The Tale of Genji

Murasaki Shikibu

Summary

"Step into the 'Shining' world of the imperial court, where every sleeve-tuck and poem holds the power of life and death."

The Tale of Genji follows the life and loves of Hikaru Genji, the "Shining Prince," the gifted and breathtakingly handsome son of an emperor. Relegated to commoner status for political reasons, Genji navigates the rigid hierarchies and delicate social rituals of the Heian court. The story spans decades, tracing Genji's numerous romantic entanglements, his rise and fall in political favor, and the lives of the women who love him. But beneath the silk robes and moonlit gardens lies a profound meditation on the fleeting nature of life, the weight of karma, and the bittersweet beauty of human connection.

The Aesthetic of "Mono no Aware": Murasaki Shikibu's writing is defined by the concept of mono no aware—a "pathos of things" or a deep sensitivity to the impermanence of the world. Through descriptions of changing seasons, fading blossoms, and the melancholy of the dawn, she captures the delicate sadness of a world that is as beautiful as it is transient.

A Psychological Pioneer: Centuries before the modern psychological novel, Lady Murasaki explored the inner lives of her characters with startling depth. She portrays the complex emotions of women living in a polygamous society—their jealousies, their griefs, and their quiet triumphs—making them feel remarkably contemporary.

Why It Endures: With over 400 characters and 54 chapters, The Tale of Genji is a literary universe unto itself. It is a foundational text of Japanese identity, influencing everything from Noh theater and Ukiyo-e art to modern manga and film. To read Genji is to experience the birth of prose fiction at its most sophisticated.

Experience the elegance of the Shining Prince. Purchase "The Tale of Genji" today.

Available since: 01/16/2026.

Print length: 824 pages.

Other books that might interest you

Hidden Truths of a Life -...

Bastian Crowlin

Hidden Truths of a Life: ⭐⭐ Simplified Guide & Explanations Included ⭐⭐ 
Are you eager to advance your career and enhance your knowledge by achieving success in your journey of resilience through storytelling and personal transformation? 
In search of an all-inclusive guide that covers everything you need for this transformative journey? 
Your quest ends here! 
This guide is your ultimate resource for enriching your understanding, honing your skills, and engaging in practical exercises. With this, you're set up for success. 
Key features of this enhanced guide: - In-depth insights into resilience through storytelling and personal transformation - Thorough explanation of the journey towards resilience - Effective strategies for preparation and overcoming challenges 
What sets our guide apart is its comprehensive insight, crucial for your journey's success. Concepts are explored in depth, not glossed over. 
Structured for clarity and written in accessible language, our guide ensures smooth transitions between topics. Say goodbye to complex jargon and embrace clear, precise, and technically sound content. 
So, why delay? Click the BUY NOW button, secure your guide, and embark on your path to success through resilience!

Show book

Reverence - A priest's life of...

Magdalen Smith

Part memoir, part reflection on vocation, Reverence charts the past and present life of an Anglican and female priest, one of the first women to be ordained in the Church of England in the 1990s. Magdalen Smith grew up in a clergy family, married a cleric, then became one herself. Working in many different contexts, cathedral, outer estate, city and countryside, she draws from a depth of experience in ministry and spirituality and reflects on how the church has changed over the years. Describing the often quirky and profound experiences of human life where all is infused with the holy, the book communicates a deep love of enabling others to discover a sense of the divine for themselves.

 
Reverence is a journey through one woman’s life, beginning in the 23-roomed vicarage where she grew up and ending in a place where her priestly calling is still believed to be relevant in a rapidly changing world. It takes familiar concepts of spirituality and through personal stories, reflections on art, culture and place, seeks to connect with the sense of vocation and an intuitive sense of the numinous that many people feel whether they describe themselves as religious or not.

Show book

3 Stories - Set During Pandemics...

Edgar Allan Poe, Fred M. White,...

There is something about the number 3.    
 
The Ancient Greeks believed 3 was the perfect number, and in China 3 has always been a lucky number, and they know a thing or two.   
 
Most religions also have 3 this and 3 that and, of course, in these more modern times, three’s a crowd may be too many, except when it’s a ménage à trois.  It seems good things usually come in threes. 
 
Whatever history and culture says WE think 3, a hat-trick of stories, is a great number to explore themes and literary avenues that classic authors were so adept at creating. 
 
From their pens to your your ears. 
 
01 - 3 Stories - Set During Pandemics 
02 - The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe 
03 - The Dust of Death by Fred M White 
04 - The Unparallelled Invasion by Jack London

Show book

Puff adders in the panicum - An...

Andrew Hutchinson

A collection of true auctioneering stories. Cattle, property and wildlife adventures, beat the drum in this African roller-coaster of adrenaline, danger and envy. From the first chant, to the last lot, the stage is set for for a fast paced narrative, full of action, power-plays and latent deception.

Show book

From Mohair Suits to Kinky Boots...

Geoff Deane

A very funny book packed with very funny stories, written by a very funny and often peculiar man Jonathan Ross.  The Samuel Pepys of East London Maurice Gran.  As the lead singer of Modern Romance he toured the world, as the screenwriter of Kinky Boots he conquered Hollywood, now comes Geoff Deane's latest act as a brilliant and witty ranconteur in this hilarious memoir.  Geoff Deane has worked as a fly-pitcher selling out of a suitcase, and flogged suits on Brick Lane market in London's East End. He was the singer in a much-loved culty punk band the Leyton Buzzards, a floppy-haired pop star in Modern Romance, a songwriter, and record producer. He wrote a gay anthem for John Waters drag queen muse Divine, worked as journalist and restaurant critic for style magazines The Face and Arena, before becoming a successful writer and producer of TV comedy. And then he wrote a couple of films, one of which, Kinky Boots, became a Tony Award winning Broadway  stage show.  With a cast ranging from local oddballs to international celebrities, Geoff Deane's unique take on the world is only matched by his extraordinarily rich use of language, with a smattering of Cockney rhyming slang, Yiddish and Polari.  A glossary is provided.

Show book

Letters - & Reminiscences

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Collected here are some of Dostoyevsky's finest letters to his family and friends, as-well as reminiscences from those close to him. This audiobook also includes thoughts on his life and work from his contemporaries (including Ivan Turgenev and Leo Tolstoy). These letters give an insight into the work, life, and psychology of one of the greatest writers of all time.

Dostoyevsky, a Russian novelist and short-story writer whose psychological penetration into the darkest recesses of the human heart, together with his unsurpassed moments of illumination, had an immense influence on 20th-century fiction. He is commonly regarded as one of the finest novelists who ever lived, penning works including four long novels: Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, The Devils, and The Brothers Karamazov. Literary modernism, existentialism, and various schools of psychology, theology, and literary criticism have been profoundly shaped by his ideas. His works are often called prophetic because he so accurately predicted how Russia's revolutionaries would behave if they came to power. In his time he was also renowned for his activity as a journalist.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky was a Russian novelist, journalist, and short-story writer who had an immense influence on 20th-century fiction. He is commonly regarded as one of the finest novelists who ever lived, penning classics that include: Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, Demons, and The Brothers Karamazov. His ideas profoundly shaped literary modernism, existentialism, and various schools of psychology, theology, and literary criticism.

Show book