The Tale of Murasaki

The daughter of a mid-ranking court poet, Murasaki Shikibu retreats into her imagination to chase away the blues but soon finds herself telling stories to the empress about the imaginary Prince Genji, in a novel that brings to life the colorful world of eleventh-century Japan and the life of the woman who wrote the world's first novel, The Tale of Genji. Reader's Guide available. Reprint. 40,000 first printing.