World’s oldest novel celebrates 1,000th birthday
One thousand years ago this year, a Japanese court lady put the finishing touches on what would become the world’s oldest novel. Spanning 75 years, more than 350 characters and brimming with romantic poems, “The Tale of Genji” tells the story of an emperor’s son, his quest for love and the many women he meets […]
World’s oldest novel celebrates 1,000th birthday
One mark of a great novel, it’s been said, is its ability to stand the “test of time,” to remain captivating to readers from generation to generation. Washington University will honor such a novel Friday, April 18, with two campus events celebrating the 1,000th anniversary of “The Tale of Genji”, a central pillar of the Japanese literary canon.
Campus celebrates 1000th anniversary of ‘world’s first novel,’ April 18
One mark of a great novel, it’s been said, is its ability to stand the “test of time” — to remain captivating to readers from generation to generation. Washington University will honor such a novel on April 18 with two campus events celebrating the 1,000th anniversary of the Tale of Genji, a central pillar of the Japanese literary canon often hailed as the world’s first novel.