Thrilled!

 A few weeks ago, I was reading on the RTE website when I came across a book review. I immediately decided I wanted it, but when I looked for it, discovered that it wouldn't be published until the end of this month. I figured I'd go back to look at some other time. What I didn't know was that Bill made a note of the publication date and ordered it. We were both surprised when it arrived today! I didn't know it was coming and he didn't know it was coming this soon.

This is the book:

Andrew Fitzsimons is an Irishman who is Professor of English Language and Cultures at Tokyo’s Gakushuin University. This book contains translations, dates of creation, and annotations for all 980 of Basho's haiku, as well as an extensive introduction, glossary, index of poems in both Japanese and English, and more. According to the review, "It’s a real landmark publication, described by the poet and Oxford Professor Bernard O’Donoghue as "a moment of huge significance in world poetry."

Fitzsimons is a poet himself and brings that experience to this work. 

I am so thrilled that this book exists and that I have a copy! It will be so great to take a deep dive into this work. I expect to learn a lot.

John Kelly's review can be found here and is definitely worth a read.

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