The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon is a fascinating, detailed account of Japanese court life in the eleventh century. Written by a lady of the court at the height of Heian culture, this book enthralls with its lively gossip, witty observations, and subtle impressions. Lady Shonagon was an erstwhile riv[...]

Who is Sei Shonagon? The tenth-century author of "The Pillow Book"? This novel tells the story of one woman's fascination with the conflicting aspects of her society: its respect for simplicity and the natural world, lying alongside the pressures of manic consumerism; and its public emphasis on form[...]

På våren - gryningen, när det gradvis ljusnar, himlen så smått klarnar över bergen och purpuraktiga molnslöjor sveper fram.

Denna inledning till Sei Shonagons kuddbok, ­Makura no soshi från 1000-talets kejsarhov, citeras än idag ofta i Japan och de flesta japaner känner till de[...]