The Tale of Genji: Legends and Paintings by Miyeko Murase Unquestionably one of the world's greatest literary masterpieces and the finest achievement of classic Japanese prose narrative, The Tale of Genji, written by Murasaki Shikibu shortly after 1000 CE, has provided endless inspiration for Japanese painters throughout the centuries. Widely held to be the first novel ever written, the story details the amorous adventures of "shining prince" Genji in the elaborate and highly ordered court culture of the Heian era. This book presents an exquisite, complete, and beautifully preserved series of paintings illustrating the tale, with an introduction and commentaries describing the work and summarizing its key events. CL, ISBN: 0807615005 $45.00 (Can: $67.50)