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.
The Tale of Genji (Vintage Classics)
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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.
Review
"Not only the world's first real novel, but one of its greatest."
-- Donald Keene, Columbia University"A. triumph of authenticity and readability."
-- Washington Post Book World
"[Seidensticker's] translation has the ring of authority."
-- The New York Times Book Review
-- Donald Keene, Columbia University"A. triumph of authenticity and readability."
-- Washington Post Book World
"[Seidensticker's] translation has the ring of authority."
-- The New York Times Book Review
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By E. Haensel
Format:Paperback
This is only 1 quarter to 1/3 of the 1200 page original.
As such it loses much of the scope and poetry that made the original so compelling. Yes it has the main plot developments but.....wait until you have the time and work your way through the original, its worth it!
As an abridged version this rating is a bit harsh, as far as it goes the abridgment is well done, but judged against the original this book is about 1/3 as good, thus 2 stars against 5 for the original in this translation.
As such it loses much of the scope and poetry that made the original so compelling. Yes it has the main plot developments but.....wait until you have the time and work your way through the original, its worth it!
As an abridged version this rating is a bit harsh, as far as it goes the abridgment is well done, but judged against the original this book is about 1/3 as good, thus 2 stars against 5 for the original in this translation.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Luke Traynor
Format:Paperback
I bought this book thinking that it was "The Tale Of Genji". What I actually got (this book) was twelve chapters from the beginning of the 1200 page book "The Tale Of Genji". Edward G. Seidensticker omitted many chapters from the book which he thought were unnecessary.
I personally would have loved to know this before I bought the book, as it is nowhere in any description on this web page. I tried to read the book, but when the story starts referring to events which never occurred (since they were omitted from this version of the book) I decided that was enough. Don't waste your time on 1/4 of a book, get a whole one.
I personally would have loved to know this before I bought the book, as it is nowhere in any description on this web page. I tried to read the book, but when the story starts referring to events which never occurred (since they were omitted from this version of the book) I decided that was enough. Don't waste your time on 1/4 of a book, get a whole one.
By Earl Kulp
Format:Paperback
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.
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3.8 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Reviews Should be Reviewed!
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. Read more
Published on Oct 8 2003 by David P Oller
1.0 out of 5 stars
Glorified Incest
This book disgusted me. I have never read anything so incestuous. 'Tale of Genji' is an overindulgent, horrific story. Read more
Published on Feb 4 2002
3.0 out of 5 stars
Genji Go boy
this was a very intresting and hard book to follow I read it in a class a reading book. It was hard for me to keep up because of the higher vocabulary and high comedy that I did... Read more
Published on April 26 2000 by Andrea Young
3.0 out of 5 stars
Remember, readers, this is the world's first novel.
Curiosity caused me to read this book, and for purposes of history and enlightenment, I'm glad I did. Read more
Published on April 18 2000 by Ana Hotaling
5.0 out of 5 stars
The necessity to adore and be adored.
There is such a different tone to each of the translations. The sparse phrasing of Seidensticker's may be nearer to the original and from the point of view of following the plot it... Read more
Published on Jun 14 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Tale of Genji
This is the first complex or psychological novel written and for me, the best. A work of genius, although to my mind a reader should have a guide, either someone who knows the... Read more
Published on Mar 1 1998
3.0 out of 5 stars
"Tale of Genji is the great literature,"Almost Japanese say.
Surely ,Shikibu was the great writer. Her tones are intelligent ,clear and beautiful. But, I don't like Genji. He is a PLAYBOY! Nevertheless, I feel great sympathy for him. Read more
Published on Jan 31 1998 by fwih5057@mb.infoweb.or.jp
5.0 out of 5 stars
Genji Monogatari is the first psychological novel
The first moment of jarring strangeness in Lady Murasaki's great novel comes when her hero, the shining Genji, settles for the embraces of a young boy go-between, rather than his... Read more
Published on July 12 1997
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