The Pillow Book, or Makura no Sōshi, has the distinction of being likely the most widely read of all classical Japanese literature.¹ Written by Sei Shōnagon, The Pillow Book is unlike The Tale of Genji by contemporary, Murasaki Shikibu, in that it issuccinct and accessible. One can easily read it at leisure. The Pillow Book allegedly comes into being through the happenstance of gifted paper² and for centuries, it has been prized for the witty and at times acerbic portraits that Sei Shōnagon pain...