The Tale of Genji was written in the eleventh century by Murasaki Shikibu, a lady of the Heian court. It is universally recognized as the greatest masterpiece of Japanese prose narrative, perhaps the earliest true novel in the history of the world. Until now there has been no translation that is both complete and scrupulously faithful to the original text. Edward G. Seidensticker's masterly rendering was first published in two volumes in 1976 and immediately hailed as a classic of the translator's art. It is here presented in one unabridged volume, illustrated throughout by woodcuts taken from a 1650 Japanese edition of The Tale of Genji.
Editorial Reviews
"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
About the Author
Lady Murasaki Shikibu, born in 978, was a member of the famed Fujiwara clan-one of the most influential families of the Heian period. After the death of her husband, Shikibu immersed herself in Buddhism, and the religion's influence permeates her writing.
