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Comment: Pages are clean and free of writing and or highlighting. Cover edges show some wear from reading and storage.

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The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon: The Diary of a Courtesan in Tenth Century Japan Hardcover – March 10, 2011

by Arthur Waley (Translator), Dennis Washburn Ph.D. (Foreword)
8 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 144 pages
  • Publisher: Tuttle Publishing; Hardcover with Jacket edition (March 10, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 4805311088
  • ISBN-13: 978-4805311080
  • Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.6 x 7.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #152,795 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Fascinating book, wrong title
By n.rivot on March 11, 2012
Format: Hardcover
This is a really wonderful book. It was written by a contemporary of Murakami Shikibu [the author of the Tale of Genji], whom she actually mentions once or twice. She was a well educated lady, who could outdo male courtiers of the time in her ability to quote Chinese poetry.

I want to mention what I consider a gross error in the title. She was certainly not a courtesan: she was at the Imperial court, an entirely different situation. An upper class woman, she knew many ladies and gentlemen of the court. She is witty and her stories are often amusing.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
You're only getting a quarter of the book.
By kvnstv1 on October 26, 2013
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Arthur Waley is undoubtedly a very important figure in the translation of Asian literature into English. But, as far as Sei Shonagon's Pillow Book is concerned, he should not have undertaken this translation. He has only translated a quarter of the work and has omitted all the passages he felt were dull or required too many citations to explain.

This undoubtedly may be the case, but as a fan of Japanese literature and the Zuihitsu genre, and having already read Kenko's Tsurezuregusa, I think I would rather be the judge of what is dull.

Had I researched this well beforehand, I would definitely have avoided this purchase. For readers who want a shortened version of the original, to just capture the essence of this book, this purchase would be excellent. For those seeking the full text, this will disappoint.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
A misleading version of a wonderful Literary work
By B. Ackley on June 13, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Sei Shonagon's Pillow Book is one of the greatest Japanese literary works. It is a challenging work. Wrote during Heian era Japan over a 1000 years ago its author Sei Shonagon, as she was known at the imperial court, wrote numerous musings about her life, recorded events that happened at the palace and documented the everyday. While the subject matter may seem stuffy the reality is quite different. Sei Shonagon is funny and her musings transcend time. Her ideas on fashion, irritation with others at court and aspirations of romantic love are similar to the same topics found in contemporary literature.

The difficult part of The pillow book is that it is not really in any order. depending on the publisher the book is usually divided in sections: Essays, journals and lists. the essays are usually her thoughts on life, her feelings and her ideas about things. The Journals recollect events at the palace and life in the Heian court. And lastly are lists. Sei Shonagon made near endless lists about numerous things. The most beautiful bridges. Noises that irritate. Considering this was wrote so long ago its a nice reminder that people, despite changes in our environment really haven't changed that much.

This version is only a portion of the pillow book and as such is incomplete. While I found the cover attractive compared to other versions offered on amazon as well as other retailers this is quite an inferior offering. To truly enjoy you should purchase another version.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
there are better editions
By fanofjapan on February 2, 2013
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
This is not the greatest selection or translation, but it does focus on the parts of the diaries that are more immediately accessible to our contemporaries and avoid copious scholarly notes. A suitable introduction to that floating world, that may give the reader an appetite for a more comprehensive, in-depth foray.
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