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Introduction to Haiku
This is a list of books that, if you find yourself particularly drawn to haiku and other Japanese forms of poetry, may help you gain a better understanding of what haiku are and how best to appreciate them.
These books would also contribute greatly to a person's ability to write literary haiku, as well.
These books would also contribute greatly to a person's ability to write literary haiku, as well.
Score
A book’s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book.
1 |
Japanese Death Poems
by
Yoel Hoffmann (Editor)
4.23 avg rating — 2,908 ratings
score: 689,
and
7 people voted
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2 |
The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson, and Issa
by
Robert Hass (Editor, Translator)
4.33 avg rating — 2,178 ratings
score: 490,
and
5 people voted
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3 |
The Haiku Anthology
by
4.18 avg rating — 558 ratings
score: 398,
and
4 people voted
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4 |
Haiku, Volume 2: Spring
by
4.46 avg rating — 108 ratings
score: 394,
and
4 people voted
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5 |
Book of Haikus
by
3.90 avg rating — 2,176 ratings
score: 393,
and
4 people voted
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6 |
For All My Walking
by
Burton Watson (Translator)
4.29 avg rating — 146 ratings
score: 297,
and
3 people voted
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7 |
The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches
by
4.02 avg rating — 6,252 ratings
score: 294,
and
3 people voted
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8 |
On Love and Barley: Haiku of Basho
by
4.20 avg rating — 2,023 ratings
score: 293,
and
3 people voted
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9 |
Haiku, Volume 4: Autumn-Winter
by
4.46 avg rating — 83 ratings
score: 291,
and
3 people voted
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10 |
Eating Salad Drunk: Haikus for the Burnout Age by Comedy Greats
by
Gabe Henry (Goodreads Author)
3.60 avg rating — 938 ratings
score: 200,
and
2 people voted
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11 |
Beautiful Haikus to Cheer You Up
by
Reynaldo Casison (Goodreads Author)
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2 ratings
score: 193,
and
2 people voted
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12 |
Haiku, Volume 1: Eastern Culture
by
4.55 avg rating — 110 ratings
score: 191,
and
2 people voted
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13 |
Introduction to Haiku: An Anthology of Poems and Poets from Basho to Shiki
by
Harold Gould Henderson (Translator)
3.91 avg rating — 186 ratings
score: 190,
and
2 people voted
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14 |
The Haiku Handbook: How to Write, Share, and Teach Haiku
by
4.31 avg rating — 469 ratings
score: 100,
and
1 person voted
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14 |
Something A'Kin to Haiku
by
4.75 avg rating — 4 ratings
score: 100,
and
1 person voted
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14 |
Illustrated Basho Haiku Poems (Little eBook Classics)
by
3.54 avg rating — 26 ratings
score: 100,
and
1 person voted
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14 |
The Joy of Writing Haikus
by
Reynaldo Casison (Goodreads Author)
3.17 avg rating — 6 ratings
score: 100,
and
1 person voted
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14 |
Haikus oscuros
by
Luís Bermer (Goodreads Author)
liked it 3.00 avg rating — 8 ratings
score: 100,
and
1 person voted
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14 |
Another Country: Haiku Poetry from Wales
by
Nigel Jenkins (Editor)
3.27 avg rating — 15 ratings
score: 100,
and
1 person voted
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14 |
That Lone Ship
by
Rhys Owain Williams (Goodreads Author)
4.14 avg rating — 14 ratings
score: 100,
and
1 person voted
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14 |
Ryokan: Zen Monk - Poet of Japan
by
4.26 avg rating — 57 ratings
score: 100,
and
1 person voted
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14 |
Haiku: An Anthology of Japanese Poems
by
Stephen Addiss (Editor)
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 364 ratings
score: 100,
and
1 person voted
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23 |
Right Under the Big Sky, I Don't Wear a Hat
by
4.33 avg rating — 24 ratings
score: 99,
and
1 person voted
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23 |
Haiku in the Night
by
Ben Ditmars (Goodreads Author)
4.32 avg rating — 25 ratings
score: 99,
and
1 person voted
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23 |
Beautiful Women Haiku
by
Reynaldo Casison (Goodreads Author)
it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating
score: 99,
and
1 person voted
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23 |
This Single Thread
by
it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings
score: 99,
and
1 person voted
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23 |
The Little Book of Neuroscience Haiku
by
3.91 avg rating — 46 ratings
score: 99,
and
1 person voted
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23 |
The Penguin Book of Haiku
by
Adam L. Kern (Translator)
3.69 avg rating — 212 ratings
score: 99,
and
1 person voted
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29 |
Mountain Tasting : Zen Haiku by Santōka Taneda
by
4.30 avg rating — 161 ratings
score: 98,
and
1 person voted
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29 |
The Cool Jazz of the Haiku: Jack Kerouac
by
Reynaldo Casison (Goodreads Author)
3.86 avg rating — 7 ratings
score: 98,
and
1 person voted
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29 |
The Year of My Life: A Translation of Issa's Oraga Haru
by
4.22 avg rating — 81 ratings
score: 98,
and
1 person voted
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29 |
A Breath of Africa
by
Lysa Collins (Goodreads Author)
it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating
score: 98,
and
1 person voted
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29 |
The Art of Haiku: Its History through Poems and Paintings by Japanese Masters
by
4.51 avg rating — 92 ratings
score: 98,
and
1 person voted
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34 |
Classic Haiku: The Greatest Japanese Poetry from Basho, Buson, Issa, Shiki, and Their Followers
by
Tom Lowenstein (Editor)
4.08 avg rating — 211 ratings
score: 97,
and
1 person voted
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34 |
the delightful guide to poetry forms
by
Reynaldo Casison (Goodreads Author)
3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings
score: 97,
and
1 person voted
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34 |
Redneck Haiku: Double-Wide Edition
by
3.07 avg rating — 41 ratings
score: 97,
and
1 person voted
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37 |
The Haiku Seasons: Poetry of the Natural World
by
4.27 avg rating — 48 ratings
score: 96,
and
1 person voted
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37 |
A History of Haiku, Volume 1: From the Beginnings up to Issa
by
4.10 avg rating — 49 ratings
score: 96,
and
1 person voted
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37 |
Haikubes: Create Captivating Haiku With a Roll of the Dice!
by
4.25 avg rating — 16 ratings
score: 96,
and
1 person voted
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40 |
A History of Haiku, Volume 2: From Issa up to the Present
by
4.21 avg rating — 29 ratings
score: 94,
and
1 person voted
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