A rich, exquisite and original anthology that illuminates Japanese travel writing over a thousand years
'Oh journey upon journey, my life is a brief moment, and I cannot hope that we will meet again'
Roaming over mountains and along perilous shores, this anthology illuminates over a thousand years of Japanese travel writing. It takes in songs, diaries, tales and poetry, and ranges from famous works including The Pillow Book and the works of Basho to pieces such as the diary of a young girl who longs to return to the capital and her beloved books, or the writings of travelling monks who sleep on pillows of grass. Together they illuminate a long literary tradition, with intense poetic experience at its heart.
Translated and edited with an introduction by Meredith McKinney A delightful anthology that traces the evolution of travel writing in Japan through diaries, stories, drama and poetry ... In this remarkable work of translation and scholarship, filled with wonderful vignettes of Japanese life and sensibility, McKinney introduces readers to the nation's rich and unique literary tradition -- P.D James * The Guardian * A marvel of absorbing, elegant scholarship . . . Travels With A Writing Brush is a beehive of a book, buzzing with superb commentary and annotations, and bound to last generations. -- Barry Hill * Australian Book Review * A fascinating adventure ... Resonates as much with today as with yesteryear, and even for readers unfamiliar with Japan... A beautiful work * Japan Times * A fascinating compendium * RTE *
Travels with a Writing Brush: Classical Japanese Travel Writing from the Manyoshu to Basho