Amazon.com
Liza Dalby's novel is a brilliantly imagined chronicle of the 11th-century Japanese writer Murasaki Shikibu. As we soon discover, our narrator has a good many doubts about the writing life. "As I pondered this question of how to be a success at court," she muses, "I came to the conclusion that literary ambition was more likely than not to bring a woman to a bad end." Happily, the real-life Murasaki persisted, and went on to become the author of the world's first novel, The Tale of Genji. For The Tale of Murasaki, Dalby draws on this groundbreaking masterpiece and on the surviving fragments of Murasaki's own diary and poetry, along with another masterpiece of the Heian period, The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon. The result is a vivid and emotionally detailed portrait of an intelligent, sensitive, and complex woman.
In Dalby's novel, Murasaki writes her first stories about Prince Genji's amorous encounters in order to entertain her friends, and to express her own creative temperament. As the stories gain a wider public, however, they are transformed into a conduit for observations on the mores and intrigues of court life. And in the end, as the narrator struggles to stay true to her literary vision, her tales are inflected by Buddhist thought and become parables on the transience and beauty of the world:
I have always felt compelled to set down a vision of things I have heard and seen. Life itself has never been enough. It only became real for me when I fashioned it into stories. Yet, somehow, despite all I've written, the true nature of things I've tried to grasp in my fiction still manages to drift through the words and sit, like little piles of dust, between the lines.
Dalby is an anthropologist by trade, who has produced two previous nonfiction studies: Kimono and Geisha. And given that her research for Geisha gained her the distinction of being the only Westerner ever to have trained in that much misunderstood profession, it's no surprise that she is able to reconstruct 11th-century Japan with meticulous fidelity. It's all there--the political and sexual machinations, the preoccupations with clothing and custom, the difficult and tenuous position of courtiers, the intensity of female friendships in a male-dominated society--and the author shows us precisely how Murasaki's sensibilities were shaped by the culture in which she lived. This is a rich and convincing debut, and another chapter in the current resurrection of the historical novel. --Burhan Tufail
Book Description
The Tale of Murasaki is an elegant and brilliantly authentic historical novel by the author of
Geisha and the only Westerner ever to have become a geisha.
In the eleventh century Murasaki Shikibu wrote the world’s first novel,
The Tale of Genji, the most popular work in the history of Japanese literature. In
The Tale of Murasaki, Liza Dalby has created a breathtaking fictionalized narrative of the life of this timeless poet–a lonely girl who becomes such a compelling storyteller that she is invited to regale the empress with her tales.
The Tale of Murasaki is the story of an enchanting time and an exotic place. Whether writing about mystical rice fields in the rainy mountains or the politics and intrigue of the royal court, Dalby breathes astonishing life into ancient Japan.
Download Description
Out of the life and work of Murasaki Shikibu, author of the world's first novel, Liza Dalby has woven an exquisite and irresistible fiction. The sensitive and modest daughter of a mid-ranking court poet, Murasaki staves off loneliness with her active imagination. At first, her stories about the dashing Prince Genji entertain just close friends. But soon Genji's amorous adventures are leaked to the public. And, compelled by a charismatic regent to accept a position at court regaling the empress with her stories, Murasaki becomes caught in a vortex of high politics and sexual intrigue. In this way, she comes to write her masterpiece, The Tale of Genji. In a beautiful work of literary archaeology, Dalby subtly reconstructs the sensibilities, manners, fashions, and preoccupations of eleventh-century Japan. The result is a vivid portrait of a woman and her times, which were among the most splendid in Japanese history. "The Tale of Murasaki" has that rare ability to transport readers to an exotic world and time, giving them a heroine with whom they can identify completely.
Customer Reviews:
At first, daunting & strange; after finishing, wonderful.......2005-10-22
I picked this book up only because it was historical fiction and I did enjoy "Memoirs of a Geisha"; however, this is much different and at first I was rather disappointed. I didn't particularly like the first person narrative and what I thought of as the "weird little phrases" of poetry interspersed, but I kept reading. I was soon pulled in and could not put it down. Not that I especially liked the character of Muraski, but I so enjoyed the visit to 11th century Japan.
