Shōnagon’s portrayal of court life is seldom marred by unpleasantries, but the reality of her circumstances may well have been more turbulent. It is worth reading the introduction, which provides historical context. As far as classics go, this is not the most profound or moving text, but it is strangely fun, and has an immediacy that I would never expect to find in a book written so long ago. Though the book was written in 1002, I found that I could actually relate to it in places, and Shōnagon struck me as a surprisingly modern woman. Whether it was written for an audience is a topic of some debate, and the text seems to contradict itself on this point, but it contains so much personality that Shōnagon would not, I think, have been unhappy to know that her words would carry so far into the future. It also contains several snippets of poetry, short extracts of fiction, and general musings. More than anything, it is a whimsical collection of the author’s observations and interactions as a courtier. The Pillow Book ( Makura no Sōshi) is not a diary in the traditional sense, as it has no chronological structure. However, this intimate diary is such a vivid window into the Japanese Heian period (794-1185 AD) that I found myself drawn deep into Sei Shōnagon’s world, never minding what I was doing there. I usually have misgivings about books that lack plot. The pleasures of the flesh and the pleasures of literature. In life there are two things which are dependable.
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