ancient, and very impressive , 11 May 2008
I recently bought this Japanese classic and if you know how many pages it encompasses, you will not be surprised that I haven't finished it yet - for it takes quite some time to read it, let alone take it all in, especially since the story is set and written in a remote past and is culturally unfamiliar.
And yet - I love it already. It's been described as the first psychological novel, and it's easy to see why. The characters in the book aren't always very recognisable for us in terms of morality or philosophy, but I find them all very human and likeable. The book is infused with 'thinking' (like discussions on relationships and one's position in life) and an important feature is poetry: the main character Genji receives and dispatches a lot of subtle poetry (2 lines at a time) that emphasises the loftiness and grandeur of the whole work.
As I know only this translation I'm not able to tell how much of the appeal of "Genji" for the modern reader can be attributed to the translator, but clearly he has done an excellent job: it is all very, very readable and the notes are all very informative and give insight into what would otherwise be obscure references and details. And I love the physical side of the book as well: it is hefty, the paper used is pleasing to touch, many japanese style drawings enliven and instruct the reader and the whole layout exudes a refinement that supports the contents.
In short: a magnificent book in many ways. And I'm sure that if you pick up this classic you'll be pleasantly surprised.
The Greatest Book in Japan, 22 Jan 2005
I had thought that the Tale of Genji was just erotic romance before I came to Japan. But I made a mistake. What the tale of Genji tells us not only eroticism but also the meaning of life. If you don't know Buddhism and Shinto, you don't understand the essence of the novel. Sino-Japanese culture is also important because Murasaki Shikibu learned Sinology (Chibese classic literature).And the emperor-system is different from Western court. Now I think this classic is very difficult to appreciate. However,I like Genji Monogatari the best.
Best translation, 20 May 2003
The Tale of Genji is a deservedly famous classic, and doesn't need me to patronise it.
This is a better translation than Seidensticker's
An intimate portrait of Imperial grandeur, 11 Jan 2002
It is impossible, after finishing this beautiful book, to believe that Murasaki Shikibu has been dead for a thousand years - through her diary and poetry you sense a real human spirit.
The diary, and Murasaki herself, are even more appealing when contrasted against the grandeur and ritual of the Heian court she served.
The ceremonies, competitions, veneration of poetry and gorgeous colours and costumes are unbelievably vivid, intricate and fascinating.
Although the formality of the court seems alien to the modern world, Murasaki's observations give intimate glimpses of the characters of those involved, from Empress to serving-maid.
After finishing this book, you feel real regret. Read it and immerse yourself in a lost world.
The best translation of Genji: spare and lyrical, 25 Jan 2007
The Tale of Genji itself is amazing: the first novel ever, perhaps the most beautiful prose ever written, etc, etc, so I won't go into that. To talk about the translation, this 1976 one by Seidensticker is the best I have read. It's sparer and more lyrical than the very scholarly 2001 translation by Tyller.
The Murasaki Question, 21 Oct 2006
So much has been said about Genji Monogatari: some say it is the world's first novel; others, the greatest novel ever written; others again an incomparable source of information on Heian Japan. For some it is a satire, for others a great love story. All these are probably true, but it depends on your point of view, culture and even your sex as to how true.
My reading showed me that it is one of the greatest of autobiographies. For me, Murasaki, whose own name we do not even know, is the true hero of the story. Genji himself is a cypher: yet for sure Murasaki loved him, or someone like him. In her book Murasaki stands revealed; it is one of the great acts of intimacy in world literature. She is tangible, present in every adjective, real, alive. She was a strong living personality, a passionate nature, possessing great sensitivity to nature (so much more than the conventional Heian pose) and one who loved deeply and was not able to express her love. Of Murasaki, the scholars tell us, we know nothing. But her book tells us as much as one person can tell another, and with such power that we can never forget her.
This is a book from a distant era. Its survival, composition, culture and conventions, even its authorship, have inspired scholarly debate. There is even a 'Murasaki question' to parallel the 'Homeric question', concerning who wrote the book. Homer is in fact a useful analogue, but we don't need to know any of this. Murasaki tells us all we need to know. Over 1,000 pages, 400 characters and many, many tankas, yet we never lose the way. I like to think that Murasaki never finished her book, and that somewhere she is still writing some later chapters, that someone who loved so deeply in 11th century Japan could be granted some special dispensation by those in charge.
WOW!, 28 Aug 2002
Having just finished this book I am at a loss for words. An amazing story, inviting you into the folds of another culture that you won't want to leave. The book is physically beautiful as well ... green fabric hard back with a black and white paper jacket and the Everyman imprint on the inside of the cover ... one of those books that is a pleasure to sit down with. Read it! Then read it again!
A nice hardcover edition, 08 Oct 2000
This is not a review of the story. This review is to comment on this edition. The book is 212mm tall, 55mm thick and 135mm deep. It is attractively bound with a simple three colour (black, white and red) dustjacket. It includes an informative and interesting Introduction, a Select Bibliography, a Chronolgy and a list of Principal Characters. The book also has a dark green string bookmark. When I opened my Amazon.co.uk box, I was surprised at how nice this editoin is. There are no illustrations, on the inside or the cover, but I don't mind this. A handsome edition of a great story. It would make a nice gift.
The Tale of Genji: A Window on Japan's Magical Past, 20 Jul 1999
The Tale of Genji was written around the turn of the last millenium, when the Heian court of Japan was at its zenith.
Murasaki Shikibu's work has been called the world's first psychological novel and is a masterpiece far ahead of its time.
It tells the tale of the life of a Prince, Genji and how his life reflects the fortunes of the Japan of 1000 years ago. Rich in metaphor, the book can be seen as reflective of Murasaki's view of a world in decline.
More than this, though, the book is a truly educational insight into life in the Heian court - a life unparalleled anywhere else in the world. Aesthetics, social values, sexual attitudes and religion are all illustrated in Murasaki's careful, understated style. It is also rich in poetry and provides a beautiful example of the importance of poetry to Japanese society; an appreciation that has continued to the present day.
It contrasts with the work of Murasaki's contemporary, Sei Shonagon's "The Pillow Book", in both style and attitude but together they describe a society, almost unimagineable in modern times.
Seidenstecker has undertaken the monumental challenge of translating the medieval Japanese so that an English-speaking audience might enjoy The Tale of Genji, which stands alongside the finest of the world's great works of literature.
