Product Description
Thomas, the child-protagonist of The Issa Valley, is subject to both the contradictions of nature in this severe northern setting and sometimes enchanting, sometimes brutal timbre of village life. There are the deep pine and spruce forests, the grouse and the deer, and the hunter's gun. There is Magdalena, the beautiful mistress of the village priest, whose suicide unleashes her ghost to haunt the parish. There are also the loving grandparents with whom Thomas lives, who provide a balance of the not-quite-Dostoevskian devils that visit the villagers. In the end, Thomas is severed from his childhood and the Issa River, and leaves prepared for adventures beyond his valley. Poetic and richly imagined, The Issa Valley is a masterful work of fiction from one of our greatest living poets.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

What is Man?
Yes to the above. A classic coming-of-age story that, as do the great ones, asks the question, What does it mean to be a man? (Think of Gilgamesh or Huck Finn or precious young Werther.) A question mediated here between two European aristocratic types: There is the guy-man, Pan Romauld, who triumphs with the ladies and as a hunter/killer of birds (so very much the European aristocrat). And there is the whole man, Grandfather Surkont, who does not hunt and is generous to those in his charge--and he has a library!! As well, there are the abundant (perhaps too much so), brilliant, luxurious, and precise descriptions of the natural world of northern Lithuania. In this he joins several East European writers, not only his compatriot Henry Sienkiewicz, but also Paustovsky and (alas!) Gregor Rezzori, this latter with his descriptions of the natural glories of the Bukovinian Carpathians.A fine work of autobiographical fiction in a grand tradtion.

A masterpiece of the inner life..
Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature,Czeslaw Milosz here writes deftly
yet with the right amount of passion about the child,Thomas. What an inner
life,what thoughts,what dreams,this child has. He soars with Aurora.then
blends with the trees in his beloved Issa Valley. What poetry in writing..
I was enchanted as you will be,too.Let Mr. Milosz and the Issa Valley wrap you in it's gentle and mercurial embrace.
M.Baker

Nature under the microscope!
Renowned Polish-Lithuanian poet, Czeslaw Milosz crafts his poetry with prose-like clarity and his prose with flowing rhythm and sententious weight.His coming of age novel, 'The Issa Valley' is a stunning example of how the mediatative lyric can be woven into a novel.

The novel takes place in the wild forests of central Lithuania near to where Milosz spent his youthful summers at the manor houses of his grandparents.The central character, Thomas, an adolescent school-boy of an aristocratic Polish family is sent away to his grandparents for the summer.Grandfather Surkont is the model of noblisse oblige, a Polonized Lithuanian aristocrat who strives to keep his household and his villagers happy despite the violent changes which threaten to engulf this forgotten paradise.The time is just after the Great War, when the newly-formed Republic of Lithuania is struggling with itsindepedence after centuries of foreign domination, by the Russians on a state level, by the Polish landowners on the local level.Polish 'pan,' Thomas, is abruptly thrown into a fresh and vibrant world completely foreign from the fast-paced city life he has known until now.Here in the villages and manors around the Issa River, the world is pagan and Lithuanian.Ancient spirits and gods dwell in the minds and souls of the Lithuanian peasants who people Thomas's new world.And most of all, Thomas meets up with his newest passion, that which teaches him more than any school-book ever could, the rich and primeval natural world.

More than anything, Milosz's novel is a giant mediatative prose poem on the shape and workings of nature.Sentence after sentence drips with near religious reverence for the water-lillied, cobalt-colored Issa, for the inpenetrable jungles of black pine, home to the bullet-headed snipe, siena-shaded mule deer, the fearsome black-bodied, red-hooded forest vipers whose lethal injection will put the strongest of men down before he can whisper, 'Holy Jesus, home to an infinite variety of bird and bug.Thomas is immediately captured by such an environment and sets out to become a 'naturalist.'In the Issa valley that means 'hunter.' Thomas soons attaches himself to the local hunter, Romauld, who initiates Thomas in the arts of tracking, waiting and dropping prey.Thomas hungers to learn this ancient art but fails dismally.Always a step behind, a little too hestitant to pull the trigger, he fails to make the big kill.Until the squirrel.Thomas' deliberate wounding of his unsuspecting and innocent victim causes a painful enlightenment.Through his tears of remorse and agonizing pang of guilt, Thomas grows up in a moment.He has taken life, thereby losing his Adam-like innocence.This two-page metaphor for the fall of man is in itself worth the whole book.

This seminal climax in Thomas' life underscores Milosz's central theme: we are all inextricably attached to our environment, slaves of the brutal and beautiful outside world that holds us in her hand.The natural world forms the backbone, muscle and tissue of this novel.The characters whom surround Thomas's microcosm are mere pawns of omnipotent nature and through them, Milosz makes his creed clear: accept your place in the nature of things or woe is your lot.Magdelena covets the village priest and finally gets her wish, but at a dire cost. Ostracized from her surroundings, she choses suicide and her ghost haunts the village until she finally finds her place again.Balthazar, the manor's forester, covets a life not his, more land, more money, a prettier wife.A dangerous desire.One which eventually leads to madness, mayhem and murder.

