This is a great edition - it's full of annotations, indexes, and explanations. I often referred to the notes in the back, which contained references to the poems quoted and explanations of most everything that requires them.
The Pillow Book itself is many things. It's a diary that recounts Sei's life at court. It's a list of what is poetic and beautiful, what is acceptable and what is not. It's a description of court formalities and procedures. At its best, you feel immersed in the world of the court, where you are never alone, where gentlemen callers come to visit you, and where when you go out you display your tastefully arranged layers of sleeves beneath the discreetly lowered screen of your carriage. At its worst, you feel the cost of living at court, you are judged for your knowledge of poetical tomes and how wittily you can incorporate that knowledge, you must wear the correct color combinations or risk ridicule, and you must go where you are required to and often wait for others to remember you and your needs. Sei clearly did well for herself, as she was well-liked by her mistress, and respected by others in court for her knowledge. Still, from her writing one can see how it might go if one weren't able to catch the endless poetry references or didn't have enough money or familial support to keep up with changing fashions.
Highly recommended to anyone interested in this era. One star docked because the interesting anecdotes can be few and far between the poetry, and after a while there is a sameness to the entries.
The Pillow Book itself is many things. It's a diary that recounts Sei's life at court. It's a list of what is poetic and beautiful, what is acceptable and what is not. It's a description of court formalities and procedures. At its best, you feel immersed in the world of the court, where you are never alone, where gentlemen callers come to visit you, and where when you go out you display your tastefully arranged layers of sleeves beneath the discreetly lowered screen of your carriage. At its worst, you feel the cost of living at court, you are judged for your knowledge of poetical tomes and how wittily you can incorporate that knowledge, you must wear the correct color combinations or risk ridicule, and you must go where you are required to and often wait for others to remember you and your needs. Sei clearly did well for herself, as she was well-liked by her mistress, and respected by others in court for her knowledge. Still, from her writing one can see how it might go if one weren't able to catch the endless poetry references or didn't have enough money or familial support to keep up with changing fashions.
Highly recommended to anyone interested in this era. One star docked because the interesting anecdotes can be few and far between the poetry, and after a while there is a sameness to the entries.
