Sei Shōnagon (966–1025)
Author of The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon
About the Author
This woman is known only by her sobriquet at court. She was in the service of an empress, about whom she writes with adulation, but, apart from what she records in The Pillow Book (c.975), which is autobiographical, little is known of her life. Her writing does, however, reveal an educated, show more sensitive, and vivacious woman who held herself in high esteem and was popular at court. Written with wit, The Pillow Book includes lists of things that the author liked or disliked, spontaneous observations, anecdotes of court life, and miscellaneous tales, some of her own invention. It is a classic of the zuihztsu or miscellany genre. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Kikugawa Eizan, woodblock print circa 1820
Works by Sei Shōnagon
El libro de a almohada 1 copy
Fragmenten 1 copy
Sei Shonagon, Das Kopfkissenbuch: Aus dem Japanischen übertragen von Mamoru Watanabé. Aufzeichnungen einer Hofdame… (2023) 1 copy
Note dal guanciale 1 copy
Associated Works
Lapham's Quarterly - Lines of Work: Volume IV, Number 2, Spring 2011 (2011) — Contributor — 29 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Sei Shōnagon
- Birthdate
- 966
- Date of death
- 1025
- Gender
- female
- Nationality
- Japan
- Places of residence
- Kyoto, Japan
- Occupations
- lady-in-waiting
Noblewoman
Members
Reviews
Lists
Folio Society (1)
Awards
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 21
- Also by
- 7
- Members
- 2,803
- Popularity
- #9,174
- Rating
- 4.0
- Reviews
- 41
- ISBNs
- 84
- Languages
- 15
- Favorited
- 14
At times the author comes across as an obnoxious snob. A few pages later, there is a paragraph that is personal and poignant.
My favourite part of the book: the lists! Did I mentions the lists? "Things that make the heart beat faster". "Things that give a comfortable feeling." Etc... Give me more, please.… (more)