The Japan & India Journals, 1960-1964

by Joanne Kyger

First published in 1981, The Japan and India Journals, 1960–1964 is Joanne Kyger’s journal of her four tumultuous years in Japan and India as a young poets in her late twenties. This book chronicles her developing poetic sensibility, emergent Buddhist practice, and what it meant to be a woman trying to write in pre-feminist Beat days. Attentive, witty, and always entertaining, this is poet’s prose at its best.

Genres: Poetry, India

280 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Joanne Kyger was an American poet. She published more than twenty books of poetry and prose. Kyger lived in Bolinas, California since 1968, where she edited the local newspaper. She also occasionally taught at the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics of Naropa University, in Boulder, Colorado.

Reviews

[Mitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantastic journal! Good for a lot of things, but what I got out of it (aside from Kyger's sharp observations & witty take on things new age) was it cleared out the cobwebs of hero-worship that I had built up at an early age in regard to Gary Snyder, who comes off as not just human, but quite an asshole. Now, anyone might expect such from an ex-wife, but Kyger tries very hard to be kind in her rendering of him, and even though her predjudices are obvious, the guy treats her like shit. No question.

Also, wonderful travelog.

[Charlie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked up this book at a charity shop, didn't know anything about the author before. She's insufferable, and doesn't give any insight into her life in Japan in the 60s, just gossips and talks crap about people all the time.

[Dylan Cabus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joanne ball taps Gary so hard he sleeps on the floor. 4/5

[Mickey Kowaleski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Come for the poetry, stay for the trashing of Allen Ginsberg 😍

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a later edition, this is titled Strange Big Moon. A fascinating read. Offers glimpses into the early American bohemian proto-culture forays into geographical & cultural Asia. Kyger, Gary Snyder, Allen Ginsberg, Alan Watts & other luminaries.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.9