Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu, Royall Tyler, Murasaki Shikibu, Murasaki ISBN: 0-670-03020-1 Publisher: Viking Press Pub. Date: 11 October, 2001 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 2 List Price(USD): $60.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.29 (24 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Is this the greatest novel of all time?
Comment: If you are reading this it is probably because you have enjoyed Liza Dalby's "Tale of Murasaki" and are wondering if you can handle something of this size. Or perhaps you are already familiar with the scintillating Waley or Seidensticker translations (also worth acquiring and reading) and curious as to why Tyler has even bothered to produce another one. In fact, even in Japan there have been several recent attempts to render the obscure language of the Heian Court into modern Japanese. Junichiro Tanizaki, for example, managed the feat twice. With such a precedent Tyler therefore, perhaps, needs no justification. Anyway, what you need to know is that the new translation surpasses Seidensticker's in being faithful to the poetic economy of Murasaki's prose (though "economy" here still leaves room for some marvellously glutinous, clause-laden sentences) and even succeeds in maintaining the shifting identities of the characters (which change when they receive promotion within the court) without leaving the reader lost. There are also some wonderful and irreverent moments, such as when Tyler has the libidinous Genji complain "I'm not out for hanky panky; all I want to do is sit for a while on her creaky veranda." But the main thing is that this translation is utterly absorbing, wonderfully readable, and as difficult to put down as many a bestselling novel I have come across. It will guarantee around two months of enjoyment to those who like a good psychological story and therefore represents excellent value, even in hardback. For me personally it is simply the best novel I have read and I recommend this translation without any reservations.
Rating: 4
Summary: The Tale of Genji
Comment: I love The Tale of Genji, but this edition has its flaws.
The hardcover is easily stained, and the black center easily rubs off and gets everywhere, not to mention it makes the book look incredibly beat up. (if you think the paperback is a solution, don't. A paperback of this size shouldn't even be touched.) I've only had mine for a year and it already looks like I've owned it for twenty. It isn't like I trashed it either - I always take very good care of my books.
I'm rather ambivalent about the quality of the translation. On the one hand, having read Waley's translation, Seidenstickers seems to be the one that is truer to Murasaki's original - he adds no extra language to what she was trying to say - however I have come across a few sentences that are obviously faulted, as they make absolutely no sense. Being very few in number, it hardly presents a problem, but never the less, it can cause some minor confusion.
Now, the story itself. The Tale of Genji is over 1000 years old. I must say it is simply fascinating just to own a copy of a piece of history. The Tale of Genji is incredibly captivating and haunting, beautiful and at times difficult to follow - but that makes it all the more enjoyable. You almost have to study it if you wish to fully understand it - and I'm a scholarly type, so I at least find that enjoyable.
All I would really say in warning is that you should have at least a bit of an understanding of Japanese and ancient Japanese culture - because the behavior of the characters, particularly the men, might rub the average westerner the wrong way.
The poor durability of the cover and the few sentence flawes forced me to take off a star. At least the sentences don't make any real difference, or it would be horrid. I myself plan to own all the translations of the Tale of Genji, so this is a must. And even if you are not, it is not a bad buy at all. Just make sure you take extra, extra care of it. :)
Rating: 5
Summary: Wonderful
Comment: I was hesitant to start reading "The Tale of Genji" because it seemed so long and ponderous and serious. It seemed like the kind of novel you read because you should, not because it's fun. That wasn't the case at all! The book is a little obscure, a little hard to read, but it keeps me up reading it at night. The world it evokes is distant, exotic, and poetic. I haven't read the other translations, but I will say that for me it wasn't hard to keep track of who was who, despite the lack of personal names, and I'm glad that this translation stuck close to the original in that respect.
 |
Title: The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon by Ivan Morris ISBN: 0231073372 Publisher: Columbia University Press Pub. Date: 15 April, 1991 List Price(USD): $21.00 |
 |
Title: Diary of Lady Murasaki by Murasaki Shikibu, Richard Bowring, Murasaki Shikibu, Murasaki ISBN: 014043576X Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: 09 March, 1999 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
 |
Title: The World of the Shining Prince: Court Life in Ancient Japan (Kodansha Globe) by Ivan Morris, Paul De Angelis ISBN: 1568360290 Publisher: Kodansha International Pub. Date: June, 1994 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
 |
Title: The Tale of Genji: Legends and Paintings by Miyeko Murase, Mitsuoki Tosa ISBN: 0807615005 Publisher: George Braziller Pub. Date: September, 2001 List Price(USD): $45.00 |
 |
Title: The Tale of Murasaki : A Novel by Liza Dalby ISBN: 0385497954 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 21 August, 2001 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
