{"product_id":"the-pillow-book","title":"The Pillow Book","description":"\u003cdiv\u003eIn the tenth century, Japan was both physically and culturally isolated from the rest of the world. \u003ci\u003eThe Pillow Book\u003c\/i\u003e recaptures this lost world with the diary of a young court lady. Sei Shonagon was a contemporary of Murasaki Shikibu, who wrote the well-known novel \u003ci\u003eThe Tale of Genji. \u003c\/i\u003eUnlike the latter''s fictionalized view of the Heian-era court, Shonagon''s journal provides a lively miscellany of anecdotes, observations, and gossip, intended to be read in juicy bits and pieces.\u003cbr\u003e This unique volume was first rendered into English in 1889. In 1928, Arthur Waley, a seminal figure in the Western studies of Japanese culture, undertook a translation. The distinguished scholar devised this abridged version of the text, re-creating in English the stylistic beauty of its prose and the vitality of its narrative. Waley''s interpretation offers a fascinating glimpse of the artistic pursuits of the royal court and its constant round of rituals, festivals, and ceremonies.\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57481630712181,"sku":"9780486834436","price":6.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780486834436.jpg?v=1786089913","url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/products\/the-pillow-book","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}