I don’t think so ….
Thanks to Charlie Chaplin for this one.
Now, I like to think of myself as well read. I like to believe that, if it is a work of classic literature, I’ve at least heard of the author, if not the book itself. I don’t claim to have worked my way through all of Shakespeare, nor read all of Longfellow nor even plowed my way through all of Isaac Asimov. But jeez, I’ve never heard of this book, nor the author. And this is the book I’d be were I a work of classic fiction?
There is something very, very, very wrong with this test.
| Which Classic Book Are You? | |
| Book: | Lady Murasaki Shikibu’s The Tale of Genji. |
| Synopsis: | Widely acknowledged as the world’s first novel, this astonishingly lovely book was written by a court lady in Heian Japan and offers a window into that formal, mannered world. Genji, a man of passionate impulses and a lover of beauty, is the favorite son of the Emperor, though his position at court is not entirely stable. He follows his wayward longings through moonlight-soaked gardens and jeweled pavilions, with mysterious women such as the Lady of the Orange Blossoms, the Akashi lady, and his own father’s Empress. |
| Excerpt: | Next day Genji wrote a note to Tamakatsura in which he said: ‘How did you get on yesterday? Were you able to see the procession properly? I am sure that, if you were, you now take a very different view about my recent proposal…’ She was at first amused by the notion that a fleeting glimpse through the window of a palanquin could have altered her decision about serving at the Palace. But after a moment’s reflection she realized that this was precisely what had happened. How clever he always was at guessing what went on in other people’s heads! |
| Amazon: | The Tale of Genji |
| Which Classic Book Are You? |