The Tale of the Heike (Penguin Classics)

I had been very favorably impressed by Royall Tyler's translation of the Tale of Genji. So, having read Helen Mc Cormick's, which is a bit arduous, I thought I would try this one. I am delighted to have it. The text flows with ease, it is a pleasure to read. An unexpected bonus is the lovely illustrations. There are also very useful maps.I recommend it to any one with an interest in early Japanese history. This a key period.

Truly one of the great works of literature. Heike needs to become part of the standard literary canon. Like the Shakespeare history plays (Richard II through Richard III) this is a story of an unstable monarchy spiraling out of control into ever increasing violence and brutality. And like Shakespeare it does it in beautiful language with sympathy for all sides in the catastrophe.Forget Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones; this is epic deserves a major cinematic treatment.

In some reviews, this tale has been compared to the "Iliad": it certainly has the same importance for Japan as Homer's epic for Western Europe. However, the way the two tales are told differ widely, and that's what makes the value of this tale, beyond the story line itself, full of action: it's not just the story which is exotic, but also the narration, and this is why it takes us in the heart of Japanese culture.In other words, even if the story is thrilling, the reader should not expect a "Shogun"-style thriller... But if he's ready to take the step into another world, he will be amply rewarded and, of course, he will find out that in this new world the feelings are the same as in ours: ambition, love, hatred... and, more than in the West, an eye for beauty, where a man will be admired for being both a great warrior and a delicate poet.

This is another classic of Japanese literature and culture which I was familiar with before buying this volume. I liked the translation and the addenda that made it easier to follow the complex relationships among the characters and factions. I bought this to add to my home library of Japanese classics.

Haven't got to read it yet, but looks like it's going to be a good story.

Fantastic story, and well presented also, with a beautiful translation and great art.

I found myself completely within the awful and beautiful world of the text. It can be hard to read, what with the multiplicity of Japanese names and allusions spanning the whole long story and the history it springs from, but it's worth the effort. I read it initially on the Kindle but got a print copy as well for ease of reference to the excellent introduction and notes and to examine the wonderful illustrations with a magnifier. I will certainly be reading it again.

What could have turned out to be extraordinarily difficult read has turned out to be quite accessible--there are plenty of notes and glossaries to help the reader maneuver through. Definitely not an "easy" read--but not a hair-puller. If you are interested in Japanese literature or epic literature at all, I highly recommend this book.Fern A. Pops

This is the thickest book I have ever read. Although I've been reading about Japanese history for years, I didn't think I'd get any value out of this book. I took the plunge anyway. It was well worth it. I wasn't expecting this. It's an Epic Tale!The best thing about this book is that every chapter is nice and small so you can read it in small doses. Ideal since it's a big book. It will take some commitment. After a while it will feel rewarding. If you are into history, this is for you.Set in 12th Century Japan during the late Heian period.Written like an epic poem, it shows us what life was like in the Imperial court. We learn how members of the courts were treated, describing who did what to whom, and why.This book tells the tale of a Samurai clan, The Heike (aka The Taira Clan) who took over the Imperial court. In the process they antagonised everybody; the Imperial family, the Fujiwara clan, the Minamoto clan, and the Buddhist monks.Central to the story is the power-hungry Kiyomori, we learn of his origins, his greed, and the cruelty of his clan.All events lead up to the Genpei War. This story tells the beginning of the Shogunate.My only problem with this book is that there are too many characters, we are given many names of people who don't play any major role apart from giving us their ranks and titles. Perhaps for research purposes, it may come in handy as a historical document, but from a storytelling perspective they serve no other purpose. It becomes too much to take on board at times. But that's a minor thing.Overall, this is one of the best books ever written. Powerful. Tragic. Beautiful.

Rating this book as a piece of literature is missing the point. The book is as close as it is easy to get to a primary source on life in medieval Japan. The story is not the happy ending type and this is obvious from the start, particularly if you read the introduction, but despite knowing the ultimate outcome the book never becomes a drag.The element of the story I found most surprising was the religious/spirituality aspects of the society. For a period renowned for its violence and cruelty the contrast with the (Buddhist) piety of all of the leading characters was quite a shock.Because of its length it can be quite a commitment to read this book but I found it rewarding to keep going back for a daily dose of two or three of the short chapters.

Just owning this book is nice, haven't read it though. Yet. It's the size all books should be, it makes other normal sized books look lesser than it.

Son very happy with this

Excellent book. I found it hard to read at the beginning, but once I got used to the author's style, I was able to advance fairly quickly, though much of it is a consequence of both the great history quality and also Taylor's fantastic translation.If you like Japanese culture, this is a book you can't miss. No wonder why it's influenced everything there, from contemporary authors to even Manga and anime.