This Norton Critical Edition includes:





Dennis Washburn’s acclaimed and unabridged translation of Murasaki Shikibu’s eleventh-century literary masterpiece, widely considered the world’s first novel.

Editorial matter by Dennis Washburn.

Fourteen background selections—from the eleventh-century The Daughter of Sugawara no Takasue to Virginia Woolf—carefully selected to increase the reader’s understanding and appreciation of this nuanced and vibrant work.

Nine critical essays on The Tale of Genji’s central themes.

An index of songs and poetry, three chronologies and a selected bibliography.



About the Series


Read by more than 12 million students over fifty-five years, Norton Critical Editions set the standard for apparatus that is right for undergraduate readers. The three-part format—annotated text, contexts and criticism—helps students to better understand, analyse and appreciate the literature, while opening a wide range of teaching possibilities for instructors. Whether in print or in digital format, Norton Critical Editions provide all the resources students need.

Translated by: Dennis Washburn