I agree with those that remarked on the lack of background regarding the politics and religion that shape this novel, but I didn't find it overwhelming. Instead, it spurred my interest to investigate further.
It is hard to judge the qualities of characters that are living in a world so far from our own. The exchanges of "waka" seem bizarre at first, but I actually found myself looking at my own surroundings (especially nature) in a new light. Although the author, I felt, was too detailed, too wordy (especially in the long descriptions of colors and kimonos), we could all learn something about saying so much in so few words.
How enthralling to briefly inhabit a world without time;
how much my time has changed.
Yucky YUCK YUCK YUCK -_-.......2005-09-24
I did NOT enjoy this book.
Interesting cultural aspects aside (that's about all this book is good for) I did not find the protagonist interesting. I didn't cry over her 'keeping her mother here' or whatever she thought she was doing when her mom was cremated and she wished for the smoke to keep rising. I found her a sad person. I mean, just SAD, not in her life circumstances but I just didn't like her, Genji and all aside.
It's been a long time since I read this book, and I'm writing by the seat of my pants. I simply DID NOT like this book at all. And I will not ever be reading it again. That's pretty bad for me. o.o
Good Premise Sputters Out Half-Way.......2005-04-06
Being someone who has lived in Japan, studied Japanese culture, and for whom the Heian period - in which this book takes place - holds a particular fascination, I must nevertheless reveal that this book dies half-way when the author's gender-bending agenda takes over and crushes the thrust of the story. Murasaki was indeed a remarkable character, and the first half of the novel does a wonderful job in constructing what her early life may have been like, but the author's creation of her character's romantic preference for women denies the historical hetero orientation of "The Tale of Genji". To paraphrase Virgina Woolf, authors should write from the perspective of all people, WITHOUT AGENDAS.
Rich, visual novel.......2005-01-08
Wow, I learned so much from this rich, visual novel. Historical fiction about the 11th century Japanese woman who wrote the WORLD'S FIRST NOVEL!! I hadn't even heard of her before. Liza Dalby (author) is an anthropologist and the only westerner to have become a geisha. This book was a magical find. Whether due to the small print or lyrical, sometimes dreamy, prose I found myself reading much SLOWER than I normally do, but that's not a bad thing. Very lush, i really felt transported. The translations of the poetry were quite good. I now feel very well-schooled in 11th century Japan (an era I knew little about before reading this novel). Very nice.
A peek into the past.......2004-10-05
This novel about Lady Murasaki and her world is a well-written story providing both a glimpse of Heian court life as well as the role of a female in said society. The focus on the aesthetic pleasures of life shows the sensitivity of this culture of the past, though at times the frivolity of the lavish lifestyle of the ruling class seems excessive to the modern mind.
At the outset Murasaki is likeable because she displays a sense of individuality, intellectualism, a hint of stubbornness, and rebellion against the role of subserviant, compliant female; her somewhat taboo relationship with the Chinese visitor Ming Gwok reveals an uncompromising element to her personality as she pursues that to which her own interests guide her, versus bowing to the strictures of her society (though she is aided by the fact that her fairly enlightened father looks the other way). She also fights the societal insistence of marriage for much longer than most women would have had the staying power to do.
As the book progresses it becomes somewhat frustrating to see her buckle to fit the role of court lady, though this is likely a historically accurate portrayal of what would have become of her at the time. Because of this, the latter part of the book seems somewhat vapid at times and loses its sense of substance, even if it is accurate.
Still, this is a worthwhile read from Liza Dalby, a tried and true scholar and analyzer of Japanese culture.
Amazon.com
Widely acknowledged as the world's first novel, this astonishingly lovely book was written by a court lady in Heian Japan and offers a window into that formal, mannered world. Genji, a man of passionate impulses and a lover of beauty, is the favorite son of the Emperor, though his position at court is not entirely stable. He follows his wayward longings through moonlight-soaked gardens and jeweled pavilions, with mysterious women such as the Lady of the Orange Blossoms, the Akashi lady, and his own father's Empress. This version is translated by Edward G. Seidensticker, who has translated a number of other great Japanese writers such as Mishima and Kawabata.
