The author, Saiokuken Socho (1448-1532)-the preeminent linked-verse (renga) poet of his time-provides in his journal a vivid portrayal of cultural life in the capital and the provinces, together with descriptions of battles and great warrior families, the dangers of travel through war-torn countryside, and the plight of the poor. "In sum, these two [The Journal of Socho and Song in an Age of Discord: 'The Journal of Socho' and Poetic Life in Late Medieval Japan] beautifully produced volumes provide a fine entry into the cultural world of the elite classes of warring states in Japan."