty of Basho's finest haiku. In addition, the translator has provided an introduction detailing Basho's life and work and an essay on the art of haiku.… (more)

▾Book information

Member:	funfunyay
Title:	Narrow Road to the Interior: And Other Writings (Shambhala Classics)
Authors:	Matsuo Basho
Other authors:	Sam Hamill (Translator)
Info:	Shambhala (2000), Paperback, 224 pages
Collections:	Your library
Rating:
Tags:	Japan, Poetry, Travel, Classics, Collected, East Asia

Work Information

Narrow Road to the Interior by Matsuo Bashō (2000)

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Showing 4 of 4

It's one of those things that I can acknowledge the art of without necessarily enjoying it. (

)

ninagl | Jan 7, 2023 |

Travel writings by the seventeenth-century Japanese poet Bashō, with many of his haikus included. Bashō is often regarded as one of the greatest exponents of Zen-influenced poetry.

JamesBlake | Jun 5, 2010 |

Basho is a master and although this translation isn't wonderful, it is much better than the last translation I had. The preface of mine made me very aware of the spiritual element in much of Basho's poetry. What can I really say? Deep deep deep. (

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funfunyay | Jul 30, 2009 |

It's nice to read a book that doens't roll around in the minature quality of haiku and other boring eastern shit. This book is about being 'on the road' and about marking your territory and about how writing on things and because of things is still interesting. A really great collection of poems and journal entries that is not cheesey and it not easy so don't go giving this book as some sort of feng shui gift to you mother. (

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dawnpen | Nov 1, 2005 |

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▾Other authors

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Author name	Role	Type of author	Work?	Status
Matsuo Bashō	—	primary author	all editions	calculated
Hamill, Sam	Translator	secondary author	some editions	confirmed
Hokusai	Cover artist	secondary author	some editions	confirmed
Zaccaria, Jim	Cover designer	secondary author	some editions	confirmed

▾Series and work relationships

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Shambhala Centaur Editions

Shambhala Classics

Shambhala Pocket Library

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Narrow Road to the Interior by Matsuo Bashō

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Canonical title

Narrow Road to the Interior

Original title

おくのほそ道

Alternative titles

Narrow Road To The Interior And Other Writings

Original publication date

2000

People/Characters

Matsuo Basho

Important places

Japan

Important events

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Epigraph

Dedication

First words

Quotations

Last words

Disambiguation notice

This is for editions published by Shambhala Classics, which contain "Narrow Road…", "Travelogue of Weather-Beaten Bones", "Knapsack Notebook", "Sarashina Travelogue", and a sizable selection of haiku.

Please do not combine with other editions which do not duplicate the contents. (e.g. The Penguin edition should not be combined with it, as the latter contains an extra piece of travel writing and does not contain the haiku selection.)

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▾Book descriptions

Here is the most complete single-volume collection of the writings of one of the great luminaries of Asian literature. Basho (1644-1694)--who elevated the haiku to an art form of utter simplicity and intense spiritual beauty--is best known in the West as the author of Narrow Road to the Interior, a travel diary of linked prose and haiku that recounts his journey through the far northern provinces of Japan. This volume includes a masterful translation of this celebrated work along with three other less well-known but important works by Basho- Travelogue of Weather-Beaten Bones, The Knapsack Notebook, and Sarashina Travelogue. There is also a selection of over two hundred and fifty of Basho's finest haiku. In addition, the translator has provided an introduction detailing Basho's life and work and an essay on the art of haiku.

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Haiku summary