The literary significance of these six texts is enormous, and a single, affordable volume containing all of them, in clear and accessible translations, with thorough annotations, [will] be a great boon to teachers of Japanese literature. The strengths of this translation are clear. . . . The annotations are extremely valuable: they show a solid grasp of Bashō&;s life, work, and times, and provide rich and detailed background, with plentiful information about allusions to Chinese and Japanese texts and
connections with other works by Bashō. I don&;t think I have encountered an English translation of Bashō, or indeed of any Japanese poet, with such comprehensive annotation. . . . The thoroughness with which [these translations are] annotated will make this book a significant scholarly resource; it will also help general readers appreciate the density and delicacy of Bashō&;s writing. In short, I think this translation of Bashō&;s travel diaries will be an important and welcome addition to the English-language literature on one of the most important poets of the Japanese tradition.
