Monday, September 8, 2008

English Edition of Gengi Monogatari

Penguin has an exceptional website devoted to their new edition of the edition of The Tale of Genji, and I can't possible do any better than to simply encourage you to go there and be introduced to its glories for yourselves.
The cost, I believe, is about fourty dollars for a book that is as bibliographically beautiful as it is artistically superlative.
Often, of course, choice between editions is a matter indifferent. In this particular case, however, so much rests on the skill and artistry of the translator, and -- oh joy! -- Royall Tyler has surpassed the hopes of even the most optimistic Genjiphiliac.
  • About the book itself, click here.
  • About the translator, click here.
  • A brief essay of welcome from Royall Tyler is here.
  • E-text of the book's Introduction, arranged as hotlinks to each section, is here.
  • Chapter One, in portable document format, allowing you to see the beauty of the layout, is here.

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