Jack Kerouac's Personally Owned Book of Japanese Haiku, With Estate Provenance

Peter Pauper Press, New York, 1956. Hardcover. Near fine pictorial hardcover with the original near fine jacket. The book has only light toning to the spine, internally bright and fresh. The dust jacket has light staining to the back panel and sunning to the spine and outer edges. Stamped on the dedication page with both the Jack Kerouac Estate stamp, in addition to the raised blind seal from Executor of the Estate, John Sampas. 4.5" x 7.5."

Jack Kerouac, renowned for his groundbreaking Beat Generation novel "On the Road" (1957), was also a master of haiku. Following in the tradition of Basho, Buson, Shiki, Issa, and other Japanese poets, Kerouac experimented with this centuries-old genre, taking it beyond strict syllable counts into what he believed was the form's essence. He incorporated his "American" haiku into his correspondence, notebooks, journals, sketchbooks, recordings, and novels. Kerouac is recognized for his method of spontaneous prose. Thematically, his work covers topics such as Catholic spirituality, jazz, promiscuity, Buddhism, drugs, poverty, and travel. But Kerouac was also an extraordinary poet who explored several poetic traditions including sonnets, odes, psalms, and blues. In his novel “The Dharma Bums” (1958), he describes his discovery of haiku. Kerouac turned to Buddhist study and practice in the early 1950s, and in 1955 during his time at Berkeley, Jack, along with other poets, immersed themselves in Blyth’s translations of and commentaries on classic Japanese works. Finding that Western languages cannot adapt themselves to the “fluid syllabic Japanese," Jack sought to redefine the genre and successfully adapted haiku into English.

A wonderful book with significant meaning for Kerouac, coming directly from his estate.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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