In the tenth century, Japan stood physically and culturally isolated from the rest of the world.
A new introduction by respected Japanese literary scholar Dennis Washburn provides historical insight into Japanese culture, Sei Shonagon\'s world, and Waley\'s translation..
In a place and time where poetry was as important as knowledge and beauty was highly revered, Sei Shonagon\'s private writings offer a charming, intimate glimpse into a world of innocence and pale beauty.
Through his elegant and readable abridged translation, Arthur Waley perfectly conveys Sei Shonagon\'s girlish temperament and quirky personality.
A perfect companion to that work, The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon brings an added dimension to Murasaki\'s timeless and seminal novel and further illuminates Japanese court life in all its ritualistic glory.
She was a contemporary and acquaintance of the well-known courtesan Murasaki Shikibu, author of the Japanese masterpiece The Tale of Genji.
Sei Shonagon a young courtesan of the Heian period kept a diary, which provides a highly personal account of the intrigues, dalliances, quirks, and habits of Japan\'s late tenth-century elite.
In the tenth century, Japan stood physically and culturally isolated from the rest of the world
