Ivan Morris's translation of the Sarashina Nikki has rekindled our passion for Heian Japan. The author of this short "notebook" had a striking passion for tales or monogatari, including several lost ones. Her devotion to tales and living in the dreams of such narratives appeals to modern readers, who likewise lose themselves in literature, perhaps to the detriment of the "real world." While perhaps less witty than Sei Shonagon and with a biography less sympathetic than the author of the Kagero Nikki, we could not avoid liking Lady Sarashina as a sensitive, delicate person dedicated to literature while struggling with the "real world" of court life, religious devotion (of Buddhist and Shinto varieties), marriage, and family life. Sometimes we all just want to immerse ourselves in The Tale of Genji or other fictional works.
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