Book Description
In the eleventh century Murasaki Shikibu, a lady in the Heian court of Japan, wrote the world's first novel. But The Tale of Genji is no mere artifact. It is, rather, a lively and astonishingly nuanced portrait of a refined society where every dalliance is an act of political consequence, a play of characters whose inner lives are as rich and changeable as those imagined by Proust. Chief of these is "the shining Genji," the son of the emperor and a man whose passionate impulses create great turmoil in his world and very nearly destroy him. This edition, recognized as the finest version in English, contains a dozen chapters from early in the book, carefully chosen by the translator, Edward G. Seidensticker, with an introduction explaining the selection. It is illustrated throughout with woodcuts from a seventeenth-century edition.
Customer Reviews:
Abridgement of THE great Japanese novel.......2005-11-06
This is a review of the abridged translation of The Tale of Genji by Edward G. Seidensticker.
The Tale of Genji was written in the 11th century by Lady Murasaki Shikibu, and its story is set in the same period. It is universally considered THE great Japanese traditional novel, and one of the greatest works of world literature.
Seidensticker's abridged translation is about one-quarter as long as the complete work, and includes chapters 1, 4-5, 7-14 and 17. These chapters hang together fairly well as a self-contained narrative that gives a flavor for the complete work. The story begins with the lady of the Paulownia Court, a kind and refined woman with whom the Emperor falls in love. Because she lacks support at court, she is hounded to death by those jealous of her, including Kokiden, the Emperor's wife. But before she dies she gives birth to the Emperor's son, Genji. Since, like his mother, he lacks influential relatives at court, the Emperor keeps him a commoner (and hence ineligible to become Emperor). But from his childhood, Genji's beauty, elegance, artistry and aesthetic sensibility leaves others awestruck, and frequently in love with him. In the period of the novel, upper-class people occupied themselves primarily with poetry composition, painting, ritual activities and romantic affairs. These affairs were largely tolerated, as long as they were conducted discreetly. Much of the novel is taken up with Genji's affairs, which lead him into near-disaster more than once. Eventually, he is discovered in the apartments of Oborozukiyo, sister of Kokiden. Genji might have gotten away with this under his father's reign, but by this time his father has been succeeded by the Suzaku Emperor, who is largely controlled by his mother, Kokiden. So the scandal leads to Genji going into exile. At the end of this abridgement, Genji returns from exile, in part through the intervention of the spirit of his father, who appears to the Suzaku Emperor in a dream, and then Genji's illicit son succeeds to the throne. We eventually see Genji returned to his old honors at court, and planning on bringing to court the Akashi Lady, whom he met while in exile and who became the mother to Genji's daughter.
One might understand Genji as a man always searching for the mother whom he never knew. In the "Evening Faces" chapter, Genji has an affair with an unnamed woman whose hold on him seems mysterious: "She was of an extraordinarily gentle and quiet nature. ... She did not appear to be of very good family." (41) This could just as easily be a description of Genji's mother. This woman dies suddenly (seemingly as the result of malign spirits), so metaphorically Genji loses his mother once again. His great love is Fujitsubo, the new consort of the Emperor (Genji's father), whom the Emperor chose precisely because she reminds everyone of Genji's mother (22). Fujitsubo is also attracted to Genji, and their illicit relationship results in Genji forcing himself on her and fathering a son whom everyone believes to be the current Emperor's (86-88). (Indeed, this child eventually becomes the Reizei Emperor.) After this, Fujitsubo more and more isolates herself from Genji to avoid any suspicion. The other major woman in Genji's life is Murasaki. When Genji discovers her, she is a ten-year-old child. He finds out that, like him, she lost her mother while young. Perhaps even more significantly, she is Fujitsubo's niece (74)! Her father still lives, but she does not live with him, and he has not shown much interest in her. So Genji spirits her away in the middle of the night, planning on raising her to be his ideal woman.
This novel could also be seen as presenting a sort of Buddhist perspective on romantic love. Genji sees the beauty in everything. This is part of the reason that he is attracted to so many different women. And in the aesthetic of this book, beauty is accentuated by its very transience. The person we love today may die tomorrow. This is a distinctively Zen perspective. But Genji is also trapped by his attachment to the people whom he loves from achieving enlightenment. Listening to a monk intone the scriptures "Genji was filled with envy. Why did he not embrace the religious life? He knew... that the chief reason was" Murasaki (208).
