The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon
Most of the books I’ve read recently are nonfiction, which is quite a change. This first happened because I couldn’t find any new fiction books that appealed to me, (apart from classics, which get honorary nonfiction status in my mind), but now I enjoy nonfiction books for their own sake. The cultures of past times and places are often as strange as any you’d find in a fantasy novel - they certainly give me ideas for my own stories.
The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon was very interesting. Despite the fact that Sei Shonagon lived in Japan during the 11th century, the way her diary was written seemed very similar to a blog. There are lists of “Hateful Things”, “Awkward things”, “Adorable Things”, and so on, mixed with entries about interesting events in her life. A couple quotes I liked:
"Later I described to people how beautiful it was. What most impressed me was that they were not at all impressed."
"When I make myself imagine what it is like to be one of those women who live at home, faithfully serving their husbands - women who have had not a singe exciting prospect in life yet belive they are perfectly happy - I am filled with scorn. Often they are of quite good birth, yet have had no opportunity to find out what the world is like. I wish they could live for a while in our society, even if it should mean taking service as Attendants, so that they might come to know the delights it has to offer."
The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon was very interesting. Despite the fact that Sei Shonagon lived in Japan during the 11th century, the way her diary was written seemed very similar to a blog. There are lists of “Hateful Things”, “Awkward things”, “Adorable Things”, and so on, mixed with entries about interesting events in her life. A couple quotes I liked:
"Later I described to people how beautiful it was. What most impressed me was that they were not at all impressed."
"When I make myself imagine what it is like to be one of those women who live at home, faithfully serving their husbands - women who have had not a singe exciting prospect in life yet belive they are perfectly happy - I am filled with scorn. Often they are of quite good birth, yet have had no opportunity to find out what the world is like. I wish they could live for a while in our society, even if it should mean taking service as Attendants, so that they might come to know the delights it has to offer."