| Title | : | Haiku Handbook: How to Write, Share, and Teach Haiku |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 4770014309 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9784770014306 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 331 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 1985 |
Haiku Handbook: How to Write, Share, and Teach Haiku Reviews
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Am I the only person on the planet who wants to throw a drunken Haiku party???
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A very good book, and I think a lot of people out there would say this is the introduction to haiku for English speakers.
Higginson passed away about four or five months after I began to read and write haiku. I'd seen The Haiku Handbook around at various haiku meetings, had seen it quoted on some different websites and blogs, and it eventually became one of those books with which I had a peripheral, if not personal relationship.
I believe I got a copy of this book about three or so weeks before Higginson passed away, and it was tremendously useful. Though I had already begun to write haiku, the thoughts and suggestions Higginson makes in the book helped to solidfy my appreciation for the art. He presents a strong thesis of haiku as poetry, which seems to run askew (some might even say perpendicular to) the thesis of haiku as spiritual practice. Regardless of your personal thoughts on such an issue (if you have any at all), no one can deny the depth of Higginson's thought. Thus, while this book is certainly appropriate for a person who has studied a bit of haiku, I believe this book could lend such a person insights he or she had not experienced before.
On the other hand, this book is the perfect introduction to haiku for a person who is completely clueless and simply curious. The Haiku Handbook provides lessons on the whole spectrum of haiku, from reading it to writing it. One of the sections that is most interesting is a whole chapter dedicated to teaching children haiku. Most children seem to be taught haiku as a poem written in 5-7-5 syllables. This misrepresentation, born out of a loss in translation, is felt all too painfully by those of us who write literary haiku, and do not follow that convention. In any case, the point I believe Higginson is trying to make, and that he makes well, is that haiku are deeper and more personal than most people seem to understand. Even more so, he seems to be suggesting that haiku are capable of being understood by all of us, even children.
However, I think that it is worth noting that if you are dipping your toe in the haiku waters (to borrow the expression of a friend), I'd also recommend purchasing a book os just haiku, as well. I think some people would agree that The Haiku Handbook ought to be supplemented by a broader reading of haiku, as well. Higginson's work is an explanation of haiku, not collection of it, and the reader may feel cheated if they do not have a haiku anthology to read in order to look for the themes and devices that Higginson describes.
In any case, if you write haiku and don't have this book, eventually, you probably will. If you are new to haiku, then this book will provide invaluable knowledge on the art. -
Many people think that a haiku is any poem of three lines consisting of 5, 7, and 5 syllables, respectively. Those who’ve gotten beyond a high school literature class introduction to the form may also know that these poems are usually observations of the nature world, and, specifically, the seasons. If the preceding sentences sum up haiku for you, but you’re interested in learning more, Higginson’s book will revolutionize your understanding of the art.
As it happens, the most fundamental notions about what makes up a haiku are actually more contentious than one might believe. Take the 17-syllable format. Japanese syllables are—on average—much shorter than English syllables. (e.g. Consider that “squirreled” is one syllable, whereas a long Japanese syllable would be “shi.”) For this reason, many have argued that to have the same sparse sound quality of Japanese haiku, English language haiku should follow a format that is less than 17 syllables. Also, while many people know that haiku are poems about nature, they might not make the connection to the purely descriptive (non-analytical / non-judgmental) approach or the art form. There’s a definite connection between haiku and the Zen mode of thought. The fact that the poems are sensate descriptions doesn’t mean they shouldn’t evoke emotion; on the contrary, they should be evocative on a primal level.
Be the preceding paragraph as it may, Higginson sketches out the evolution of haiku from the traditional greats (e.g. Bashō, Buson, Issa, and Shiki) to modern haiku poets both from Japan and from the rest of the world. The many examples provided offer the reader insight into how various poets have bent and broken the rules of haiku to achieve their own ends. There are, of course, some who wish to keep the form as true to the tradition as possible. Such individuals would like those who want to get unconventional to avoid using the term haiku (or terms for related traditional forms, e.g. “tanka.”) Others, want the freedom to take the art in new and unconventional directions.
