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mhall's review against another edition
4.0
Heavily featured in Ruth Ozeki's novel [b:My Year of Meats|12349|My Year of Meats|Ruth Ozeki|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388513889s/12349.jpg|265218], I picked this up and read it in fragments here and there, basically the same way it was written. Lists of precise, interesting things and anecdotes about court life in Japan in the tenth century. Amazingly modern. The aesthetic is interesting, the lines of poetry carefully transcribed and delivered to a paramour, the women waiting for men to steal into their bedrooms at night.
Hateful things: "One is telling a story about old times when someone breaks in with a little detail that he happens to know, implying that one's own version is inaccurate - hateful behavior!
Very hateful is a mouse that scurries all over the place."
Pronouncements: "A Palm-Leaf Carriage Should Move Slowly.
"Oxen Should Have Very Small Foreheads.
A Preacher Ought To Be Good-Looking."
Beautifully precise descriptions of nature and weather.
Hateful things: "One is telling a story about old times when someone breaks in with a little detail that he happens to know, implying that one's own version is inaccurate - hateful behavior!
Very hateful is a mouse that scurries all over the place."
Pronouncements: "A Palm-Leaf Carriage Should Move Slowly.
"Oxen Should Have Very Small Foreheads.
A Preacher Ought To Be Good-Looking."
Beautifully precise descriptions of nature and weather.
brantelg's review against another edition
4.0
I thought that Sei's thoughts were intriguing, but I skipped most of the narration of her life and focused on the lists.
coralkudu's review against another edition
4.0
I read the Tale of Genji not very long before I read this. I found that, despite being a fraction of the length, the Pillow Book made the world of Heian era Japan seem much more real. I don't know if that was because this was basically a diary discussing real events rather than fiction with probably idealised scenes or whether it was that Sei Shonagon is much more the sort of woman you could imagine knowing than Murasaki Shikibu. What was amazing about this book was that, despite being written 1000 years ago in a world completely different to ours, Sei Shonagon still describes things where you think "I know exactly what you mean."
rhubarb1608's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
4.0
heidinyc's review against another edition
This is a collection of writings and notes kept by a lady-in-waiting for the Japanese Empress circa 900s. I loved the fact that it gave you such an intimate portrayal of the royal court of the Heian period. But at the same time, I was skeptical as to how much was accurate due to Shonagon's egotistic nature. She tends to portray things she likes in an exaggerated positive light and others in completely opposite way. Definitely not the most objective outlook on life, people and ideas.
I really disliked Shonagon as a person. She seemed really petty and loved to self-promote - but in a subtle way, which made it seem even more conniving. The book is filled with how impressed other courtesans were with her wit and poetry - but how would she have known that? People may have told her that she was brilliant, but it may have been out of politeness - but she records it as a fact.
The translator, Ivan Morris, does a brilliant job. In the preface, he says that he didn't want to do a literal translation (e.g. one who purrs, to mean a cat, for instance). He wanted the english reader to understand the thoughts as much as possible - so he used a lot of liberties to get the ideas across. I'm glad, b/c some other translated books try to make the other culture overly exotic, and may miss the essence of the story.
I really disliked Shonagon as a person. She seemed really petty and loved to self-promote - but in a subtle way, which made it seem even more conniving. The book is filled with how impressed other courtesans were with her wit and poetry - but how would she have known that? People may have told her that she was brilliant, but it may have been out of politeness - but she records it as a fact.
The translator, Ivan Morris, does a brilliant job. In the preface, he says that he didn't want to do a literal translation (e.g. one who purrs, to mean a cat, for instance). He wanted the english reader to understand the thoughts as much as possible - so he used a lot of liberties to get the ideas across. I'm glad, b/c some other translated books try to make the other culture overly exotic, and may miss the essence of the story.
kappafrog's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Misogyny, and Sexual content
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Child death, Chronic illness, Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
laviejadelsaco's review against another edition
5.0
Sei Shōnagon is now officially my favorite person. Period.
dei2dei's review against another edition
2.0
I was... disappointed with this translation and review of it; more than half is taken up by setting and explanation, and the contents of the pillowbook itself are oddly grouped and organized.
redheadreading's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
Interesting thinking about this in comparison to As I Crossed A Bridge of Dreams!