The Tale of Genji – Volume II

"As the sun sets on the radiant world of the Shining Prince, the shadows of the past begin to lengthen over the next generation." This second volume of Arthur Waley’s landmark translation completes Murasaki Shikibu’s epic journey through the three final parts: Blue Trousers, The Lady of the Boat, and The Bridge of Dreams. Shifting its focus from the courtly brilliance of Genji’s middle years to the poignant, atmospheric Uji chapters, the narrative explores the lives of Genji’s descendants as they grapple with the echoes of his legacy. Waley’s masterful prose captures the haunting beauty of longing and the Buddhist concept of mono no aware—the pathos of things—concluding this foundational work of world literature with a profound, dream-like meditation on the transience of human existence.