Milosz sketches these characters with a light brush.Milosz leaves out emotional depth for the sake of proving his teleology.Thus, the characters, Thomas included, often seem like indistinct shadows cast in the background.But Milosz's sun, the portrayal of nature in all its savage colors, nonetheless burns an indelible image on the brain if not the heart.'The Issa Valley' is not only a vibrant and melancholy journey around that world that surrounds us but a detached, yet oddly moving, examination of those passions within us which hunger to connect with something greater.Those longing for such a journey would do well to pick up 'The Issa Valley.' ... Read more

Product Description
Kobayashi Issa (1763-1827), along with Basho and Buson, is considered one of the three greatest haiku poets of Japan, known for his attention to poignant detail and his playful sense of humor. Issa's most-loved work, The Spring of My Life, is an autobiographical sketch of linked prose and haiku in the tradition of Basho's famous Narrow Road to the Interior. In addition to The Spring of My Life, the translator has included more than 160 of Issa's best haiku and an introduction providing essential information on Issa's life and valuable comments on translating (and reading) haiku. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

SuperfluousWordsarepowerful . . . BECAUSEtheyareneverused.
The power, the beauty of each poem comes from words erased, struck out. OR, in the minds of the greatest writers of haiku, may never have been considered.

Translator Sam Hamill has a heightened sensitivity for nuance. He 'listens' to any subtle variation of sound or meaning, and also the changes that evolve through generations. This reviewer considers him the "translator-of-choice". Wouldn't it be a joyand honor to have your own writings translated into Japanese by this man?

Hamill's thorough knowledge of the writings of the greatest authors of haiku is rich from a friendship that spans the ages. It rewards him - and his study doubtless brings occasional surprises still. Kobayishi Issa lived from 1763-1827 and in his"Song of My Life" we find travel notes interspersed with haiku. These "seventeen syllables" are interludes that expand our understanding of the author's progression of work and philosophy and bring readers deep joy.

In the next section poems are presented in English and Japanese. A wide range of subjects give the expected seasonal connections, from which I have chosen these examples:

With my folding fan
I measured the peony --
as it demanded

So many breezes
wander through my summer room:
but never enough

Before this autumn wind
even the shadows of mountains
shudder and tremble

I know everything
about the old householder,
even his shiver

Inspiration, contemplation and meditation each play a role in Issa's creative mind. He was sad about the loss of his daughter and son but wrote verses that brought laughter to other children:

The firefly departs
so quickly, so breathlessly
it leaves behind its light

A watercolor by Kaji Aso decorates the cover of"The Spring of My Life" and there are many 'haiku paintings' that speak to the meaning of Issa's words. Reviewer mcHAIKU believes the most rewarding way to read haiku is to allow its music into your soul with gratitude.

Superb!

You might like to know the contents of the book:

*** Translator's Introduction......ix

*** The Spring of My Life......1

*** Selected Haiku......97

*** Notes......171

*** Index of First Lines......173

*** About the Translator and the Artist......181
__________ __________ __________ __________ __________ _________

Ah yes, Issa...

Issa the lonely... Issa the rejected... Issa the destitute... Issa the bereaved...

but also:

Issa the compassionate... Issa the noble... Issa the pure of heart....

***
Issa's childhood was marred by cruelty and rejection; he experienced great personal loss throughout his life.

Though he suffered much, he seemingly retained a noble spirit.

***
I found this book's content very interesting and the prose style very easy to read.

In it you will get to know the haiku poet Kobayashi Issa intimately through his own thoughts.

***
Much of Issa's haiku focuses on nature's small animals and insects like the turtle, the frog, the cricket, the lowly fly, etc.

He was obviously a very sensitive and compassionate human being.

***
Issa talks about parts of his life and we get to know his haiku very well.

I like the way the content is laid out:

In the "Spring of My Life" section, portions of Issa's life are told in short prose passages with a poem or poems following; the poems tend to highlight what was just said in each previous prose passage.
And then in the "Selected Haiku" section of the book we have only haiku with no prose.

***
Hamill's translations seem very good to me.

***
I recommend this book for getting to know the great Issa.

this is haiku
Look no further, you've found it!

One MUST judge a book by its cover!
I bought this book for three reasons: a pre-existing love for Issa'spoetry, the picture on the front cover, and the review by Ramon Melendez. Really, I have little to add to his review since he sums up the book verynicely.I haven't even finished reading it...What I would like to writeare my first impressions.It was a delight simply to hold this book in myhands: it's size and shape are unique, reflecting the uniqueness of thewords and worlds inside.Those colours on the cover reflect, perhaps, thecolours of Issas "canvas" as he composes beatiful poems, sovisual, delicate and sensitive.This book even smelled nice - yes, it isthe nicest smelling book I've ever smelled.

Sam Hamill's translationsare wonderful: he (successfully) attemps to retain the intended rhythmicand visual effect in the original Japanese poetry - so very little (ifanything) is lost in the translation (as far as I am aware).Comparingthese translations with some others I have read, subtleties become apparentin Hamill's translations where others have left me confused anddisappointed.

A book of a rare beautiful simplicity
This is one of the most beautiful books I have read. Issa's story is moving, deeply humane yet not tainted by any melodramatic tendencies. Framed in the Japanese tradition of haiku poetryhis poems to his daughterare tender and moving and reveal a deep appreciation of life, beauty andsimplicity. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1985 in a limited edition, this selection of haiku by Issa, the great nineteenth-century Japanese poet, is translated by Nanao Sakaki, the legendary contemporary Japanese poet. Widely regarded as one of the four haiku masters of Japan, Issa is much loved for his compassion and humorous sense of equality with the natural world.

