Classics Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Japan Japanese Literature Literature

源氏物語 #1

The Tale of Genji

Name: The Tale of Genji
Rating: 3.72 (14670 reviews)
Author: Murasaki Shikibu

Murasaki Shikibu January 1, 1000

3.72 14.7k Ratings

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Synopsis

Written in the eleventh century, this exquisite portrait of courtly life in medieval Japan is widely celebrated as the world’s first novel. Genji, the Shining Prince, is the son of an emperor. He 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 superior translation is detailed, poetic, and superbly true to the Japanese original while allowing the modern reader to appreciate it as a contemporary treasure. Supplemented with detailed notes, glossaries, character lists, and chronologies to help the reader navigate the multigenerational narrative, this comprehensive edition presents this ancient tale in the grand style that it deserves.

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