Dreaming

Thursday, February 02, 2023

I’m surprised to be about to start reading this ancient Japanese tale, supposedly the world’s first novel. Written by Murasaki Shikibu, born in 978; she was a poet in the court of Empress Akiko.

This is all because I had begun reading, Masks, a novel by Fumiko Enchi. Written in 1958, it’s considered an essential, beautifully written Japanese classic authored by a woman. I was struck by the story’s excellent writing and interesting pace early on. Then, I looked into reviews and discovered that Masks incorporates themes from The Tale of Genji, which is recommended background reading. So, I’ll read the ancient fantasy and then resume Masks.

If I’m aiming to read a modern classic that originated in a non-English language, I should prepare in the best possible manner by doing the background work. Rather than tackling these readings independently, I’d prefer to participate in a literature class with a subject matter expert. But what the heck, I’ll go for it as a challenge.

Dear Friends: I’ll dream about ancient Japanese literature on this beautiful day at work. Diana