Don't swat the fly

who begs your pardon

wringing his hands and legs

Each poem is rendered in Sakaki's handwriting in both English and Kanji and includes Romanji text as well. The translations are among the freshest and most concise renditions of Issa's haiku. Also included is an interview with Sakaki about the life, wanderings, and work of Issa as well as the ongoing tradition embodied by his poems. Beautifully designed, this book is a treasure for admirers both of Issa and of Nanao Sakaki.

Inch by inch

little snail

creep up and up Mt. Fuji ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A touch on the down side
Issa was a brilliant poet, but given his rather difficult life, his poems tend towards the down side. One of the reasons I love haiku is that they are generally rather joyful, and Issa's work rarely is. However, if you don't mind the down, Issa was a master with words.

Small but contains the universe..
Another treasure from one of the world's greatest-somewhat-unknown poets...more more more is all I can say! To see his translations in his own hand is the greatest thrill, as well as the brief but wonderful interview at the end conducted by the editor and publishers. A true touchstone for living dharma and freedom. ... Read more

Product Description
Another timely companion to Braunwald's Heart Disease, this unique volume focuses on the clinical aspects of all types of cardiac arrhythmias and offers the most up-to-date guidelines for diagnosis and treatment. You'll get expert coverage of hot topics such as mechanisms of arrhythmias, electrophysiologic testing, mapping and navigation modalities, ablation energy sources, sinus node dysfunction, conduction disturbances, atrial tachyarrhythmias, preexcitation syndromes and all types of ventricular and supraventricular tachycardias. Expert Consult functionality allows you to access the entire contents of the book online, from any Internet connection.

• Offers unique perspectives from a three-author team whose members are affiliated with the Indiana University School of Medicine, one of the leading centers for arrhythmia research and treatment including
  
• Includes Expert Consult, to allow you to access the entire contents of the book from any Internet connection.
  
• Presents consistent organization with all chapters written to a template that shows every arrhythmia type in a similar manner so you can quickly locate desired information.
  
• Covers a wide array of topics including mechanisms of arrhythmias, electrophysiologic testing, mapping and navigation modalities, ablation energy sources, sinus node dysfunction, conduction disturbances, atrial tachyarrhythmias, preexcitation syndromes and all types of ventricular and supraventricular tachycardias.
  
• Reinforces the extensive text with management algorithms and treatment guidelines to aid visual learning.

Product Description
Born in 1763 on a farm in central Japan, Issa began writing haiku as a young child. Matthew Gollub has integrated the story of Issa's life and selections of his best-known work with Kazuko Stone's visual interpretations in the form of whimsical watercolors. Full color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Refreshing!
I got this book at the library to enrich a study on Japan with my 8 year old daughter.I fell in love with the whole book: the story, the writing, the pictures, the extra information in the back.It was a find!So of course, I now have my own copy.My daughter enjoyed it so much she wants to learn Japanese now.

Beautiful and touching
The impressive quality of the illustrations and translations presented in this children's book makes it a cherished Haiku collector's item. What can haiku (or this book) do for our children? If the child is scientist-oriented, he/she will have fun see the world through insects' perspectives and experience the transforming power of imagination turning cool melons into frogs. If the child loves drawing, the book will enrich their interests with Eastern style paintings where Japanese character itself is a fascinating art. If the child has a writer in them, this book will share the strength of ISSA who first found comfort and hope in writing haiku after losing his mother at a very young age, had then emerged, through persistence and faith, to be the Japanese cultural icon whose name we equates with HAIKU today.

The Spring of My Life: And Selected Haiku

Learn that famous frog in Haiku tradition
Issa(1763-1827) is one the most accomplished and loved haiku masters and now his beautiful work of poetry is made accessible to children and parents through Matthew Gollub's superb translation sand Kazuko Stone's elegant Japaneseillustrations. A true pleasure to read, Cool Melons- Turn to Frog will teach your child (grade 2-5) about the life of Issa, his transformation from a sad child to an influential Japanese literary icon, the style of his haiku, his love for harmony in nature and the wonder of seeing poems captured in painting by the original Japanese artist.

Haiku master
Since I'm trying to learn about Haiku, this was the perfect book.Matthew Gollub translated poems of a renowned Japanese Haiku writer Issa.Gollub translates the Japanese but does not fall into the trap of trying to forge the English translations into the 5-7-5 syllables as often taught in elementary schools.(The syllable count works for Japanese - not English).Beautifully illustrated by Kazuko G. Stone.The end paper explains about the translation and about writing haiku in English.This is the perfect book to understand haiku.

Cool Melons Turn To Frogs
I am a big fan of Issa, and this is a lovely book. I returned this purchase (soft cover) only because I had bought it for a gift, and for a gift, the book just doesn't look as nice in soft cover. The illustrations are gorgeous and look much better in hard cover. ... Read more

Product Description
Born in segregated Daytona, Florida, in 1899, Howard Thurman grew up dreaming of a better life a life where his mother and grandmother would not have to cook and clean for other people; a life where he could become a college man, honoring his late father s wishes and his own dreams.Through hard work, perseverance, and the support of friends and family, young Howard transcended the limits on Negro education in Daytona and earned a scholarship to an out-of-town high school. His dream did not come easily and was nearly lost, until a kind act by a stranger at a railroad station aided Howard in a time of need.A moving testament to the bonds of community and the power of faith, Howard Thurman's Great Hope illuminates the early life of the man who became a seminal civil rights leader and an inspiration to the nation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Howard Thurman's Great Hope
I grew up in Atlanta, GA and attended Clark Atlanta University, a school next door to Morehouse College where Howard Thurman went to school.Yet, before I read Howard Thurman's Great Hope by Kai Jackson, I had never heard of him.But, we owe Kai Jackson a debt of gratitude; she has reminded us of the struggles that African Americans had to overcome to be successful. Moreover, parents in America should read the book to their child to give them a paragon of a human being.Finally Kai Jackson deserves a pat on the back for writing such an inspiring story.

a lovely book
The book is excellently written and beautifully illustrated.A must read for kids of all ages.