The position of women in Genji's society is complex. Genji says of women, "The clear, forceful ones I can do without. ...a woman who is quiet and withdrawn and follows the wishes of a man even to the point of letting herself be used has much the greater appeal" (62-63). On the other hand, the novel does have a genuine heroine: Fujitsubo. She resists her attraction to Genji and then resigns as Empress and becomes a nun, all for the good of her son. The ambivalent position of women is well illustrated by the interaction between Genji's wife, Aoi, and the Rokujo Lady. After Genji ends his affair with the latter, his wife's servants embarrass her at a public event. Then when Aoi is pregnant, she becomes seriously ill when possessed by a spirit: "It was not Aoi's voice, nor was the manner hers. Extraordinary-and then he knew that it was the voice of the Rokujo lady. He was aghast." (162) The Rokujo Lady's spirit has "gone walking" in her sleep, attacking the object of her anger and jealousy. The story clearly takes this as a serious possibility, but we can also see it as a symbolic playing out of the dangers of affairs and jealousy.
There are many aspects of this story that will seem alien or even disturbing to contemporary Western readers. As one of my students put it, colloquially but succinctly, "Genji seems like a player": it is hard to even keep track of how many affairs he has over the course of the novel. And his relationship with young Murasaki is, to be equally colloquial, creepy. She is frightened when he comes in the night to take her away, but he tells her "You are not to sulk, now, and make me unhappy. Would I have done all this for you if I were not a nice man? Young ladies should do as they are told." (103) He takes her virginity just a few years later, after essentially treating her as his daughter.
But we must also keep in mind that Genji's behavior was not regarded in his culture the way that it would be in our own. And we must recognize Genji's admirable qualities. He sees something unique and beautiful in each of the women that he has a relationship with, and does not merely forget them afterwards: "His manner as always gentle and persuasive, it is doubtful that he said anything he did not mean. There were no ordinary, common women among those with whom he had had even fleeting affairs, nor were there any among them in whom he could find no merit; and so it was, perhaps, that an easy, casual relationship often proved durable." (235) This is perhaps more than many people today could say.
An interesting journey to a different time and culture.......2004-08-05
In the book's defense, Aristotle said "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Many of the events described in this book seem unacceptable to the Western 21st century moral code, BUT neither Lady Murasaki nor Genji were 21st century Westerners.
Many cultures around the world still have arranged marriages, the arrangements happen while the bride (and groom) are still children, sometimes the groom is much older, so there's nothing really THAT strange about that. From what I gleaned Genji didn't have physical relations with Murasaki until she was old enough so really, no harm no foul.
As far as the cultural content this book was fascinating, you have to factor in when it was written that it had to be translated into English which I would assume was no easy task for any translator; sometimes "ideas" don't translate as well as one would hope.
Other than that the book was a hard read but definitely worth it, I found myself almost craving to read it if I put it down for a while. I just couldn't wait to hear about Genji's next adventure or conquest.
The poetry was also of interest, apparently it was proof of intelligence and/or good breeding (or something) at that time to be able to make up a good poem spontaneously (on the fly) and they do this often throughout the book; which at first threw me while reading, but you soon get used to it.
You can also catch a hint of the traditional Japanese culture (that I know of, which isn't a lot) and it may help with an understanding of what it's all about; in other words it is possible to make some connections between then and now.
The characters are all very interesting and Murasaki makes them come alive with her very vivid descriptions of their personalities as well as physical descriptions that aren't too exhausting. You can practically say you "know" the people she describes, you can imagine someone you know that is just like that character. Genji is so haughty and pompous, it's almost comical at times, but who wouldn't be if they were given near god status at birth? He seems almost naive or innocent, even though in reality he's far from it, almost narcissistic, but it's all good because he's "Genji", lol. You almost become narcissistic along with him - toward him, it's contagious.
