The Tale of Genji: The Authentic First Translation of the World's Earliest Novel (Tuttle Classics)

Beautiful storytelling and poetry. I can only imagine how much more beautiful it would be to read and understand it in the Japanese language of the time.

This is the most important book in the history of literature as it is the world's first recorded novel (not an epic poem but an actual novel). Written by Lady Murasaki Shikibu (born 978) of the famed Japanese Fumiwara clan, the 200 page heroic political romance is full of court intrigue, passion, and romanticism.

I'm pleased with the condition of the book and the speed of the delivery.

I read this years ago in Japan and can now share with others!

I bought 3 copies. I have read my copy, whichI I enjoyed emmensly.The other two, I sent as a gift to my good friends.

Good story. Interesting morals in old Japan.

Excellent.

As this was the world's earliest known novel, and was remarkable in that it was written by a woman and was comprised of 54 chapters, I was really looking forward to reading it and was committed to finishing the full novel. Alas, I was disappointed to unwrap a slim paperback that was only 223 pages long. The Foreword by Michael Emmerich does much to explain why the translation by Kencho Suematsu is abridged and incomplete, but I would have appreciated knowing this before I purchased it.In fairness, I will not comment on the book itself or its content, as I did not finish reading it.