The color illustrations work in harmony with the text of an truly inspirational life
Howard Thurman's Great Hope is a picturebook biography of the early years of African-American civil rights leader and preacher Howard Thurman (1899-1981). Born into an era when racial segregation pervaded, he dreamed of attending college; through hard work, perseverance, and the unexpected generosity of a stranger he achieved his dream and much more. The color illustrations work in harmony with the text of an truly inspirational life, in this highly recommended addition to children's library collections.

Inspiring Story, Beautifully Told
A beautifully told story of a young Howard Thurman and his early struggles to complete his education with little financial resources and many barriers of racism to overcome. This is an important read for every child.

inspirational
A moving and inspirational story of Howard Thurman's hope for an education. A great book for young and old of any race, for anyone with dreams and hopes. ... Read more

Product Description
The Bible explicitly records the life of Jesus, with one exception-his life between the ages of 13 and 30. Yet, ancient Buddhist scripture records the life of Saint Issa, which astoundingly parallels the life of Jesus of Nazareth. ISSA is a story of Jesus's life during the missing years, his journey through Asia, the power within he had to master and the tests of the heart he had to pass before he could change the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Issa is just alright with me
Doesn't quite live up to it's tag line of "The Greatest Story Never Told", but kudos for the clever line.

The story starts out fast and furious, but flat lines in the second half while the characters flounder about in angst as to what is to come.Overall a solid effort that kept me reading to the end.

The spirituality is a combination of ancient Asian and Middle Eastern practices, and it is seamlessly integrated into the book.I did not come away with any profound insights, but I did enjoy the speculation on what Jesus might have been like as a teen.The portrayal was a bit flawed for me, Jesus, aka Issa, was a bit too somber, serene, sacred, and serious.I would picture someone with that kind of connection to the divine to be more playful, happy, and joyful.

Entertainment: 4 stars
Enlightenment: 4 stars

Great Addition to the Novelizations of Jesus' Life That Are Already Out There
I have read several novelizations of Jesus' life, including Deepak Chopra's Jesus: A Story of Enlightenment, The Last Temptation of Christ by Nikos Kazantzakis, Mary, Called Magdalene by Margaret George, and more. ISSA is a great addition to this body of literature, because it focuses in on Jesus' teens and young 20s, the 'lost years' not covered in the Bible.

As other reviewers have covered, it is largely based on Elizabeth Clare Prophet's writings on the subject, which are themselves based on the writings of Nicholas Notovitch, a 19th century Russian who claimed to have visited a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Ladakh that had manuscripts telling stories of a saint named Issa, who they believed to be Jesus. Although the existence of these manuscripts has been hotly debated over the years, the story remains a compelling one.

ISSA depicts Jesus during the years when he travels to the East to study with a mystic teacher in the Buddhist/yogic vein, although that isn't specifically stated. He studies with several other young people, both men and women, from various backgrounds in the area, some of whom are based on Biblical figures, others that are entirely fictional but based on other history of the period. There is a compelling political back story involving a kingdom that one of the other students will eventually inherit.

Those interested in Buddhist and other Eastern teachings will probably appreciate this book the most, because the storyline explores themes common to both Christianity and Buddhism, as well as other mystic themes not so commonly found in contemporary mainstream Christianity.

I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 because on a purely storytelling level, it can be confusing at times, with gaps in time covered rapidly, and dialogue between characters not really seeming fully developed in certain scenes. This is the author's first novel, so some of that is to be expected. But overall, I think it is a fine piece of spiritual fiction.

Jesus as a teenager in India
This was an interesting story. Jesus (Issa) as a teenager is taken by Joseph of Arimathea to India out of the view of the Romans. There they join with other members of The Order of Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20; Hebrews 6:20; 7:1-3), one the wisemen Casper, a King and a teacher; and 3 other teenagers. It is decided that the 4 teenagers will travel across India and Tibet with the teacher and learn about Buddhism and Hinduism. The story is about their travels and what they learn about spirituality and themselves. I learned quite a bit about how the different religions lined up with Judaism. A neat idea incorporated by the author was Jesus learning to meld the stories and tell them to the poor people so that they could understand them ~ a precursor to the parables. Very interesting, easy to read.

Awesome!!!
Issa was gripping from start to finish! I recommend it to all who love the Di Vinci Code! Fantastic combination of a look in history for missing links in Jesus life and interplay between possible characters!!! One of the best historical fictions I have ever read.

