The Haiku Handbook: How to Write, Share and Teach Haiku (Paperback)
William J. Higginson with Penny Harter
The Haiku Handbook is the first book to give the reader everything needed to begin writing or teaching Haiku. It presents haiku poets writing in English, Spanish, French, German, and five other languages on an equal footing with japanese poets. Not only are the four great Japanese masters of the haiku represented (Basho, Buson, Issa and Shiki) but also several major Western authors not commonly known to have written haiku.
The book presents a concise history of the Japanese haiku, including the dynamic changes throughout the twentieth century as th haiku has been adapted to suburban and industrial settings. Full chapters are offered on form, the seasons in haiku, the haiku craft, plus background on the Japanese poetic tradition and the effect of translation on our understanding of haiku. Other unique features are the lesson plans for both elementary and secondary school use; and lists of haiku publishers and magazines (in several languages). The Handbook concludes with a full reference section of haiku-related terms, bibliography, and a comprehensive season-word list to aid in understanding and appreciating Japanese jaiku.
"...The most comprehensive compendium of the haiku-its nature, uses, and history-ever to appear in English, or any other language except Japanese." Cor van den Heuvel, author, The Haiku Anthology