It is also very humorous at times and I found myself chuckling out loud (and then not able to explain to people what I'm laughing about because you "had to be there"); you get so in tune with the culture that you find humor in the "slights" that are completely culturally based.
I was struck so many times by the similarites between "human nature" then and now, the only real differences are cultural. Their personalities, their desires, their emotions are all the same as what we are familiar with in this day and age.
This was just a GOOD book and a GOOD story, it's no wonder it has been around so long.
Sondra
The Reviews Should be Reviewed!.......2003-10-09
It's amazing how so many of the people writing negative reviews on this book are focused on what they see as moral or philosophical content.
They seem to miss the fact that Lady Murasaki was writing in the context of the society at that time, and exploring those same moral conflicts within the reality of both society and individual consciousness. Genji is not a hero placed on a pedestal, Murasaki examines him in the most honest way, showing both the good and the bad, the beauty and the beast; and that's what makes it such a great novel. It has integrity of subject rarely seen in our modern formulas and Hollywood endings.
In modern texts the writing formulas is a hero who goes through a series of climaxes, culminating in a victory or defeat where the protagonist discovers something about themselves, but with Genji, the reader discovers something about themselves, and maybe that's too disturbing for some people.
In addition, it passes on an abundance of information on Japanese history and culture of the Heian area. It is a significant work relating to the Japanese Incense Ceremony called Kodo, of which today the most famous game is called "Genji Koh" or "Incense of the Genji."
Glorified Incest.......2002-02-05
This book disgusted me. I have never read anything so incestuous. 'Tale of Genji' is an overindulgent, horrific story. Any man who covets a girl of approxiamately age seven for a wife is what I would call a 'pedophile' not a prince. Not to mention that he impregnates his step mother. I have to wonder about those who gave this book 5 stars. Spare yourself the disgust, and use your money more wisely.
THE ACME OF REFINEMENT.......2000-10-19
It sure is a women's book; someone is in tears on every other page. Yet it does get through to a common nipponophile like me. It presents a certain ultimate in civilization, an elite who communicated to each other with brilliant artistry in subtle couplets.
Book Description
“Superbly written and genuinely engaging . . . one of those works that can be read and reread throughout one's life.” —Liza Dalby, Los Angeles Times Book Review
Written in the eleventh century, this exquisite portrait of courtly life in medieval Japan is widely celebrated as the world's first novel—and is certainly one of its finest. Genji, the Shining Prince, son of an emperor, is a passionate character whose tempestuous nature, family circumstances, love affairs, alliances, and shifting political fortunes form the core of this magnificent epic. Royall Tyler's superb translation is detailed, poetic, and true to the Japanese original while allowing the English reader to appreciate its timeless beauty. In this deftly abridged edition, Tyler focuses on the early chapters, which vividly evoke Genji as a young man and leave him at his first moment of triumph.
Customer Reviews:
An Excellent Read!!!!!.......2007-03-03
"The Tale of Genji" by Murasaki Shikibu is recognized as the world's first true novel. Written in the late 10th or early 11th century, it is a story of the life of "Genji", who is the son of an Emperor of Japan in the 9th century. Known as "The shining Prince", the story follows Genji's exploits over the course of his lifetime. The book gives insight into the lifestyle of a young, strikingly handsome prince who is revered by those he comes in contact with.
The true author, known as Murasaki Shikibu, was the daughter of a governor of several provinces. She is recognized as writing the entire tale, which consists of 54 chapters in its original format. Because all of the original versions were handwritten, the version we know of today are edited and compiled from multiple versions that were copied from the original, copied by an unknown scholar during the 13th century.
The story gives insight as to royal life during the time period. Its unabashed views of the lifestyle of Genji, and those around him, do not spare the reader of the downsides of royal life. In fact, much of what is portrayed in the book could be considered scandalous in nature, given the positions of importance many of the characters in the book have in Japanese society of that time period.
What strikes me as fascinating with this book is the obvious parallels to the life and human nature of those who live in today's world. The real life drama and adventure presented in this novel is compelling, if not somewhat scandalous. It is an absolutely compelling read, considering the time period it was written in, and it provides a fascinating look into the formality of royal life of the time period. The details are immaculate, and the romanticism of the era, even if somewhat misguided, are enough to make the most stoic reader feel the emotions of the characters in the book.
