Flipping through a brittle old notebook, I’m wondering if this is the first mention I ever saw of The Book of Tea. I know I read it after seeing several mentions in a short span of time, but this roundabout recommendation by Gary Snyder might well have been the first. Funny that it’s incidental to my having included this spread — I saved it for the description of Japhy’s little hut-house. (Doesn’t sound like Kerouac ever read it, does it?)

And now I’m feeling extremely nostalgic about The Dharma Bums. Will have to reread.