Download or read book The Tale of Genji written by 紫式部 and published by . This book was released on 1976 with total page 554 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Set in 11th century Japan, the work recounts the life of a son of a Japanese emperor, known to readers as Hikaru Genji, or "Shining Genji". For political reasons, Genji is relegated to commoner status (by being given the surname Minamoto) and begins a career as an imperial officer. The tale concentrates on Genji's romantic life and describes the customs of the aristocratic society of the time. --Wikipedia.com.