Take a photo of a barcode or cover
korrick 's review for:
The Pillow Book
by Sei Shōnagon
I read this book on the recommendation of Ruth Ozeki in [b:A Tale for the Time Being|15811545|A Tale for the Time Being|Ruth Ozeki|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1613060369l/15811545._SY75_.jpg|21536809], a reading that happened so long ago that I have no recollection of what words fueled what motivations that brought me to this point. I can't say I was entertained by this work, but it is enjoyable how elegantly stable Sei Shōnagon's world is, even if the timeline in the appendices undermines that feeling a tad. It's no [b:The Tale of Genji|7042|The Tale of Genji|Murasaki Shikibu|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1616514777l/7042._SX50_.jpg|2212225], but it is wildly informative about a long ago period that, I will admit, I'll likely forever be fascinated by, what with how far removed it is from the ancient cultures I'd been raised on the education of, and yet how comprehensively and holistically modern it feels. There's many a criticism to be made of the world and, indeed, Shōnagon 's time is violently overthrown by those who suffered under the hierarchy obsessed society, but one cannot deny the beauty of crystallized thought that resulted from the Heian age. It is these beauties I'll happily indulge in whenever the opportunity arises, as what is long past can always be learned from, and there is nothing against enjoyment when one is honestly critical about it.
One thing you cannot call Sei Shōnagon is boring. She is obnoxious servile to society strictures in general, and she'd be an odious person to deal with if she were in a position of power today, but nature versus nurture is always an issue, and Shōnagon, however much she pisses me off at times, is at the very least a thinker and not afraid to so as much. It becomes strange when you realize how young the royal highnesses that she reveres are, but otherwise, she is interesting in her commentary, and the value of her wit has only been augmented by the huge swaths of time that separate her social norms, cultural events, and religious beliefs from ours. Years after my reading of TToG, I'm still half in love with the obsession with flowers and apt lines of poetry and matching of quotations, all frivolous on the level of Louis XVI on the eve of the French Revolution, but fascinatingly charming and witty nonetheless. I'll likely read more into the Heian period, but ideally not with any white boy leading the way. The annotations got nasty enough for me to continue avoiding such a breed of stuck up solipsism. Shōnagon's contempt has at least achieved value over time, and is far more engaging to boot.
This book wasn't part of any of this year's various challenges, which is why it was a breath of fresh air despite its age. The fact that I ran out of people of color long before I did white women is as indicative of my earlier and more pronounced inherent biases as they are of the bias that still lingers, so the fact that my other, less publicized reading regimen is enabling my pursuit of classics such as TPB shows the habit is well worth its keep. TPB is no absolute favorite, but there is a triumph in how long it has survived despite the abject hatred the world has had for women of color during the course of the last millennium or so. Much would have been lost had it made its arduous way throughout the centuries of personal collections and more official compilations. I look forward to seeing what else has come down through the years to inform, inspire, and even, perhaps, delight.
One thing you cannot call Sei Shōnagon is boring. She is obnoxious servile to society strictures in general, and she'd be an odious person to deal with if she were in a position of power today, but nature versus nurture is always an issue, and Shōnagon, however much she pisses me off at times, is at the very least a thinker and not afraid to so as much. It becomes strange when you realize how young the royal highnesses that she reveres are, but otherwise, she is interesting in her commentary, and the value of her wit has only been augmented by the huge swaths of time that separate her social norms, cultural events, and religious beliefs from ours. Years after my reading of TToG, I'm still half in love with the obsession with flowers and apt lines of poetry and matching of quotations, all frivolous on the level of Louis XVI on the eve of the French Revolution, but fascinatingly charming and witty nonetheless. I'll likely read more into the Heian period, but ideally not with any white boy leading the way. The annotations got nasty enough for me to continue avoiding such a breed of stuck up solipsism. Shōnagon's contempt has at least achieved value over time, and is far more engaging to boot.
This book wasn't part of any of this year's various challenges, which is why it was a breath of fresh air despite its age. The fact that I ran out of people of color long before I did white women is as indicative of my earlier and more pronounced inherent biases as they are of the bias that still lingers, so the fact that my other, less publicized reading regimen is enabling my pursuit of classics such as TPB shows the habit is well worth its keep. TPB is no absolute favorite, but there is a triumph in how long it has survived despite the abject hatred the world has had for women of color during the course of the last millennium or so. Much would have been lost had it made its arduous way throughout the centuries of personal collections and more official compilations. I look forward to seeing what else has come down through the years to inform, inspire, and even, perhaps, delight.