The many references to poetry, music, and writing styles are reminiscent of the way Japan imported much of its early style and influence from the Chinese and Koreans. Reading this book is like reading a history novel, but from the standpoint of being part of history. It is an excellent supplement to college level history classes, which is how I came to read it myself.
This book by far stands on its own when compared to other novels, if not for the quality of the content, then simply for consideration of the time period it was written in. The sheer detail and manner of writing are second to none, and rivals the quality of the product of today's writers. I would definitely recommend it to others, and I would absolutely without hesitation rate this as one of the better novels I have read.
Book Description
A lushly illustrated edition of a world classic
The third in this series of illustrated Japanese classics, The Tale of Genji again combines Miyata's captivating paper cut-outs with a modern retelling of a vintage story. This well-known tale of the amorous adventures of Prince Genji is widely considered world literature's first novel, and with
its precise and poetic prose, it is also considered one of its finest.
Written with precision by a lady of the Japanese court, Genji's Don Juan-like clandestine rendezvous with lovers in their perfumed boudoirs or on mossy moonlit garden paths, continues to intrigue lovers of literature. What sets Genji apart from the typically carefree playboy is the intensity of his
emotional attachment for each of his lovers. Long after an affair has ended, Genji continues to cherish the encounter. His is an age-old tale, as well as a poignant and brilliant portrait of Japan's ancient court life.
Customer Reviews:
great story, beautiful illustrations, disapointing format.......2006-05-10
Its a great book with beautiful illustrations, stories. The stories written alongside in Kanji script makes the book even better. However, the illustrations split randomly across two pages, destroys the beauty of Miyata Masayuki's paper cuts outs. Wish the book will be reformatted in the future to accomodate the illustrations in full on one page.
Customer Reviews:
helpful.......2002-01-09
This book was writen as a companion to two earlier translations. However it serves well to provide background and chapter summaries for the Royall Tyler translation which has just become available.
ESSENTIAL READING.......1999-07-09
A god-send "map" of sorts through the galaxy of characters and events in Murasaki Shikibu's "The Tale of Genji." I only wish Puette had continued with detailed reviews after Chapter 9. Otherwise, an exellent guide to a wonderful, absorbing novel.
Average customer rating:
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A Thousand Years of Love
Avia Belle Moon
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
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Binding: Perfect Paperback
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philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer
ASIN: 1412013356
Release Date: 2006-07-06 |
Book Description
Find out where love exists within a setting of elegance and mystery in ancient Japan and China, transcending gender and blood, eternal as the silver waves glittering on a kimono.
Customer Reviews:
Wow.......2007-02-21
Very lyrical and sensual the story flows like a murmuring stream. I'm not even finished yet and I'm quite hooked by it already! ^.^V Quite wonderful.
Book Description
In the early eleventh century Murasaki Shikibu, a lady in the Heian court of Japan, wrote what many consider to be the world’s first novel, more than three centuries before Chaucer. The Heian era (794—1185) is recognized as one of the very greatest periods in Japanese literature, and The Tale of Genji is not only the unquestioned prose masterpiece of that period but also the most lively and absorbing account we have of the intricate, exquisite, highly ordered court culture that made such a masterpiece possible.
Genji is the favorite son of the emperor but also a man of dangerously passionate impulses. In his highly refined world, where every dalliance is an act of political consequence, his shifting alliances and secret love affairs create great turmoil and very nearly destroy him.
Edward Seidensticker’s translation of Lady Murasaki’s splendid romance has been honored throughout the English-speaking world for its fluency, scholarly depth, and deep literary tact and sensitivity.
Customer Reviews:
Not for me.......2006-03-27
I had to read this book for class. It wasn't that good. Conversations get confusing because its not clear who is saying what. It might be a small book but its tedious reading. I'm usually a fast reader but it took me a couple of days just to get through 3 chapters. I asked around at class and found that I was not the only one who had this problem. Its less painful if you just get a summary or if you just get someone to tell you what happens.
