We’ll be starting our massive group read of The Tale of Genji on June 15. Till then, have a look at our schedule and find out about us.
And if you want to read along, have a look at the sidebar to the right to see which translation we’re using.
14 Responses to “Welcome to The Summer of Genji”
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June 14, 2010
[...] Your Summer of Genji Begins By Scott Esposito ⋅ June 14, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment Your Summer of Genji BeginsShareTomorrow the Summer of Genji officially begins! There’s still time to jump on the bandwagon, and you’ll be in good company. [...]
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Our Edition
We've chosen to read Royall Tyler's poetic and helpfully footnoted translation. You can order your copy from Amazon, Powells, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.
I’m game! Just curious: what made you decide on Genji?
I’m not sure there’s a real answer to that question. I just seemed like one of those huge, intriguing books that we all felt like we should have read at some point but never did. And it seemed like a book that would provide a lot of grist for the old blogging mill.
Yes, yes, yes.
Awesome! I just taught this to my freshmen (in the abridged Royall Tyler translation) this past semester and they loved it. This is a great excuse to get the full edition and read/discuss it with, er, not-freshmen.
I’m in. This book has been sitting on my shelf for far too long!
I’d just decided to read this on my own. Now I can join in. Looking forward to it.
I’m in, too. Just picked up the 2 volume hardcover at Powell’s. I’ll try to get my act together enough to blog about it as well.
Sounds great! I’m a PhD student specializing in Genji so I’ve already read it several times, but I love seeing other people’s responses to the story.
What do you think of the choice of translation? — Tyler vs. Seidensticker?
Having lived in Korea for the past two years, I’ve visited Japan twice, just briefly, but you, Scott et al, have inspired me to go back for another visit this summer, with Genji in hand.
A friend I usually stay with who lives just outside Kyoto tells me there’s a temple near his house where Murasaki composed at least part of her book. I hope that as we read I’ll find more things to investigate when I’m over there.
Very much looking forward to the conversation with you all!
I’m glad we’re going with the Tyler. I’ve had some problems reading Seidensticker’s translations of other Japanese works. One of them was so bad I never finished it. (It was one of the Tanizaki works if I remember correctly.) So far I’ve been enjoying what I’ve read of Tyler’s work.
Perfect. I have this edition, so far unread, and June 15 is my birthday, an auspicious day to embark on this journey.
I have tried to read this enormous novel many times in the past. I think that I’m actually going to accomplish reading the book this time. Or at least I hope to anyway. Was it worth buying it on Ebay for $5.00? Instead of reading it in June, I will be starting it in April and contuining it as the dates correspond to the schedule. Thank you for helping me.