Reading Genji
The Tale of Genji, recommended reading for all, our reviewer mentions two translations. I have not read the one he/she seems to favor
Reprint Time--Helena
A comment from the blogkeeper at Underbelly (thank you Buce) inspired me to look this up. I was fairly certain that I had reviewed the book in the recent past, and so I discovered this. a good book is worth appreciation--over and over and over again. Also, while you are appreciating, you might want to take in Underbelly's look at Helena as well. La Belle Hélène on March 18, 2005 8:11 AM In reading Helena last night I stumbled across a large number of passages I would like to share. But I thought the more important thing to share was an observation. Evelyn Waugh liked this best among his books. There are a good many reasons why this might be so: it is splendidly written--both the prose and the coherence are several notches above some of his earlier, more frenetic work. It is tightly done, with just the right strokes and exactly the right selection of detail. But I suspect the reason Waugh prized this above all the other works is that in t...
Steven,
ReplyDeleteI've had a copy for several years now but have been afraid to tackle it--1100+ pages is daunting.
I have a different version. Mine is possibly the first translation of the work ever made into English. I say this because it is the Modern Library Edition and the translation is by Arthur Waley, who was the first to translate many Japanese and Chinese works into poetry.
Dear Fred,
ReplyDeleteI've read Arthur Waley's translation, and while it is somewhat stilted and old-languagey by today's standards, it is still a serviceable telling of the tale. Seidenstricker's is magnificent, and there was one further mentioned that I thought I might have to look at because of the notes.
A nice accompaniment to this is the Diary of Lady Murasaki, which sheds some light on common practices and court life of the time.
Read, enjoy--it is long, but read in and amongst others, it provides zip, zest, flavor.
shalom,
Steven
Steven,
ReplyDeleteI've read several of Waley's translations, so his style might not bother me that much, once I actually get into it.
I hadn't heard of her Diary. Thanks for the information.