Japanese Haiku for Cat Lovers

William Scott Wilson has published over twenty books including The Lone Samurai: The Life of Miyamoto Musashi and The Life and Zen Haiku Poetry of Santoka Taneda. His translation of the Hagakure, an 18th century treatise on samurai philosophy, was featured in the film Ghost Dog by the director Jim Jarmusch. Wilson was awarded a Commendation from the Foreign Ministry of Japan, and inducted into the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese emperor. He is also the author of A Beginner's Guide to Japanese Haiku and The Illustrated Book of Japanese Haiku (also in collaboration with Manda).Thirty years ago, Manda felt the need to free herself from academic art and decided to travel to Japan. Frequent stays there gave her the opportunity to adopt new practices. She learned from Japanese masters the "art of the line" as well as the mysteries of haiga, compositions where painted elements and poetry emerge from the same brush, forming a single entity. She has published many books, notably the works of Basho and Santoka. Her art appears in The Illustrated Book of Japanese Haiku, a collaboration with William Scott Wilson.

"An absolutely lovely collection that combines haiku and illustrations…[with] poems by Issa and Basho, with a few other poets appearing as well. It feels like a nice mix of perspectives for the reader who enjoys poetry but is no expert. It's easy to see our own beloved pets in the brief renderings on these pages. And the art draws us in as well, as elegant and deceptively simple as the cats in our lives and our hearts." —Manhattan Book Review