The book consists of 16 chapters divided into four parts. The first part charts the evolution of haiku from the early masters to the modern age. The second part gets into the nitty-gritty of composing haiku, and it’s where one will learn about the various thoughts on the form and content of these poems. (Those wanting to learn the craft of writing haiku are directed specifically to chapters 8 and 9, which address the key elements nicely.) The third part is about teaching haiku, and specifically how to introduce it to children in a way that is much more effective than the usual teaching method (i.e. “Hey, kids, a haiku is a poem with 17 syllables arranged in three lines of 5 – 7 – 5 syllables.”) The fourth and final part puts haiku into a context of lesser known, but related, forms of Japanese poetry such at renga, tanka, and senryu. In other words, it reflects on the forms that predated or sprung from haiku. The book also has front and post matter that readers may find useful, including explanations of Japanese pronunciation (the Japanese poems usually feature the Romanized spelling out of the Japanese words as well as an English translation), a list of season words, a glossary, and bibliographic references.
I’d recommend this book for readers and / or writers of haiku who want to learn more about the craft and its progression as an art form. There’s scarcely a page in the book that doesn’t offer example haiku to help make the author’s points more clearly. One needn’t worry that this will be dull exposition that can only help to kill one’s love of haiku. I found the book to be readable and the examples to be well chosen. -
This was the textbook for a class that I took from the Writers Village University on Japanese poetic forms. It's very thorough. Describes the history of Japanese forms as well as the variations that these forms have undergone in contemporary America. I have a much deeper appreciation and respect for haiku, tanga, renga, haiga, and senryu now that I've studied this textbook. My, these are complicated, but beautiful forms that convey emotion through images. For anyone interested in writing haiku or other Japanese forms, I highly recommend this book.
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When I read this book for the first time I wished that every school teacher that decides to do a haiku-writing lesson would read this book first. Haiku is more than just counting syllables!
This book goes into the traditions of haiku at great length and enables a serious student to understand what a haiku actually is, and how to tell a good one from a second-rate one.
For poets who'd like to try writing haiku, this book gives an overwhelming amount of information. I'd recommend going slow and reading and rereading useful sections rather than dashing through it and trying to apply everything you've learned all at once.
One useful feature of the book is an extensive list of traditional season-words (a traditional haiku always has a season-word). Looking over the list may help you find a season word that can act as a poetry prompt for your next haiku. -
A fascinatingly terrible book ... Higginson spends about 250 pages (after a too-short overview of Japanese haiku) reproducing horrendously bad haiku by himself and other self-published American haiku "poets," all the while treating haiku like a fun hobby to pick up in your spare time, like crocheting, complete with hilarious instructions ("pick one or more from this helpful list of seasonal words!" etc), as if real poetry could be written in this way. There are a dozen other books on haiku and the history of the genre that are more worthy of your attention; this book is an embarrassment to poetry itself.
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For anyone with a moderately poetic inclination, this is a great introduction to reading and writing haiku. It is both a loving tribute to haiku's Japanese origins and an exploration of western adaptations. One quickly learns that the 5-7-5 syllable form is not widely adhered to among western poets, and that the important thing is direct imagery, and surprising juxtaposition. Japanese haiku do often occur in 17 characters, but that does not exactly match the concept of syllable. The author calculates that simply in terms of how long it takes to read a particular haiku, 12 syllables would be a better approximation to the Japanese form. The book contains many delightful haiku, though I am somewhat disappointed that it didn't contain more. Some of the later chapters also felt a little like filler, so I would say 4.5/5 rounded up.
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The Haiku Handbook: How to Write, Teach, and Appreciate Haiku. This is a very specialist book which I wouldn't recommend unless you have a very specific interest teaching different forms of Haiku. If you're already an expert - this is for you.
I've only given it four stars as it gets a bit technical at times but it also contains a wonderful section on how to teach Haiku which I've been able to draw on for the Battersea Literature Festival events and teach a variation on myself.
