"This book is must-reading for anyone interested in any area of medieval Japanese history, art, or culture. The biographical study of Shinkei (1406-75), who is a crucial figure in the development of renga as a serious genre of poetry, is the most detailed treatment in English of any medieval Japanese poet." —Steven D. Carter, University of California, Irvine

"Ramirez-Christensen is an excellent translator, and her book is deeply engaging for the sheer pleasure of reading the poetry."—Edwin A. Cranston, Harvard University