The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon (The Penguin classics)

by Sei Shonagon (Author), Ivan Morris (Translator)

69 ratings

ISBN-13: 978-0140442366

ISBN-10: 0140442367

Why is ISBN important?

Have one to sell?

Sell on Amazon

Other Sellers

from $3.97

Other Sellers

See all 10 versions

Used: Good | Details

Sold by gwspokanebooks

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

22 used from $3.97

+ $3.99 shipping

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items when the Enter key is pressed. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

Sei Shonagon

139

Paperback
$16.74
Usually ships within 1 to 3 weeks.
Arthur Waley

39

Hardcover
$10.99
Murasaki Shikibu

267

Paperback
$25.89
Murasaki Shikibu

67

Paperback
$15.00
Sei Shonagon

4

Hardcover
$29.56
Only 2 left in stock (more on the way).
Natsume Soseki

53

Paperback
$16.00

What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

Sei Shonagon

139

Paperback
$16.74
Usually ships within 1 to 3 weeks.
Arthur Waley

39

Hardcover
$10.99
Murasaki Shikibu

267

Paperback
$25.89
Murasaki Shikibu

67

Paperback
$15.00
Ivan Morris

65

Paperback
$18.00
Saigyo

13

Paperback
25 offers from $4.49

Special offers and product promotions

Amazon Business : For business-only pricing, quantity discounts and FREE Shipping. Register a free business account

Product details

Publisher : Penguin Classics (September 30, 1971)
Language: : English
Mass Market Paperback : 416 pages
ISBN-10 : 0140442367
ISBN-13 : 978-0140442366
Item Weight : 10.1 ounces
Dimensions : 7 x 1 x 5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,259,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #18,665 in Literature
- #67,689 in Literary Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
69 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		72%
4 star		11%
3 star		8%
2 star 0% (0%)		0%
1 star		9%

How are ratings calculated?

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

David H.

ABRIDGED VERSION -- Not a complete translation

Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2018

Verified Purchase

My review here is not of the book itself, but rather to alert readers that this is an ABRIDGED VERSION. It is not the complete Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon, but rather contains only a portion of the whole work. I wish this had been more clearly indicated in the product description. In any case, you should be aware that if you order this version you are not getting the whole thing.

52 people found this helpful

Helpful

brain_spoon

Charm and wit

Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2015

Verified Purchase

If you are interested in books that shed light on life in the old world, this book is for you! The striking thing about this book is that it really seems like Sei Shonagon (the author) wanted her work to be read by people of the future. It is almost like reading a blog from ancient Japan! She is very funny, and her cutting wit is relentless. This book is an absolute treasure, and this paperback publication is nicely presented.

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

Steven A. Smith

A classic of its time & culture.

Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2019

Verified Purchase

I found the book enjoyable, although I was incapable of reading it straight through. I realize that I'm writing anachronistically, but Shonagon's sense of entitlement makes her generally insufferable. I kept thinking, the child could've used a good spanking. A lesson in deprivation might have served her well.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Dennis Dimartino

a classic

Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2019

Verified Purchase

The stories told are an amazing account of ancient Yamato. Shonagon was the first feminist. Her comfort with the court denizens she writes of and her astounding use of language mark this piece as a genuine classic, by a master.

Helpful

debeehr

Engaging, sometimes beautiful, but ultimately shallow

Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2007

Verified Purchase

If Sei Shonagon were alive today, she would be a livejournalist. That's the overall impression I got from this book--it reads very much like a modern livejournal or blog, being a collection of random observations on whatever Shonagon found interesting, lists of things she likes or dislikes, and snippets or scraps of poetry. Shonagon's use of metaphor and imagery is quite beautiful, and paints an evocative picture of a world, life, time and society very different from that of the modern day. However, she herself and the social circle in which she moves come off as fairly shallow, trivial and self-absorbed, as well as grotesquely classist and sometimes even cruel (as when she and her fellow ladies in waiting send a mocking poem to a commoner who has just lost his entire house and worldly possessions in a fire from which his son barely escaped.) Of course, given her own social status and position in her society at the time, perhaps these attitudes are to be expected; however, they still are not particularly attractive.

Nevertheless her writing is very readable, engaging, light and witty, and of course it is of great historical and literary significance, especially for something that was, by her own admission, not intended to be circulated publicly. It makes me wonder if any of today's blogosphere authors will still be read a thousand years from now, and what picture they will paint of modern society if they are.

15 people found this helpful

Helpful

Candace Klenk

Great book!

Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2018

Verified Purchase

Easy read, entertaining. Bought it after hearing the podcast on Sei Shonagon on Stuff You Missed in History!

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2016

Verified Purchase

Highly recommended. Beautiful snapshot of Japanese history during the Heian period.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Anna Gandour

a true find

Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2010

Verified Purchase

I had heard about this book and this particular translation. I read a little bit at a time. Besides being a wonderful writer, this is a terrific Japanese history lesson. I absolutely love this book. the voice of the writer is unique, intelligent, whimsical, wise, and much more. You will want to start writing about the everyday scenes in your life as beautifully as she did.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

hamptoncherry

One of the two best books written by women about Heian court of Japan.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 9, 2014

Verified Purchase

It was an absolutely fascinating look into the Japan's Heian court life thousand years ago. It is quite alien to a modern person, but I couldn't help but find some similarities with today's society. My most rudimentary knowledge of Japanese makes me believe this is one of the astonishing works of translation too.

The book is very unlike anything I have read before in its random chapter arrangement. This is essentially a diary of sorts. It is very poetic and at times funny. Sometimes I had to stop and re-read a passage that stroke me as special. Beautiful observations of nature co-exist with sharp comments about people and their behaviour.

Sei Shonagon herself is a fascinating character. She is obviously educated, but at times sounds silly and petty. Her loyalty to her Empress is very touching. At the same time she is cruel and cold towards "ordinary" people. She seems to pay too much attention to the court dress and elegant verses. Being at court is the highest honour and achievement in life for her.

Apparent promiscuity of the Heian court, which seemed to be a norm, is surprising It was also a surprise to learn that so much had been borrowed from Chinese culture and fashion. Japanese way was regarded unsophisticated and unrefined, and everybody seems to defer to Chinese tradition, fashion and literature.

I wish we new more about what happened to Sei Shonagon, but she is well hidden behind those court curtains in the depth of centuries.

12 people found this helpful

Mrs. P. L. Hare

Fascinating insights

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 31, 2017

Verified Purchase

Fascinating insights into Japanese court history.

One person found this helpful

sdpv

Excellent

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 4, 2013

Verified Purchase

Apart from contents, that are lovely however, it is remarkable the critical apparatus. Even a reader with scarce knowledge of japanese culture and society at Heian times is allowed to understand them.

Woodsey

Beautiful

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 3, 2016

Verified Purchase

Shorter than I expected but a delightful glimpse into palace life.

Amazon Customer

Five Stars

Reviewed in Canada on October 22, 2016

Verified Purchase

Very good!!

See all reviews

Need it sooner?

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

Sei Shonagon

139

Paperback
$16.74
Usually ships within 1 to 3 weeks.
Arthur Waley

39

Hardcover
$10.99
Murasaki Shikibu

267

Paperback
$25.89
Murasaki Shikibu

67

Paperback
$15.00
Sei Shonagon

4

Hardcover
$29.56
Only 2 left in stock (more on the way).
Natsume Soseki

53

Paperback
$16.00