Loved it!
This was a fun read! I didn't want to put the book down and I didn't want it to end. It's action oriented and the description of the people, places and philosophies seem so real. It stirs the soul to something greater. It makes me wonder why a story like this has not been told before in the mainstream and why there is seemingly such a gulf between Eastern and Western philosophies.It's said that the Vatican has tons of information they have never released to the public. I wonder if the Vatican really has evidence of Jesus' travel to the East during his teen years. But no matter what you believe, whether you're a Christian, buddhist, agnostic or whatever this fictional tale is fun to read. Looking forward to the next one. ... Read more

Product Description
1020 Haiku in Translation: The Heart of Basho, Buson and Issa features the most representative works of the three greatest haiku poets, Basho, Buson, and Issa.Each of the 1020 haiku has been meticulously translated into a poetic English form, while preserving the exact content and flow of the original.Notes, focusing on the meaning of uncommon words, geographical features, historical information, and cultural background have been provided to help non-Japanese readers to more fully understand.Elegant artwork and calligraphy appear throughout the book.1020 Haiku in Translation: The Heart of Basho, Buson and Issa, a gateway to a new view of nature and your life, and featuring many haiku that have been translated into English for the first time, will appeal to all students of literature as well as general readers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Fabulous!
This is the best volume of translated haiku I have ever seen. I join in singing the praises of this book along with the other reviewers.

There is a rich amount of Buson haiku in this collection. To date, to my continued amazement, there is only ONE volume solely devoted to Buson in English, that of Edith Shiffert. So this volume helps correct that egregious oversight.

I also like the strong typeface for the English translations. Some might quibble with the capitablized first word of each line, and some might quibble with the stop at the end of the translation. I don't mind these at all. I am used to this in RH Blyth's translations, and these are better than Blyth's in my opinion. Also I think modern haiku poet Alexis Rotella prefers final period punctuation in her own haiku.

Some like Lucien Stryk seem to prefer a minimalist approach to translating haiku. The present translators have struck the right balance between too many and too few words.

And most of all, the translations are themselves good poetry - lyrical, words well chosen, the ordering of the words very artistic but not too much as to become "poetry" in the western sense. The Japanese quality has been preserved very well.

All in all a tremendous contribution to translated haiku by the three great masters, Basho, Buson, and Issa. Three cheers!!

The Art of Haiku
1020 Haiku in Translation: The Heart of Basho, Buson, and Issa, Translated by Takafumi Saito and William R. Nelson illustrates the art of translation and of haiku. This is a must read book for anyone who loves poetry. The book is appropriately organized by seasons. The beauty of the haiku are matched by the exquisite artwork by Munetaka Sakaguchi. Whether you are a teacher, a student, a writer or a reader who has an interest in haiku, this book belongs on your shelf. Translation is an art and Saito and Nelson have demonstrated their talent and artistic ability in rendering these beautiful poems into English. (Reviewed by Professor Horne, Chair of English, University of Northern British Columbia)

Great
This book is a great introduction to Haiku poetry. The author discusses the types of Haiku topics and the approach to each. I was suprised at the imagry I was able to congure up reading the poems and I learned to appreciate this literary style.

The author explains how Haiku has been translated and that due to the limited wording and the anchient language, scholars have debated some of the subtle neuances of the poem. Hoowever, the poems are beautiful.

I highly recommend this book.

Wonderful Collection
This is what it advertises-- 1020 Haiku from the three great haiku masters-- Basho, Buson, and Issa.The beauty of this book is that there is romanized/phonetic translation of the Japanese... so you can read the English translation, then sound out the Japanese syllables to hear the sound of the haiku (at least an approximation) in the original Japanese.Finally, the hirigana/katakana/kanji are supplied for each haiku, as well, so if you read Japanese, you can read the original.

Misters Nelson and Saito explain that they chose to translate into an English version that they thought best captured the original Japanese intention.They elected not to retain a 5-7-5 or approximate format, although they did keep predominately three lines for each haiku.That being said, I have seen more artistic translations of the common haiku I have read elsewhere in other books-- all in all, I wasn't that happy with the translations... the percentage of haiku that really grabbed me was not as high as other books I've read.But that may just be me, or the fact that out of 1020 haiku, I've seen the best ones already in other books with less.

The book itself is trade paperback in style... about 8x6 inches, 1.5 inches thick.The paper is that thick, grainy, acid-free-looking stuff... it has nice texture that should last.The book is sparsely and tastefully illustrated with Japanese brushstroke paintings and calligraphy throughout.About a dozen or so of the more famous haiku are repeated in the calligraphy independently on full pages as stand-alone decoration.

As tradition, the haiku are divided into seasons.Each haiku poet gets a section in each season.Each section is further sub-divided into areas such as "Flowers", "Eating and Food", "Insects","People Working" and things like that.The headings are organized alphabetically, but somewhat arbitrarily chosen.The footnotes on selected haiku preodminately elaboarate on Japanese traditions, historical events, and geography that may not be commonly known-- there is no real artistic critique or elaboration.There is an index in the back which organizes the haiku alphabetically by the first Japanese syllable/word.

The preface itself does little in the way of explaining the why of the book and how they chose to translate the original Japanese.There is not a lot, if anything, on philosophy or history, or insight into this type of poetry.

Sheer Joy
It has been many years since I have felt such joy at the physical beauty of a book: the intelligence and elegance of the design, the parallel texts, the foreword, the beauty of the poetry, the architecture of the sequence, the generous size of the print, the integration of the art work and written characters in the page layouts--all of these things and more.What a lovely gift to the world.Don't miss this. ... Read more

Product Description

Effectively Execute Lean Six Sigma Projects using SigmaXL and Minitab

Written by a Six Sigma Master Black Belt and a Ph.D., this practical guide to Lean Six Sigma project execution follows the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) roadmap. The many real-world examples used in the book offer in-depth theoretical analyses and are implemented using the two most popular statistical software suites--SigmaXL and Minitab. This expert resource covers Lean topics ranging from basic data analysis to complex design of experiments and statistical process control. Harness the power of SigmaXL and Minitab and enable sustained positive operational results throughout your organization with help from this authoritative guide.