A must for Japanophiles.......2004-04-16
This edition is actually the first volume of the series that makes up the complete Tale of Genji. After much anticipation, fuelled by books such as The Tale of Murasaki, I was ready to take on this giant of world literature. It was quite disappointing, but perhaps much of that was due to my strong personal dislike of the title character, Genji. Presented as a `shining prince', and the epitome of manhood, I found him to be a vain and childish character who was annoying in the extreme. So when the story is based on his adventures and accomplishments, it is bound to disappoint.
However, something strange happened with this book - by the end, I had decided to seek out the further volumes so as to complete the story. So Genji, annoying or otherwise, grows on the reader, and you feel compelled to find out what happened next. And this is the sign of a good book. And if you have any interest in Japanese literature, or Heian culture, this book is a must-read, as so much relates to it.
This is one of the `classic' translations, and is quite easy to understand. I would recommend having `A Reader's Guide to The Tale of Genji' by William Puette on hand while reading if you want to fully appreciate all that is going on.
Many times it is the earliest efforts that are the best........2003-08-14
The Tale of Genji, or Genji monogatari, was written in the tenth century by Shikibu Murasaki. In it, there is a deep look at the culture and way of life of the highest classes in Heian-era Japan.
The tale itself is about the 'shining prince'; Genji. Son of the emperor and one of his lowest consorts, Genji is fated to be one of the most important men of the age, but never able to truly ascend to royalty. This story, all thousand plus pages of it, details his life full of music, poetry, and efforts to win the hand of various ladies.
While starting out very episodic, Genji soon turns into a more refined tale, when all the threads of story come together to create surprising relations and events that will delight the imagination in their color and depth. By the end of the book, you will have lived through so much of the characters lives that each person comes into their own, and you cannot help but hope that all will end well.
I will say, however, that this book is somewhat difficult to get into for the uninitiated. There's much in the way of allusion to religion of the day (be it Shinto or Buddhism), and of customs that are barely mentioned due to being so commonplace at the time. As such, I would suggest something to introduce people to the Heian culture.
My first and best suggestion would be The Tale of Murasaki, written by Liza Dalby. It's a diary of the author of Genji, Shikibu Murasaki, pieced together from poems and the real diary, and filled in with further guesses as to her life. Compared to Genji, it is very approachable, and makes reading this story even easier.
I cannot recommend Genji enough, being quite possibly the first novel in the world, and certainly one of the best. For anyone with an interest in Japanese history, well-written romance, or just the best of the written word, Genji is sure to delight.
Wonderful.......2003-01-20
I was hesitant to start reading "The Tale of Genji" because it seemed so long and ponderous and serious. It seemed like the kind of novel you read because you should, not because it's fun. That wasn't the case at all! The book is a little obscure, a little hard to read, but it keeps me up reading it at night. The world it evokes is distant, exotic, and poetic. I haven't read the other translations, but I will say that for me it wasn't hard to keep track of who was who, despite the lack of personal names, and I'm glad that this translation stuck close to the original in that respect.
bland.......2002-09-22
I know this book is like a thousand plus years old, so I'll hold my other comments aside. But I believe if you don't know anything about the Japanese language or culture and aren't interested in reading about a Man pursuing countless womans and how tos. I suggest reading something else.
It was troublesome to follow the book with the needed footnotes at the bottom. I know some parts are supposed to sound beautiful, but again, coming from a non-Japanese knowledge point of view it made no sense.
The book seemed historical, but I could Not get it because of you-know-why.
Book Description
The Tale of Genji
and The Tale of the Heike
are the two major works of classical Japanese prose. The complete versions of both works are too long to be taught in one term, and this abridgement answers the need for a one-volume edition of both works suitable for use in survey courses in classical Japanese literature or world literature in translation and by the general reader daunted by the complete works. The translator has selected representative portions of the two texts with a view to shaping the abridgments into coherent, aesthetically acceptable wholes.
Often called the world’s earliest novel, The Tale of Genji
, by Murasaki Shikibu, is a poetic evocation of aristocratic life in eleventh-century Japan, a period of brilliant cultural efflorescence. This new translation focuses on important events in the life of its main character, Genji. It traces the full length of Genji’s relationship with Murasaki, the deepest and most enduring of his emotional attachments, and contains all or parts of 10 of the 41 chapters in which Genji figures, including the “Broom Tree” chapter, which provides a reprise of the themes of the book.
