Aesthetics | Haiku | Skepticism | Zen Buddhism
The following books are our top picks for each field. Each book can be ordered from Amazon.com by following the link from the book title to the relevant ordering information page on Amazon.com's website.
Wabi-Sabi : For Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers, by Leonard Koren
This is absolutely the best work available on Japanese aesthetics. It contains a clear and reliable explanation of the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi originally developed by tea ceremony masters and haiku poets and later expanded to apply to all art forms. Covers the history and development of wabi-sabi and summarizes the various aspects of the concept remarkably well. This beautifully designed book includes numerous photographs illustrating the ideas discussed, helpful charts and textual notes. Although not a great source for scholarly research, it is a must read for every artist, designer, poet, writer, and composer. Keep it by your side. It is a fountain of inspiration.The Book of Tea, by Kakuzo Okakura, foreword and afterword by Soshitsu Sen XV
This classic work on Japanese aesthetics, with particular reference to the Japanese tea ceremony, has influenced generations of readers. Okakura's elegant yet straightforward explanations peppered with numerous stories about Taoists, Zen masters, and tea masters, while avoiding the use of technical vocabulary, has earned The Book of Tea its well-deserved reputation as the best book on Japanese aesthetics around. Okakura's gentle critiques of Western aesthetic standards help to clarify the issues and light the path to something he calls "the art of life." It is difficult to read this book and not become a convert.The Birth of Tragedy and the Case of Wagner, by Friedrich Nietzsche, translated by Walter Kaufmann
Nietzsche's first published work and one of his last works in a single volume translated and annotated by one of his finest English translators. The Birth of Tragedy is known for the contrast Nietzsche made between the Apollonian (controlled fantasy) and the Dionysiac (wild intoxication) which were combined, according to Nietzsche, in the development of Attic tragedy.Letters to a Young Poet, by Rainer Maria Rilke, translated by Stephen Mitchell
A collection of ten letters Rilke wrote to an aspiring young poet on the art of poetry. Rilke's musings range from comments on the creative process and how to discover one's own style to the meaning of art and life.A Memoir of Gaudier-Brzeska, by Ezra Pound
Gaudier-Brzeska, a talented French sculptor and early acquaintance of Pound's in London, was killed in World War I at the age of twenty-three. This memoir includes Gaudier-Brzeska's statements on the aesthetics of vorticism, related documents on its development, letters from Gaudier-Brzeska to Pound, Mrs. Shakespear, and Edward Wadsworth, essays by Pound on Gaudier-Brzeska's life and work, and several photographs of Gaudier-Brzeska's sculptures. One of Pound's essays on vorticism of particular interest to anyone exploring the influence of Asian aesthetics on modern art in the West describes the Japanese hokku (now often called haiku) and the creative process behind a hokku-like sentence that Pound wrote, and which has since become one of his best known poems.
The Essential Haiku : Versions of Basho, Buson, and Issa (Essential Poets, Vol 20), by Robert Hass
An anthology of haiku by Japan's three greatest haiku poets, Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson, and Kobayashi Issa, selected and mostly translated by Robert Hass, a modern American poet. Also includes a few prose works by each poet, such as Basho's "the Hut of the Phantom Dwelling" and "The Saga Diary," and a section entitled "Basho on Poetry," which includes a selection of Basho's statements on the art of poetry. Hass's translations admirably capture the spirit of Japanese haiku.Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches, by Basho Matsuo, translated by Nobuyuki Yuasa
This Penguin Classic was my initial introduction to Basho and made me a fan of his life as poetry view of the world. This collection contains five of Basho's greatest prose works, including "The Records of a Weather-Exposed Skeleton," "The Records of a Travel-Worn Satchel," and "The Narrow Road to the Deep North." Although Yuasa's prose translations are magnificent, his haiku translations often seem a bit heavy and overdone. Specifically, he renders the three lines of Japanese into four lines of English throughout the book. I find this somewhat annoying, but the prose is so well done that I can forgive him.Basho and His Interpreters : Selected Hokku With Commentary, by Makoto Ueda
This book should be in every haiku fan's library. It is a collection of Basho's most famous poems arranged chronologically covering each period of his career. Each poem includes an English translation, the Japanese original (written in Roman characters, not Japanese), and a literal word by word translation. this is followed by selected commentaries on the poem translated from many different Japanese sources. This book contains a wealth of material on how haiku is viewed and interpreted in Japan and also shows the extent to which Basho's reputation has been created by his many interpreters.Matsuo Basho, by Makoto Ueda
A short biography of Japan's greatest haikai poet followed by critical assessments of his work. Includes sections on Basho's haiku, renku, prose, and his critical commentaries. Basho is best known for his development of the nineteen syllable hokku (now often called haiku) into an art form. Matsuo Basho also discusses the aesthetic ideas that Basho developed as he transformed the writing of hokku from a parlor game into one of Japan's great cultural achievements.Haiku Master Buson, by Yuki Sawa and Edith Shiffert
A bilingual anthology of Buson's haiku along with three long poems and some prose selections. The translations are generally quite good.
