The Tale of Murasaki
Books | Fiction / Literary
4
Liza Dalby
The Tale of Murasaki is an elegant and brilliantly authentic historical novel by the author of Geisha and the only Westerner ever to have become a geisha.In the eleventh century Murasaki Shikibu wrote the world’s first novel, The Tale of Genji, the most popular work in the history of Japanese literature. In The Tale of Murasaki, Liza Dalby has created a breathtaking fictionalized narrative of the life of this timeless poet–a lonely girl who becomes such a compelling storyteller that she is invited to regale the empress with her tales. The Tale of Murasaki is the story of an enchanting time and an exotic place. Whether writing about mystical rice fields in the rainy mountains or the politics and intrigue of the royal court, Dalby breathes astonishing life into ancient Japan.
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Author
Liza Dalby
Pages
448
Publisher
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published Date
2002-08-13
ISBN
1400032784 9781400032785
Community ReviewsSee all
"I hate that I will never again read <i>The Tale of Murasaki</i> for the first time. Liza Dalby's story transcended time. While I was between these pages I felt I was looking through a window into 11th century Japan. That's a precious talent with precious results: how the main character, Murasaki, and I share some of the same concerns and angst—even across time we are not alone in our fears. And while some reviewers criticized the book's slow pace, I didn't mind. I felt the pacing reflected the languishing nature of Murasaki. I was also drawn to Murasaki's reverence for nature—how she was always noticing—and the period's use of poetry. (What would our world be like today if we sometimes communicated with others using poetry?)"
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Jen Y