Lean Six Sigma Using SigmaXL and Minitab explains how to:

• Define the project goals, project manager, value statement, stakeholders, and risk
• Schedule tasks using the Gantt chart, critical path analysis, and program evaluation and review technique
• Capture the voice of internal and external customers
• Assess the cost of quality
• Gather data and measure process performance
• Perform process capabilities analysis
• Apply Lean Six Sigma metrics to determine baseline performance
• Implement analysis techniques such as Pareto analysis, value stream mapping, failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA), and  regression analysis
• Identify constraints via factorial experiments, and implement process improvements
• Monitor production performance using statistical process control

Customer Reviews (2)

Decent but not fantastic
Decent reference, but as you might expect, it shares it's delivery between SigmaXL and Minitab.If you are looking to dabble between the two tools, then this book is for you.If you are looking to get sharp on either of them, however, then this is an ok reference but may not be the only reference you choose to have in your library.

Great book to get started with Minitab
Explainations on SIgmaXL and Minitab are very clear and welll documented.I recommend this book to anyone who uses SIgmaXL, but Minitab users can get some great benefit from it too. ... Read more

Product Description

American readers have been fascinated, since their exposure to Japanese culture late in the nineteenth century, with the brief Japanese poem called the hokku or haiku. The seventeen-syllable form is rooted in a Japanese tradition of close observation of nature, of making poetry from subtle suggestion. Infused by its great practitioners with the spirit of Zen Buddhism, the haiku has served as an example of the power of direct observation to the first generation of American modernist poets like Ezra Pound and William Carlos Williams and also as an example of spontaneity and Zen alertness to the new poets of the 1950's.

This definite collection brings together in fresh translations by an American poet the essential poems of the three greatest masters: Matsuo Basho in the seventeenth century; Yosa Buson in the eighteenth century; and Kobayashi Issa in the early nineteenth century. Robert Haas has written a lively and informed introduction, provided brief examples by each poet of their work in the halibun, or poetic prose form, and included informal notes to the poems. This is a useful and inspiring addition to The Essential Poets series.Amazon.com Review
An exquisite collection of the finest works of three distinct masters of the haiku tradition: Matsuo Basho (the ascetic and seeker), Yosa Buson (the artist), and Kobayashi Issa (the humanist).

The editor, Robert Hass, United States poet laureate, is the author ofseveral books of poetry including Human Wishes aswell as a book of criticism TwentiethCentury Pleasures, forwhich he received The National Book Critics Circle Award. The book isone of the larger series of poetry collections, EssentialPoets Series published by Ecco Press. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Gotta Have It
No traveler through this life should be without the deep, beautiful and earthy poems of Basho, Buson, and Issa. Robert Hass translates with a poet's mind and heart.Make sure this wonderful collection is in your backpack.

ok
Received the book quickly-
looks like it has been kicking around for a while.. some dents and scratches in soft cover-definitely NOTlike new. Book was written in-on page 42; the book's previous owner wrote: "a little water falls"in blue pen.
My intent was to give the book as a gift- will keep this one -as a result I bought a new one for my gift giving.

Not quite what I was looking for...
I was a little disappointed in the translation itself, having read different versions of some of these poems and also there is a certain amount of vulgar language, (words I can't repeat in a review even).I don't know what words they used in the original Japanese, but had I know what was used here, I'd have bought an older translation from a more genteel generation...;)

Here is an example of the differences in translators.From this book we have,

"Weathered bones
on my mind
a wind pierced body."

But here is the more elegant and thoughtful Penguin Classics translation by Nobuyuki Yuasa,

"Determined to fall
A weather-exposed skeleton
I cannot help the sore wind
Blowing through my heart."

One of my favorites.
The scholars and masters will be able to write a technical review covering all the fine points of why this is such an excellent collection. For my part, I just find I'm able to lose myself in the imagery so easily. It's become a sort of "apple-a-day" for my soul. I will never be able to read these works in Japanese, but I sense these translations carry all the simple beauty and truth of the original poems. The biographies are succinct yet intimate. The poets are masters of the art. The selected poems are amazing, inspiring, humbling, uplifting. I've shared this over and over, with people of very different tastes, and it's never disappointed.

Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful
I love this collection of haiku.I've marked several favorites with Post-It flags and thumb through it often.I recommend it to anyone, especially people who are knew to haiku, because it includes a variety of themes and the poems were all written by true masters of the art.It's simply wonderful. ... Read more

Product Description
Complete Guide Edition 8.6.6 ... Read more

Product Description
This collection of essays, organized as a part of the celebration of the seventy-fifth birthday of Professor Issa J. Boullata of the Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University, is devoted to elucidating the many dimensions of understanding the Qur'an.Many of those students, along with a groups of friends, have contributed essays all of which are devoted to explicating the Qur'an in its historical and contemporary contexts. The fourteen essays of this volume are testimony to that, each of them devoted to explicating the Qur'an in its historical and contemporary contexts. ... Read more

Product Description

Here are more than two hundred of the best haiku of Japanese literature translated by one of America’s premier poet-translators. The haiku is one of the most popular and widely recognized poetic forms in the world. In just three lines a great haiku presents a crystalline moment of image, emotion, and awareness. This illustrated collection includes haiku by the great masters from the seventeenth to the early twentieth century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Perfect
It's little; it's beautiful; it can fit in a pocket; it explains the form; and the translations are lovely.