The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark, by Carl Sagan
Carl Sagan discusses and analyzes many of the strange beliefs people have today and presents a strong argument for a using a scientific, i.e. skeptical, approach to understanding all such claims. Covers many topics, with a special emphasis on UFO's, a subject Sagan followed closely for many years, and includes an insightful comparison of UFO abduction stories with stories of demons and other so-called paranormal occurrences in the past. Sagan argues that at the heart of science is a balance between "openness to new ideas" and "the most ruthlessly skeptical scrutiny of all ideas, old and new" (p.304). Sagan also passionately argues for the importance of science education. One comes away from this book with a clear head, ready to challenge any weird belief with a skeptical, yet open mind.Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time, by Michael Shermer, foreword by Stephen Jay Gould
A skeptical challenge to many of the weird beliefs of our time. This is the kind of book you cannot put down. It is very engaging. Starts with an overview of the scientific method, the principles of critical thinking, and a list of common fallacies, then goes on to cover ESP, near-death experiences, UFO abduction claims, witch crazes, cults, creationism, holocaust deniers, and many other related topics.Russell on Religion: Selections from the Writings of Bertrand Russell, edited by Louis Greenspan and Stefan Andersson
A collection essays on religion by one of the twentieth-century's great skeptics. The selections are organized into five parts, "Personal Statements," "Religion and Philosophy," "Religion and Science," "Religion and Morality," and "Religion and History." Includes many of Russell's best writings on religion, including "Why I Am not a Christian," "Mysticism and Logic," and "Science and Religion."Age of Reason, by Thomas Paine
A great classic of rational thinking. Paine argues that the Bible is not a revelation from God, but rather a very human work full of contradictions and irrational statements.- An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding, by David Hume, edited by Tom L. Beauchamp
This is one of the sacred books of modern skepticism. Hume attacks the very idea of cause and effect as a relationship that cannot be observed, emphasizes the uncertainty of all human knowledge, and presents a strong case against belief in "miracles."
Buddhism and Zen, by Nyogen Senzaki and Ruth Strout McCandless
A collection of short essays about Buddhism and translations of some important Zen texts with commentary. Includes "Ten Questions," Nyogen Senzaki's response to ten questions frequently asked by non-Buddhists, and translations of "Shodoka" by Yokadaishi, "Fragmentary Notes of Bodhi-Dharma's Disciples," and "Suggestions for Zen Students" by ZengetsuZen and Zen Classics, by R.H. Blyth, edited by Frederick Franck
An absolute must read for anyone interested in Zen Buddhism, Japanese culture, aesthetics, literature, or comparative philosophy. This volume contains well chosen selections from R.H. Blyth's five volume Zen and Zen Classics, along with drawings by the editor, Frederick Franck. Includes many original translations from both Japanese and Chinese, and Blyth's ever inspired meandering among Zen, philosophy, art and literature (both Eastern and Western) in his continuing exploration of the meaning of life. I also highly recommend the original five volumes if you can get your hands on any of them. Unfortunately, they are difficult to find these days.Zen and the Ways, by Trevor P. Leggett
This book covers a lot of ground. The main focus is on the deep relationship between Zen Buddhism and various martial arts practiced in Japan. Includes extensive descriptions of samurai Zen along with abundant translations of koans made in Japan and insightful commentary.Zen and Japanese Culture, by Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki
A collection of essays by D.T. Suzuki on the relationship between Zen and Japanese culture. Covers Confucianism, the samurai, swordsmanship, haiku, the art of tea, and the love of nature. Includes many plates of Japanese art mentioned in the text.Zen Flesh, Zen Bones : A Collection of Zen and Pre-Zen Writings, by Paul Reps and Nyogen Senzaki
A collection of Zen stories, a translation of the Mumonkan, and other texts related to Zen. This work is very readable. It entertains while it enlightens.
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