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A review by foggy_rosamund
The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon by Sei Shōnagon
4.0
I give this five stars for Sei Shonagon, and three stars for the translation. Shonagon is Gossip Girl for the Heian court: she is clever, opinionated, self-important, observant, cutting, and brave. Meanwhile having Ivan Morris translate her writing is a bit like having your grandfather trying to explain Gossip Girl to you: he may be doing his best, but he fundamentally doesn't get it. This translation came out in 1967, and the reader can feel that Morris doesn't really think that women are men's intellectual equals, and that Shonagon is getting a bit above herself by reciting all this Chinese poetry and thinking she can verbally spar with men. There's a feeling of flatness in Morris's translation too: Shonagon's personality shines through, but the English text is restrained and cautious. To give Morris his due, he writes extensive (and mostly very helpful) notes for the reader, and includes a detailed appendix, with everything from an explanation of the calendar used in Heian Japan to detailed drawings of costumes and a rough breakdown of the chronological order of events.
This edition contains 185 of Shonagon's characters sketches, observations and lists. The pillow book, a sort of almanac of one person's musings and ideas, is a well-known Japanese form, but Shonagon's is one of the oldest still in existence, and one of the longest. There are more than 185 entries in the original, but that number probably gives the reader a good sense of the form: it's a lot like reading someone else's journal, and it's full of gossip and catty comments that were probably more fascinating a thousand years ago, but it's also very entertaining to read Shonagon's observations, and gives the reader a truly unique insight into the Heian court, and one woman's world more than a thousand years ago. Shonagon is just the kind of cool girl who would have despised me if we'd been in school together, but it's really fun to get to know her in this form. Plus, the way in which poetry is woven into everyday life is extremely charming. Recommended, but maybe try a more modern translation.
This edition contains 185 of Shonagon's characters sketches, observations and lists. The pillow book, a sort of almanac of one person's musings and ideas, is a well-known Japanese form, but Shonagon's is one of the oldest still in existence, and one of the longest. There are more than 185 entries in the original, but that number probably gives the reader a good sense of the form: it's a lot like reading someone else's journal, and it's full of gossip and catty comments that were probably more fascinating a thousand years ago, but it's also very entertaining to read Shonagon's observations, and gives the reader a truly unique insight into the Heian court, and one woman's world more than a thousand years ago. Shonagon is just the kind of cool girl who would have despised me if we'd been in school together, but it's really fun to get to know her in this form. Plus, the way in which poetry is woven into everyday life is extremely charming. Recommended, but maybe try a more modern translation.