I've been bringing it to work.I didn't today.And I'm already missing it.

If you love haiku, get this book.If you don't know yet but want to, start with this book.My bet is you'll know before you're finished reading, if you've gone this far.

Trying to get this review published for a third time...
Sam Hamill (ed.), The Sound of Water: Haiku by Basho, Buson, Issa, and Other Poets (Shambhala, 1995)

Very small, very concentrated book. One hundred twenty-five pages, most with two haiku per page (some pages are simple illustrations from the period). I was unfortunately too much of an idiot to keep this with me until I wrote the review so I could quote some of the world's finest haiku at you, so all I can say is trust me on this one: there's a reason these guys are known as the masters of haiku and senryu. It's also a surprising look at the earthiness of the form; too many anthologies of classic haiku seem like revisionist histories, quoting the stuff the translator or editor thinks is noble and leaving out the poems about drunkenness or taking a leak or lechery or what have you. Hamill, thankfully, has no filters (in fact, in his intro, he singles out one of Issa's faecal pieces to point out this very thing). As with a lot of books along these lines, my only problem with it is that it's far too short; it's possible to polish this off in an hour, if you don't savor each piece. Even then, it'll probably take you an afternoon. I spent a couple of weeks on it, thinking and reflecting; given a book five time this size, I would have been more than happy to sit with it for a few months. ****

Sweet and intriguing as cherry blossom shadows
This is a delightful little book for any haiku lover - small enough to carry in pocket or purse for a bit of meditation anywhere. Occasional sumi ink illustrations, nice little intro to Basho, Issa and the art of haiku.

The Sound of Water
This book gives examples of haiku by various poets.There is some interesting art included and some useful information.

Exquisite Little Book
I keep ordering this small book again and again to give as a gift.Both the poetry and the presentation are exquisite.I love the book's compact size, which seems suggestive of the condensed beauty of the haiku it holds inside. I also love the artwork on the cover. Someone with a lot of sensitivity designed this book. The selection of poetry is equally compelling. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

It is the best book about Islamic Business Ethics I found.
I am very happy to find this book. I recommend it to all ones interested about Islamic Business Ethics. It is complete, easy to read (including for a French speaking person :o) ). In front of an ethic problem it is always good to refer to that... I think this is not a book for Muslims, only. Every one could find great interest reading it. In Europe, every day we see unethical situations and the catastrophes it generates.

Thoughts well Presented
Thoughts are well Presented to the reader. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not my favourite translations of Issa
I am a great admirer of Issa's and I had great expectations when I bought "The Dumpling Field". However, I found I was quite disappointed with the translations. As far as I can judge they have great academical merits, but I find them slightly dull. The translations are very matter of fact and I miss the esprit I have come to associate with Issa. The good thing about the translations is that they are kept abstract and as short as possible, and probably they are very close to the Japanese original in content, but they lack some of the tenderness and poetry I have seen in other translations, both Swedish and English.

i appreciate so much Issa's mind.
It shows much about Issa's sufferings, his resilience, his humility and his playfulness which are very inspiring. Issa, indeed is a great Japanese Haiku poet. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Issa We Never Knew Ye
This book is *the* essential book on Issa for English readers, and for Japanese who read English as well. Debunking a great deal of the myth (some of which Issa seems directly responsible for), this book gives a straightforward overview of the poet's life and the development of his haiku. Showing that although he did indeed have a difficult childhood and youth, Issa gained serious recognition and financial security in his middle years, even returning to his childhood home as a modestly comfortable landowner. It also takes up the forces bearing on his development as a poet, including the haiku hierarchy of his time and the effects of this and of religion and personal tragedy late in life on his changing poetics. The plentiful translations, of haiku, a complete linked poem, and a number of short prose pieces, are well done and worth the price of admission. ... Read more

Product Description
Ancient scrolls reveal that Jesus spent seventeen years in India and Tibet From age thirteen to age twenty-nine, he was both a student and teacher of Buddhist and Hindu holy men. The story of his journey from Jerusalem to Benares was recorded by Brahman historians. Today they still know him and love him as St. Issa. Their 'buddha'

Excerpt:

1 The earth has trembled and the heavens have wept because of a great crime which has been committed in the land of Israel.

2 For they have tortured and there put to death the great and just Issa, in whom dwelt the soul of the universe,

3 Which was incarnate in a simple mortal in order to do good to men and to exterminate their evil thoughts

4 And in order to bring back man degraded by his sins to a life of peace, love, and happiness and to recall to him the one and indivisible Creator, whose mercy is infinite and without bounds.

5 Hear what the merchants from Israel relate to us on this subject.

1 The people of Israel, who dwelt on a fertile soil giving forth two crops a year and who possessed large flocks, excited by their sins the anger of God

2 Who inflicted upon them a terrible chastisement in taking from them their land, their cattle, and their possessions. Israel was reduced to slavery by the powerful and rich pharaohs who then reigned in Egypt.