Reading this also, I believe will have improved my own Haiku and made me fall still more in love with the form - or I should say, the many forms of a Haiku verse. -
The history and forms of haiku and related Japanese poetry types are discussed here, & there remains within this book a lot of name-dropping amongst non-Japanese practitioners of this enduring and resilient art form.
Perhaps the most interesting part of this book remains the part where North American and European variations of this form are discussed, as well as contemporary non-Japanese practitioners of those same forms utilized within the context of poetic literatures within the English speaking world. -
Almost as perfect as a well formed haiku. I found the chapters on related poetry styles to be like extra words in a work that could have been perfect without them. The chapter on haibun - haiku prose, however, was a welcome addition.
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Muy bueno! Un libro útil que exhibe una vasto conocimiento de las tradiciones haikus en y fuera de Japón. Pero Higginson reconoce que el haiku brota de la historia y la cultura japonesa y que los mejores haikus escritos dentro y fuera de Japón son los que participan y reconocen esa resonancia.
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Although dry, I give it 4 stars for being so thorough. Easy to understand, and NOT saturated with artsy-fartsy flowery language.
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It was interesting to read about the evolution and spread of haiku as well as some diverse writers of haiku. The lesson plans were also fun, although overall I found the book a bit wordy, ironically.
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Great overview and information on Haikus.
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If you want to learn how to really write a haiku, get this book. Most of what you see in the West are not Haiku. They are words across broken lines.
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The book was alright. I wanted something just plain and simple to get to the point. This book does give quite a bit of information.
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An impressive resource that has an impressive chapter on poetry resources to wrap it all up.
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Really helpful. Could've done without the "how to teach" section, but I'm guessing it's pretty useful for anyone engaged in instruction.
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This was a very nice book on Haiku and is definitely a must read/own for anyone serious about writing haiku. It has great information on the history, haiku poets, writing haiku in English, etc. It does get a bit esoteric at times You do have to keep in mind that it was written in 1985, so it does feel dated when he talks about technology, how people can share haiku, and any of the "current" resources (such as magazines and publications) may very well not be available anymore. Also, the teaching section was very disappointing to me. It has some great ideas for teaching to kids, but next to nothing about teaching adults! Overall though, it is a great place to start, useful, and a great reference for anyone who wants to take up the art of Haiku.
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The haiku handbook is one of the few excellent texts on haiku in English, covering the history of its traditional forms and abstraction away from earlier, longer poetry styles, the modern Western movement of haiku, and many technical chapters that find a good middle ground between the free musicality of haiku and its coherence as a form. The poems are well-chosen and give good context to the history and forms surrounding and related to haiku (for example, the imagist poems of Ezra Pound).
Highly recommended for anybody interested in writing or appreciating poetry. -
A long overdue read. I've had this on my shelf for almost 10 years, and I wished I'd read it sooner.
But still very useful. Lots of tips useful for beginners or experts. I doubt there is any haiku writer or reader who wouldn't gain something from this book.
A generous and welcoming style throughout. Also packed with great examples of the poetry in question. -
Who could possible imagine that there would be some much to know about Haiku. This book covers the Four Masters of Japanese Haiku, the tradition of haiku, and haiku examples from around the world, including modern selections. It covers what makes a good haiku including the use of seasons in the poem. It also describes how to teach haiku. It's a great reference.
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A good background on origin of haiku, related poetry styles, history of it in Japan and rest of the world, rules and guidance on how to write. I read the original edit in which has some sections that may be less necessary in the Internet age, as one can google resources like where to publish and such.
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I very thorough history of the haiku poem form including Japanese (with english translation) of the "masters". Very interesting. Very informative. Writing Haiku is something I'd like to do when I have time to think!!!
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This is a great intro and handbook for Haiku enthusiast and newcomer alike. It may not be a complete/how-to book that teaches you the overall aspect or technicality of a haiku, but of history, philosophy, the basics and the true poetic knowledge. This will be a go to book for me.
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This is a great book. Not only a nice introduction to the world of japanese haiku poetry but with a troughtfull aproach to the differences in haiku in the east and the west. Only flaw is there is not a single reference to haiku in portuguese.
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04/27/07
