The book is often described as the world’s first novel and a touchstone of Japanese literature. But some of its themes, including its take on gender and power, have echoed over centuries. References ...

He danced gracefully, powdered his face, wrote delicate poetry and wore layer upon layer of color-coordinated robes. He mixed his own scent, which women recognized when he entered a room. Genji, the ...

At no time over the past 1,000 years has “The Tale of Genji” fallen out of favor with the Japanese public. Begun at the turn of the 11th century by a woman known to history as Murasaki Shikibu, the ...