Description

Book Synopsis

''A mistress of wry observation and scalding wit ... The Pillow Book retains its fresh, authentic appeal more than 1,000 years after its inception'' Japan Times

Written by the court gentlewoman Sei Shonagon as a journal for her own amusement, The Pillow Book is one of the greatest works of Japanese literature. A fascinating exploration of life amongst the nobility at the height of the idyllic Heian period, it describes the exquisite pleasures of a confined world in which poetry, love, fashion and whim dominated. From brief reflections to longer, lyrical tales, Shonagon moves elegantly across themes including nature, society and her own flirtations and frustrations, to provide a witty, unique insight into a woman''s life at court in classical Japan.

Translated with an introduction by Meredith McKinney

The Pillow Book

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    RRP £12.99 – you save £1.30 (10%)

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    A Paperback / softback by Sei Shonagon, Meredith McKinney, Meredith McKinney

    20 in stock

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      Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
      Publication Date: 30/11/2006
      ISBN13: 9780140448061, 978-0140448061
      ISBN10: 0140448063
      Also in:
      Fiction Poetry Non Fiction Biography Biography: historical, political and military

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      ''A mistress of wry observation and scalding wit ... The Pillow Book retains its fresh, authentic appeal more than 1,000 years after its inception'' Japan Times

      Written by the court gentlewoman Sei Shonagon as a journal for her own amusement, The Pillow Book is one of the greatest works of Japanese literature. A fascinating exploration of life amongst the nobility at the height of the idyllic Heian period, it describes the exquisite pleasures of a confined world in which poetry, love, fashion and whim dominated. From brief reflections to longer, lyrical tales, Shonagon moves elegantly across themes including nature, society and her own flirtations and frustrations, to provide a witty, unique insight into a woman''s life at court in classical Japan.

      Translated with an introduction by Meredith McKinney

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