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  • 11th Century Player

  • I am not sure this belongs on the Novel 100 list. I had a horrible time trudging through this book. There are not likable characters, the history of court life is sporadic and confusing, and the ending is lackluster at best. Genji has no endearing qualities as the hero of the story. But, I can s ... Continue

    I am not sure this belongs on the Novel 100 list. I had a horrible time trudging through this book. There are not likable characters, the history of court life is sporadic and confusing, and the ending is lackluster at best. Genji has no endearing qualities as the hero of the story. But, I can say I have read the oldest book on the Novel 100 list. There!

    

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• ― Bibliophile said on Nov 19, 2008 about the Paperback edition| Add your feedback

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  • A must read for Japanophiles

  • This book is essential for anyone desiring to understand more about Japanese culture. Just as European and early American literature like Dickens, Swift, and Twain have contributed to the form of American culture, this book has had a significant effect on Japanese culture. It's treatment of art, " ... Continue

    This book is essential for anyone desiring to understand more about Japanese culture. Just as European and early American literature like Dickens, Swift, and Twain have contributed to the form of American culture, this book has had a significant effect on Japanese culture. It's treatment of art, "high society," and relations between men and women can still be felt. And even if you aren't into that kind of societal/cultural depth, it is an important read because you will see the characters and situations alluded to in other things.

    

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• ― KyotoCutie said on Mar 30, 2007 about the Paperback edition| Add your feedback

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.

Translated by Royall Tyler

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