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Mister Timeless Blyth
Lovers of Haiku, Zen and Japan will find this novel truly inspiring!
An extraordinary man at a crucial time and place.
"In Mister Timeless Blyth , writer Alan Spence has created a fascinating (auto) biography, convincingly in R.H. Blyth's own voice. In it, he has conveyed the haiku scholar's love of music, eastern and western literature, Zen Buddhism, and sly contradictions. Blyth's profound understanding of haiku and his self-deprecating humor permeate every page. Throughout this work, Mr. Spence has included an interesting constellation of characters who influenced Blyth on what he considered his own karmic path, giving us an entirely new perspective of his life and personal development. I could not put the book down." -- William Scott Wilson, author of The Life and Zen Haiku Poetry of Santoka Taneda
Imprisoned during World War I as a conscientious objector and interned during World War II as an enemy alien, Reginald Horace Blyth was a poet, a scholar, a musician, a linguist and a student of Zen who ultimately became teacher to an emporer. His pivitol works were published in Japan even during his internment.
Blyth ultimately became the key link and mediator between the Imperial Household and the occupying American forces, whom many credit with saving Japan from chaos after the war. His fingerprints are everywhere today in the study of Zen, Haiku and Japanese culture, and his work has influenced some of the most important writers of the 20th century-- including Huxley, Oshi, Aiken, Watts, Salinger, Kerouac, Ginsberg and others. He was, in many ways, a man who changed the world!
Mister Timeless Blyth is his story.
Written in the form of an autobiographical novel filled with Zen and poetry, this book recounts a life of hard work, books and music, of spiritual questing, and of learning to be at peace with one's self and one's choices. It celebrates a man who built bridge between East and West for the greater part of his lifetime. Through it, we understand someone who moved with a sense of purpose, warmth and humor and left a mark that was very distinct indeed.
An extraordinary man at a crucial time and place.
"In Mister Timeless Blyth , writer Alan Spence has created a fascinating (auto) biography, convincingly in R.H. Blyth's own voice. In it, he has conveyed the haiku scholar's love of music, eastern and western literature, Zen Buddhism, and sly contradictions. Blyth's profound understanding of haiku and his self-deprecating humor permeate every page. Throughout this work, Mr. Spence has included an interesting constellation of characters who influenced Blyth on what he considered his own karmic path, giving us an entirely new perspective of his life and personal development. I could not put the book down." -- William Scott Wilson, author of The Life and Zen Haiku Poetry of Santoka Taneda
Imprisoned during World War I as a conscientious objector and interned during World War II as an enemy alien, Reginald Horace Blyth was a poet, a scholar, a musician, a linguist and a student of Zen who ultimately became teacher to an emporer. His pivitol works were published in Japan even during his internment.
Blyth ultimately became the key link and mediator between the Imperial Household and the occupying American forces, whom many credit with saving Japan from chaos after the war. His fingerprints are everywhere today in the study of Zen, Haiku and Japanese culture, and his work has influenced some of the most important writers of the 20th century-- including Huxley, Oshi, Aiken, Watts, Salinger, Kerouac, Ginsberg and others. He was, in many ways, a man who changed the world!
Mister Timeless Blyth is his story.
Written in the form of an autobiographical novel filled with Zen and poetry, this book recounts a life of hard work, books and music, of spiritual questing, and of learning to be at peace with one's self and one's choices. It celebrates a man who built bridge between East and West for the greater part of his lifetime. Through it, we understand someone who moved with a sense of purpose, warmth and humor and left a mark that was very distinct indeed.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2023
About the author
Alan Spence
58 books33 followersAlan Spence (born 1947) is a Scottish writer and is Professor in Creative Writing at the University of Aberdeen, where he is also artistic director of the annual WORD Festival. He was born in Glasgow, and much of his work is set in the city.
Spence is an award-winning poet and playwright, novelist and short-story writer. His first work was the collection of short stories Its Colours They are Fine, first published in 1977. This was followed by two plays, Sailmaker in 1982 and Space Invaders in 1983. The novel The Magic Flute appeared in 1990 along with his first book of poetry, Glasgow Zen. In 1991, another of his plays, Changed Days, was published before a brief hiatus. He returned in 1996 with Stone Garden, another collection of short stories. In 2006, The Pure Land, a historical novel set in Japan, was published by Canongate Books, and is based on the life of Thomas Blake Glover who is immortalised in the story of Madame Butterfly.
Spence is an award-winning poet and playwright, novelist and short-story writer. His first work was the collection of short stories Its Colours They are Fine, first published in 1977. This was followed by two plays, Sailmaker in 1982 and Space Invaders in 1983. The novel The Magic Flute appeared in 1990 along with his first book of poetry, Glasgow Zen. In 1991, another of his plays, Changed Days, was published before a brief hiatus. He returned in 1996 with Stone Garden, another collection of short stories. In 2006, The Pure Land, a historical novel set in Japan, was published by Canongate Books, and is based on the life of Thomas Blake Glover who is immortalised in the story of Madame Butterfly.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 16, 2024
Absolutely love this book. RH Blyth was an ordinary boy from Leytonstone who by chance (if there is such a thing) went to Japan to teach English after WWI and became an authority and translator of haiku and senryu, and a lifelong student of Zen. Entwined in his story, told by himself in his last days in hospital, is a vast well of Japan's modern history, its strange blend of sensitiveness to nature and poetry and intense militarism, its strict moral codes and deep spirituality, its love of tradition and rapid move into technology, industrialisation and intense urban living. As well as glimpses of his meetings and friendships with some of the key figures of the day - DT Suzuki, then Crown Prince Akihito, Admiral Yamanashi, General MacArthur, the novelist Kawabata, Bernard Leach and Yanagi Soetsu who founded the Mingei Museums in Seoul and Tokyo. If you are in London before the end of September 2024, go to the William Morris House in Walthamstow to see their current exhibition of mingei, the Japanese Arts & Crafts movement.
April 18, 2024
This is about the real life character of Mr Blyth who was a British ex pat. He went to live in Korea first and eventually Japan. We see the character through out his whole life. He attempts to live a zen life. I liked the historical aspects of this novel. It also addresses war from a pacifist perspective which I thought was refreshing for change. The last 100 pages was more about his writing and his zen lifestyle. I thought this novel was just ok, nothing more and nothing less. It could be just preference as I wasn't interested in zen or any religion for that matter. I give this one a 3.7/5.
November 28, 2023
An interesting, and quite moving, account about an pacifist englishman moving through history in the 20th century, in england, korea and japan. The examination of zen thinking is thought-provoking. Alan Spence's writing is wonderful.
July 8, 2025
Amazing, inspiring, enlightening. Charming voice. Blyth was a most extraordinary man, an Englishman who lived in Japan during WW II and tutored the crown prince for 18 years. I have a new understanding and appreciation of haiku.
November 22, 2023
4.5 stars. Fairly mainstream biographical novel about a very non-mainstream man and published by a non-mainstream press. Well worth reading.
May 14, 2026
Too much creative writing -- too little about Blyth. Too 'creatively' patchy, feels like a feverish nightmare.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews