author
Murasaki Shikibu
A court lady of Heian Japan, she created The Tale of Genji, a work often described as the world’s first novel. Her writing turns palace life, emotion, and quiet observation into something that still feels vivid a thousand years later.
5 Audiobooks
The tale of Genji
by Murasaki Shikibu
Diaries of Court Ladies of Old Japan
by Izumi Shikibu, Murasaki Shikibu, Sugawara no Takasue no Musume
The sacred tree : Being the second part of 'The tale of Genji'
by Murasaki Shikibu
A wreath of cloud : Being the third part of 'The tale of Genji'
by Murasaki Shikibu
Blue trousers : Being the fourth part of 'The tale of Genji'
by Murasaki Shikibu
About the author
Born in Kyoto around 978, Murasaki Shikibu was a Japanese writer and lady-in-waiting at the imperial court during the Heian period. Her personal name is unknown, which is common for women of her era, and the name by which she is known today is a later descriptive one.
She is best known for The Tale of Genji, written in the early 11th century and widely regarded as one of the masterpieces of Japanese literature. The book is celebrated for its psychological depth, elegant style, and richly detailed picture of court life. She also wrote a diary and poems that give readers another glimpse of the world she lived in.
What makes her especially remarkable is how modern her storytelling can feel: she pays close attention to character, memory, longing, and the passing of time. That mix of intimacy and insight has kept her work alive for centuries and made her one of the most important figures in literary history.