The Tale of Genji

My favorite translation and a beautiful edition

Arrive on time

Something about having read what some consider to be the first novel ever written just makes me feel good inside. I knew that many Asian cultures put emphasis on colors, flowers and the like but never to the extent revealed here. Everything had meaning; colors, scents (perfumes for men and women), texture and color of papers used to exchange letters, flowers and their fragrances. Each was associated with with a particular mood or season of the year. Men would spend an entire day "burning" a scent into their robes. There would be contests for men and women alike to come up with new scents for upcoming celebrations. The quality of the paper used to write on and the scent with which it was imbued were important. Letters were often accompanied by a sprig of flower with a particular color and scent to set the mood for the message and to convey a level of meaning. I was surprised at the extent to which they believed that events and meetings between people were predestined based on events that must have occurred in their previous lives (suggesting a belief in reincarnation?) and I smiled at reading that even 1000 years ago the behavior of young men was often thought frivolous by their elders (some things don't change). More disturbing, however, was the extent to which women were subdued during the Heian period and how a woman's solution for the least hint of shame was either to move to the hills and live in isolation, take vows and become a nun, or worse - to just die. It is only understandable in the context of the historical era. It was also interesting to note the extent of their familiarity with Chinese poetry and musical instruments, in particular noting the differences between Chinese and Japanese kotos. TTOG is an easy read but it is long so be prepared. I had difficulty at times following who was who and it was not easy to tell male from female names. After Genji's death, you will have to learn a lot of new characters to keep track of. I can see how some may think that the novel was unfinished; but there is no real plot so it could have gone on and on or ended much sooner. Is it possible that even then MS was intentionally using the "leave them wondering" technique? We will never know.

Thought of as the first novel written "The Tale of Genji" was written during the Heian period by Lady Murasaki Shikibu. The story is an interpretation of her accounts in the royal court of Japan. The setting is placed in the capital of Japan in the 10th century. Her writings spanned her life in court which changed and matured while she served the Empress Akiko. Once completed, the tale was widely accepted immediately after its release. The story recounts the life of a noblemen brought to commoner's status by his father the emperor. His beauty and talents (poetry, music, seduction) are heavenly and beyond reproach. It follows his life from childhood to adulthood and how drastic turning points of his life are overcome (the story carries past his death and on through to his descendants). An example would be his self exile to Suma after a disastrous affair emboldens his love for Murasaki (the heroine of the story). He grows as the years pass and learns a great deal from his past indiscretions. A bond can be felt with the main character. Even though his situations occurred in times long past, they can still be related to situations of love, close friendships, family bonding and the overcoming of one's place in life.

I forgot how repetitive this book is. So and so imagine genii as a woman like every other chapter. I do like it for the classical poems used/references in the book but it largely depends on the translation and how the poems are cited. If you are approaching it from an academic curiosity and appreciate the authors knowledge of classical chinese poetry this is a good read depending on the translation you pick. It gets a little redundant but it was essentially a serialization for Japanese court so I’m sure she was milking it for all it was worth.

Take note, since the seller buried this bit of info. in small print, this is not the entire book. I received the "complete" translation of the first of 6 books that, all put together, form the entire novel. Very disappointing.

Great read ...

The quality is good, not only the content. Don't doubt it.

This was really expensive, no wonder it's an UNABRIDGED edition. It has a fabric sewed in bookmark, but the quality if the hardcover feels like it's not going to last more than 2 rereads. The pages are thin (bible thin) and yet heavy, and text from other pages sees through. The font size is small, and the book came in a little warped already.

Reading right now beautiful masterpiece delicate and profound reading

No doubt its an excellent novel no point further reviewing that. What I want to say is the binding of the book and paper quality is excellent. Papers are Bible thin and equally good quality. Its hard bound with a flexible spine for ease of reading and has a silk bound book mark. Go ahead and buy this people.