Particularize Books Supposing The Pillow Book
Original Title: | 枕草子 [Makura no sōshi] |
ISBN: | 0231073372 (ISBN13: 9780231073370) |
Edition Language: | English |
Sei Shōnagon
Paperback | Pages: 419 pages Rating: 4.01 | 5747 Users | 547 Reviews
Specify Of Books The Pillow Book
Title | : | The Pillow Book |
Author | : | Sei Shōnagon |
Book Format | : | Paperback |
Book Edition | : | Deluxe Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 419 pages |
Published | : | December 30th 1991 by Columbia University Press (first published 1002) |
Categories | : | Cultural. Japan. Classics. Nonfiction. History. Asian Literature. Japanese Literature |
Rendition Conducive To Books The Pillow Book
"The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon" is a fascinating, detailed account of Japanese court life in the eleventh century. Written by a lady of the court at the height of Heian culture, this book enthralls with its lively gossip, witty observations, and subtle impressions.Lady Shonagon was an erstwhile rival of Lady Murasaki, whose novel, "The Tale of Genji," fictionalized the elite world Lady Shonagon so eloquently relates. Featuring reflections on royal and religious ceremonies, nature, conversation, poetry, and many other subjects, "The Pillow Book" is an intimate look at the experiences and outlook of the Heian upper class, further enriched by Ivan Morris's extensive notes and critical contextualization.
Rating Of Books The Pillow Book
Ratings: 4.01 From 5747 Users | 547 ReviewsPiece Of Books The Pillow Book
Less interesting than its closest contemporary, The Tale of Genji, this is another interesting book about the intimate life of the Japanese imperial court during the Heian period (as Genji is as well). It is full of interesting anecdotes and pillow talk (thus the title), but in a less poetic style as Genji which for me remains the reference and the milestone.I haven't finished this book yet, but have read a lot of it. I skip over some of the daily accounts in favor of the lists / observations / character sketches. I need to go back and fill in the blanks, but it might be awhile before I get to it. For now:A "pillow book" is a collection of random notes, character sketches, lists, poems, and observations that the Japanese upper class during the Heian period might have kept in the drawers of their wooden pillows. Having an example of the pillow book
Very fun way to get to know Heian Japanese culture if you don't already.If you do, then Shōnagon is opinionated and contrary enough that she can really make the world come alive. Her opinions don't always match up to the popular ones at the time, and it's neat to start to recognize when that happens without referring to the endnotes.The Ivan Morris translation is fully half appendices and notes, which really help in understanding what's going on and what everything means, but they're also
The element of The Tale of Genji which appealed most to me was its exoticism, which The Pillow Book, or at least these extracts, captures without any of the effort of following the former's plot echoes, characterization, and psychological nuances. Sei Shonagon can't capture Murasaki's deep sense of the tragic evanescence of life, but the lack only makes her more appealing, in some ways, to a modern reader.
Sei Shonagon is brilliant. She was a lady-in-waiting for Empress Teishi, the first empress of Emperor Ichijo. Ichijo loved her dearly, but when Teishi's father died prematurely, his younger brother, Fujiwara no Michinaga, rose to power, and Michinaga pushed his daughter, Shoshi, as Ichijo's additional empress. Teishi stayed in His Majesty's palace (the emperor could have multiple consorts anyway), but was distressed. Sei Shonagon tried to comfort Her Highness with her wit, which eventually
I didn't expect to like this. But Sei Shonagon was blogging centuries before blogs existed. Her writings in her pillow book vary from lists of unpleasant things to descriptions of fashions to funny stories from the Japanese court life. The tone is a mixture of self-righteousness and wonder, which is why I kept thinking of Harriet the Spy. I learned a lot about Japanese culture at the time, almost by accident. And the Morris translation is heavily footnoted."There's really something sad about a
This 10th century Japan private diary of a lady-in-the-court is one of the most extraordinary pieces of non-fiction Ive ever read - through sweeping, exhaustive lists, Shōnagon, a gossip and a prankster, reveals both the universality of human life and the paticularities of her cloistered life in Japanese court.A few of my favorite excerpts: Hateful Things- One is in a hurry to leave, but one's visitor keeps chattering away. If it is someone of no importance, one can get rid of him by saying,
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.