3 These treated the Israelites worse than animals, burdening them with difficult tasks and loading them with chains. They covered their bodies with weals and wounds, without giving them food or permitting them to dwell beneath a roof,

4 To keep them in a state of continual terror and to deprive them of all human resemblance.

5 And in their great calamity, the people of Israel remembered their heavenly protector and, addressing themselves to him, implored his grace and mercy.

6 An illustrious pharaoh then reigned in Egypt who had rendered himself famous by his numerous victories, the riches he had heaped up, and the vast palaces which his slaves had erected for him with their own hands.

7 This pharaoh had two sons, of whom the younger was called Mossa. Learned Israelites taught him diverse sciences.

8 And they loved Mossa in Egypt for his goodness and the compassion which he showed to all those who suffered.

9 Seeing that the Israelites would not, in spite of the intolerable sufferings they were enduring, abandon their God to worship those made by the hand of man, which were gods of the Egyptian nation,

10 Mossa believed in their invisible God, who did not let their failing strength give way. ... Read more

Product Description

Master the Statistical Techniques for Six Sigma Operations, While Boosting Your Excel and Minitab Skills!

Authoritative and comprehensive, Six Sigma Statistics with Excel and Minitab is a valuable skills-building resource for mastering all the statistical techniques for Six Sigma operations, while harnessing the power of Excel and Minitab. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

For Six Sigma belts who are clueless about statistics
Although much of Six Sigma are about processes and best practices, its central methodology is collecting useful data and utilizing statistical tools for analysis of the data, decision making, and continuous improvement. I am a Six Sigma Black Belt and I have found this book useful for Six Sigma statistical analysis.

If you are clueless about statistics, then you can't fully understand or utilize the benefits of Six Sigma. Luckily, the math required for Six Sigma statistical analysis is not hard. Most of the time, all you need to know is basic arithmetic. You don't even need MiniTab (Excel is perfectly fine for all Six Sigma statistics). Although the book provides pictures of both MiniTab and Excel, the book gears more towards MiniTab.

This book does an unusually excellent job of explaining the fundamentals of statistics (standard deviation, coefficients, probability distributions, correlations etc). Its explanations of more advance topics, however, such as ANOVA and Regression was little too simplified and left a lot wanting.

This book is not written as a statistics practice book. You won't find tons of practice questions but just enough to allow you to understand the material. If you want to perfect your statistical knowledge and application, I recommend purchasing a separate statistical workbook.

Instead, this book shines as a reference for fundamental Six Sigma statistics. Reading and understanding the materials contained in this book certainly will not make you an expert in Six Sigma statistics. But it will give you a good fundamental base.

I highly recommend this book for those who want the necessary basic familiarity of Six Sigma statistics, which should be enough for most Six Sigma belt holders (including Six Sigma Black Belts).

It is a shame
Edit- 12/17/2009
For beginners, I recommend a different book "Statistics for Six Sigma Made Easy" by Warren Brussee.
End of Edit

It is a shame such a book even exists. Almost useless. I guess a minitab menu is more helpful. Very limited and confusing statistics. A lot of errors (I mean errors, not only typos). A lot of screen shots which just waste paper.
One reviewer in this website gave this book five star. I don't know who he is and if he really read this book. He claimed that he bought and studied 37 bestseller statistic books, but did not find there are errors in the book. I mean errors that teach the wrong knowledge to the readers. All of these made me angry.

Siz Sigma Statistics with Excel and Minitab
This is a great book filled with the statistical technques, examples and associated solutions. It provides nice balance between the statistical theory and solutions using Excel and Minitab. The Minitab examples are easy to follow and implement in the Minitab tool (I did not use Excel.). The CD provided with the book is quite useful enabling one to use existing files rather than spending time typing data into the tool. In some instances it is not clear how to implement examples in Minitab; it would be helpful if the author described why certain Minitab options were selected instead of just pointing to the appropriate menu or dialog box.
In summary - this book provides a very helpful assistance in using Minitab for solving variety of statistical problems at a very reasonable price.

Good for Minitab application but too many errors
The author successfully achieved his purpose of explaining Six Sigma statistics using Minitab and Excel; however, I found numerous errors in his explanations of statistical methods and in his conclusions in some examples. I noticed 184 major and minor errors in this book, of which simple typo errors counted only 11. Mr. Bass failed to use Minitab's "Design of Experiment" feature in the chapter titled "Design of Experiment" and explained ANOVA instead, which could have been included in the chapter "Analysis of Variance." He also misapplied Taguchi's Loss Function in Chapter 12. Taguchi's Method usually means his Robust Design Method in DOE rather than his Loss Function.

It seems that Mr. Bass does not have formal training in statistics or mathematics. His understanding of factors, levels, and observations in ANOVA is questionable (p.207, p.211, p.218, p.276) and subscripting in his mathematics was a mess (pp.179-181, p.208, p.222, p.223, p.227). The direction of skewness in the normal distribution was wrong. These errors could have been avoided if Mr. Bass had asked his fellow statistician or mathematician to review his draft copy of this book. The responsibility also goes to the editor of McGraw Hill.

In conclusion, please read this book critically and learn how to use Minitab or Excel for Six Sigma analyses, keeping other statistics textbooks at hand.

Great useful book
As a BB I find this book really useful. Each chapter has a clear structure, that helps the reader to fully understand the topics.
Lot of examples and exercises make the reader capable to fully understand the theory and to apply it to real problems.
I suggest all the BBs to have this book. ... Read more