A review by dandelionfluff
Diaries of Court Ladies of Old Japan by Annie Shepley Omori, B. Murasaki Shikibu, Kochi Doi

5.0

The elegance and astute observations of daily life found within these journals really made me reflect on how we interact with one another now. Of course, I'm nowhere near Japan, nor do I have a real sense of what Japanese life is like away from fiction and pop culture representations. Still, I wonder where the refinement went. When did we stop writing little poems to each other to express and suggest our sentiments? Where do people dress themselves as an art form, rather than trying to make a pretentious statement? These women have such exquisite taste that it might seem a bit ridiculous, but there's something to be gained from reading it all. Japan has never surpassed this era's aesthetics. I don't think anyone has. Will we ever?