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Muraski Shikibu

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Author

The Resume

    (circa 973-circa 1014)
    Born in Kyoto, Japan
    Maid of honor in the imperial court of Japan
    Novelist and poet
    Wrote 'The Tale of Genji' and 'The Muraski Shikibu Diary'

Why she might be annoying:

    Little is known about her, including her real name.
    Her father praised her intelligence but lamented that she was 'born a woman.'
    She had a rivalry with fellow author Sei Shonagon.
    One of her (fictional) descendants is a main character in Thomas Harris' awful prequel 'Hannibal Rising.'

Why she might not be annoying:

    Her mother died when she a child and her father gave her a 'male' education, including classical literature.
    Her daughter also became a poet.
    'The Tale of Genji' has been called the first novel.
    Nobel Prize winning author Yasunari Kawabata said, 'The Tale of Genji is the highest pinnacle of Japanese literature. Even to our day, there has not been a piece of fiction to compare with it.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 7 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 22 Votes: 63.64% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 15 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 24 Votes: 45.83% Annoying