In romanticized but essentially truthful fashion, The Tale of the Heike
describes the late twelfth-century political intrigues and battlefield clashes that led to the eclipse of the Kyoto court and the establishment of a military government by the rival Minamotho (Genji) clan. Its underlying theme, the evanescence of worldly things, echoes some of the concerns of the Genji
, but its language preserves many traces of oral composition, and its vigor and expansivelness contrast sharply with the pensive, elegant tone of the Genji
. The selections of the Heike
, about 40 percent of the owrk, are taken from the translator’s complete edition, which received great acclaim: “this verison of the Heike
is superb and indeed reveals to English-language readers for the first time the full scope, grandeur, and literary richness of the work.”—Journal of Asian Studies
For both the Genji
and the Heike
abridgments, the translator has provided introductions, headnote summaries, adn other supplementary maerials designed to help readers follow the sometimes confused story lines and keep the characters straight. The book also includes an appendix, a glossary, a bibliography, and two maps.
Customer Reviews:
almost obsolete now.......2007-05-29
Recent publications have rendered Helen McCullough's volume almost obsolete.
We now have three complete English translations of The Tale of Genji: those by Waley, Seidensticker, and Royall Tyler. (Considering accuracy and readability, I prefer the Seidensticker translation.) For those who want an abridged Genji, both the Seidensticker and Tyler translations are readily available in abridged form, and both are superior to McCullough's abridgement in the volume under review.
Burton Watson's new translation of the most important parts of The Tales of the Heike completely eclipses the three complete English translations (by Sadler, Kitagawa/Tsuchida, and McCullough) in readability and in incorporating a valuable bibliography, and renders McCullough's abridgement, in the volume under review, obsolete.
In short, my recommendations are Seidensticker's Tale of Genji, either complete or abridged (but by all means read the complete Genji if you can), and Watson's The Tales of the Heike.
Most Readable Genji!.......1998-11-16
I disagree with the reviewer who thought Dr. McCullough's translation is unwieldy. I have read Waley, Seindesticker and McCullough and I only wish McCullough had printed a full version. It is difficult to present tenth century ideas in a form comprehensible to late 20th century Westerners. I think Dr. McCullough does a fantastic job, and I encourage readers to read her abridged version of the Tale before attempting the full version by any other translator. To suggest that Dr. McCullough take "slightly more poetic licence [sic] in order to make it easyer [sic] to read" is missing the point of translation. If you want to read the results of "taking more poetic license", read Waley. But know that he messed up the chronology and threw out an entire chapter because it "didn't fit." Murasaki Shikibu wrote that chapter for a reason. We should not disregard the work of this paragon and progenitor of Japanese fiction simply because it "doesn't fit" with our idea of how a story should read. It is a masterpiece, and Helen Craig McCullough's translation is accurate AND readble.
not for amatures.......1997-11-03
I am not a historian or a scholar of ancient lituriture, I simply have a passion for Japan and it's history. So as a reader for fun i found it very difficult to understand, I read the version published by Stanford University Press which did have some apendixes and foot notes but I found them very wieldy and not very useful. I tink it might be useful to have reverse pager notes or a short summery of each page at the top of the page, like i had seen in some Shakespear and the Odyssey. I have read brief portions of Heike Monogatari in modernized japanese and I understand the difficulties of translating into English and I think the translator did a magnificent job in keeping very close tho the original meaning. But i would also probably forgive slightlymore poetic licence in order to make it easyer to read. But as for the content of the tale itself I think it reviels alot about 12th century Japan. The Strong charictors often weeping, making extreem oaths such as promising to die in cirtan circomstances that are protrayed in the Monogatari tells about what the japanease found entertaining in that time, it reminded me some what of the charictors in Lord of the Rings by Tolken. The main theame of the comming of the latter days of the law I found very ineresting and to see the story of Japan falling from a noble society and beurocracy centered arowned the Empiror to a Warior society ruled by the Shogun was quite intesting.
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