"Barnhill's approach to translation is straightforward and unfussy, aiming to be as accurate as possible, making his two volumes a highly serviceable compilation. They will be of great value to readers." -- The Japan Times
"Read cover to cover, the volume presents the breadth of Basho's prose. If you open it randomly, on almost every page you encounter haunting images of the landscape, village life, and literary culture of Japan. This book inspires us to stop and pay attention to the poetry of the world around us." -- Buddhadharma
"...Barnhill reveals the importance of narrative and social contexts in reading Basho. Barnhill's careful translations and notes reveal a poet both independent and pious ... Above all, Basho's experience of 'cultured nature' emerges unforgettably." -- The Providence Sunday Journal on Basho's Journey and Basho's Haiku
"Barnhill's translations maintain the Japanese originals' direct sparseness, and retain their dramatic sequence, which all too many translations unfortunately and unnecessarily sacrifice." -- Taigen Dan Leighton, cotranslator of Dogen's Pure Standards for the Zen Community: A Translation of Eihei Shingi